Confessions of an Ivy League Bookie: A True Tale of Love and the Vig

By Peter Alson

Book Overview

Juxtaposing the thuggish worlds of bookies and privileged ivy leaguers, this hilarious study of unfettered machismo takes a perceptive look into a young, donw-on-his-luck Harvard graducate who joins a bookmaking operations while he tries to pull his life together.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517703300
• ISBN13: 9780517703304
• Release Date: February 1996
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 0.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

What a brave and compelling tale!

I felt like I was growing up with Peter as he faced the consequences of his decisions. Looking forward to his next one.

A Sure Bet!

I really liked this book! I thought it was a refreshing and entertaining look at how are lives don't always end up as we had planned. There are some unresolved issues, but perhaps that makes the book all the more realistic. A movie version of this book would do very well.

Very entertaining misadventure

This book was a great but limited look inside a small-time illegal sports book. Alson's story is very funny, compelling, and informative but suffers from his distracting whining about a long-distance girlfriend and the unresolved mystery of whether his operation was part of a bigger syndicate. His frustrated accounts of big-time editors wanting his services as a bookie instead of a writer are a gem

Covers the spread

Very much enjoyed this real life book and look forward to the next one from Alson

Loved this book. It's a portrait of Brooklyn at its best.

Having grown up in Boooklyn and frequented the bookies on a regular basis, this book hit close to home. The players where as real as could be. I felt like I was in the room with them. A must read for anyone who has ever placed a bet.