With a constant buzz of activity, bright lights, excitement, and glamour, it is no wonder that casinos make the perfect backdrop for films and television programs. But bookworms will know that a good writer can also transport their reader into the Las Vegas strip with clever use of words. Unsurprisingly, several brilliant books set the story in a casino-from works of pure fantasy to accounts based on reality; here are three casino-themed books you need to read in 2022.
1. Casino Royale (Ian Flemming)
We start with what is perhaps the best-known casino-based story, and that is the first-ever adventure to feature James Bond. Better known as 007, this secret agent sparked a series of films and became a household name, alongside author Ian Flemming of course. Three screen adaptations have been made from this 1953 novel, of course, there was the 2006 film which was part of the main Bond franchise, but two lesser know adaptations were in 1954 when it was made into a television program in the United States and then in 1967 when it was turned into a spoof.
However, even if you have seen all three, the book is well worth reading. Our hero must take down the bad guy by winning at Baccarat, a very popular casino game that you yourself can check out at Platincasino Ireland. In the movie, Bond takes his chances at the game in order to stop SMERSH agent Le Chiffre. Despite many twists and turns, the hero wins and, in true Bond style, gets the girl as well.
2. Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions (Ben Mezrich)
This is a truly fascinating book, and if you haven’t read it, get it ordered or downloaded to your Kindle now! This is a true story about a group of savant-level students studying at MIT. One of their recreational clubs is a blackjack club, where they find it fun to use their maths genius to count cards and outwit each other. Until it occurs to them that they could beat the house for real and not be detected by the security systems that look out for ‘card counters’ and cheats and the high-stakes tables.
This, too, was made into a film called 21, but again there is no substitute for the original book. Although the youngsters and their masterminding professor managed to bag themselves well over 3 million dollars in winnings, they were eventually caught and prosecuted. Often mistaken for a literary thriller, this is a true story that makes it all the more exciting.
3. Molly’s Game (Molly Bloom)
The final choice for this list is Molly Game, a series of memoirs self-penned by Molly Bloom. As a young girl, she dreamed of breaking free of the small-town mentality she grew up in, where she always seemed to fail compared to her all-star brothers. However, her plan was not to run track or excel in school.
Molly chose a somewhat unconventional path. She ran high-stakes poker games for the elite of Hollywood. The adrenaline is palpable even on the pages of a book as she details her life meeting A-listers like Ben Affleck and Leonardo DiCaprio, taking on the Italian mob, and butting heads with the Russian mafia. Again true-life proves more thrilling than fiction as you walk with her through the underground, secret poker games laced with glamour and wealth. A definite must-read that was also made into a film.
