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Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City Paperback – September 1, 2010

by Nelson Johnson (Author), Terence Winter (Foreword)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 610 ratings
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Providing the inspiration and source material for the upcoming HBO series produced by Academy Award–winning director Martin Scorsese and Emmy Award–winning screenwriter Terence Winter, this riveting and wide-reaching history explores the sordid past of Atlantic City—forever a freewheeling town long-dedicated to the fast buck—from the city's heyday as a Prohibition-era mecca of lawlessness to its rebirth as a legitimate casino resort in the modern era. A colorful cast of powerful characters, led by “Commodore” Kuehnle and “Nucky” Johnson, populates this stranger-than-fiction account of corrupt politics and the toxic power structure that grew out of guile, finesse, and extortion. Atlantic City's shadowy past—through its rise, fall, and rebirth—is given new light in this revealing, and often appalling, study of legislative abuse and organized crime.

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  1. Print length
    312 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Medford Press
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.7 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0966674863
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0966674866
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Read Boardwalk Empire. . . . Johnson spares no detail when painting a picture of the illegal activities that flourished in Atlantic City." —Egg Harbor News (New Jersey)

About the Author

Nelson Johnson practiced law for 30 years, during which time he was active in Atlantic City and Atlantic County politics. He lives in Hammonton, New Jersey. Terence Winter is an Emmy Award–winning screenwriter for his work on The Sopranos. Along with Martin Scorsese, he is currently an executive producer for the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. He lives in New York City. Terence Winter is an Emmy Award–winning screenwriter for his work on The Sopranos. Along with Martin Scorsese, he is currently an executive producer for the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. He lives in New York City.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Medford Press; TV Tie-in edition (September 1, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0966674863
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0966674866
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 610 ratings

About the author

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Nelson Johnson

Nelson Johnson

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Nelson Johnson is the author of the award-winning book and acclaimed HBO series of the same name, Boardwalk Empire. Johnson’s other books include The Northside: African Americans and the Creation of Atlantic City and Battleground New Jersey: Vanderbilt, Hague, and Their Fight for Justice. Prior to his retirement in 2018, Johnson worked as a lawyer for more than thirty years and was eventually appointed to the position of Superior Court Judge for the state of New Jersey. Johnson currently lives in Hammonton, New Jersey, with his family.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
610 global ratings
Nothing like the TV Show, but if you want some real history on Atlantic City, READ IT!
3 Stars
Nothing like the TV Show, but if you want some real history on Atlantic City, READ IT!
Did you watch the HBO TV Series? Then do not read the book, as you will be disappointed, unless you want a true portrayal of the history in Atlantic City from its inception.Nelson Johnson, (No relation to Enoch Johnson, from what I've read or researched out) practiced law and was active in Atlantic City gives you a real in-depth look on the history of Atlantic City from its inception . He did interviews, researched and wrote for more than 20 years to bring you this book. I really enjoyed reading afterword/source notes at the end because it gives a grasp behind where the author really got his information for the book. The photos from what the TV show characters looked like and how some of the in real life individuals were was very interesting to compare, but overall photos of many things mentioned in the book gave the reader an actual visual to what the author was describing in some parts. I really had to sit down and read it carefully making mental notes of the different characters in this book in order to streamline my train of thought. I hope the author can go back and revisit the book and update it.Chapter 1-Jonathan Pitney's Beach Village.Chapter 2-The Grand Illusion. Chapter3-A Plantation by the Sea.Chapter 4-Philadelphia's Playground.Chapter 5-The Golden Age of Nucky. Chapter 6-Hard Times for Nucky and his Town.Chapter 7-Hap.Chapter 8-The Painful Ride DownChapter 9- Turn out the Lights.Chapter 10-A second bite at the Apple.Chapter 11- It's a new Ballgame.Chapter 12- The Donald comes to Town (Donald Trump).Afterword. Sources Notes.
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Top reviews from the United States

Lighthousenj
5.0 out of 5 stars Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City [Paperback]
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2012
Verified Purchase
I read this book for my Bookclub and we also watched the movie Atlantic City (1981) we also meet Nelson Johnson (Author) & Anthony Laciura (Actor from the Series) in person and they signed our books. This is a great book it gives you great facts and the history of how it all started for Atlantic City, Chapter after Chapter . Chapter 1-Jonathan Pitney's Beach Village.Chapter 2-The Grand Illusion. Chapter 3-A Plantation by the Sea. Chapter 4-Philadelphia's Playground. Chapter 5-The Golden Age of Nucky. Chapter 6-Hard Times for Nucky and his Town. Chapter 7-Hap. Chapter 8-The Painful Ride Down. Chapter 9- Turn out the Lights. Chapter 10-A second bite at the Apple. Chapter 11- It's a new Ballgame. Chapter 12- The Donald comes to Town (Donald Trump). Afterword. Sources Notes. About The Author. Index. Forward by Terence Winter. Prologue. The Book also includes Historical Photo's and includes HBO Series Photo Insert. It has extremely solid research from Nelson Johnson (no relation to "Nucky" Johnson ) This book is great for anyone who loves Atlantic City , loves the history of Atlantic City or just wants to know how it all started.

Book Description
Publication Date: August 16, 2010
Providing the inspiration and source material for the upcoming HBO series produced by Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese and Emmy Award-winning screenwriter Terence Winter, this riveting and wide-reaching history explores the sordid past of Atlantic City--forever a freewheeling town long-dedicated to the fast buck--from the city's heyday as a Prohibition-era mecca of lawlessness to its rebirth as a legitimate casino resort in the modern era. A colorful cast of powerful characters, led by "Commodore" Kuehnle and "Nucky" Johnson, populates this stranger-than-fiction account of corrupt politics and the toxic power structure that grew out of guile, finesse, and extortion. Atlantic City's shadowy past--through its rise, fall, and rebirth--is given new light in this revealing, and often appalling, study of legislative abuse and organized crime.

About the Author
Nelson Johnson practiced law for 30 years, during which time he was active in Atlantic City and Atlantic County politics. He lives in Hammonton, New Jersey. Terence Winter is an Emmy Award-winning screenwriter for his work on The Sopranos. Along with Martin Scorsese, he is currently an executive producer for the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. He lives in New York City. Terence Winter is an Emmy Award-winning screenwriter for his work on The Sopranos. Along with Martin Scorsese, he is currently an executive producer for the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. He lives in New York City.

Product Details
Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: Plexus Publishing; TV Tie-in Edition edition (August 16, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0966674863
ISBN-13: 978-0966674866
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.6 x 0.7 inches

 Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City

Atlantic City

Boardwalk Empire: The Complete First Season

Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Second Season
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Virgilthepagan
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book ends on a sour note
Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2018
Verified Purchase
Like many other readers, I was drawn to Nelson Johnson's book through the HBO show it inspired. As Nucky Thompson drew further away from reality and more into a weird, violent, nihilistic fantasy world that only seems to exist in "gritty" gangster shows and movies, I got more interested in what Nucky Johnson was actually like. On that note, the other N. Johnson's book delivers with aplomb. Boardwalk Empire is a breezy read. The chapters on the founding of Atlantic City's corrupt dynasty by the Commodore, carrying through to the real life Nucky's thirty year reign, into the political machinery of "Hap" Farley is fascinating. Johnson mostly remembers that the empire such men topped included its own shadow bureaucracy of ward workers, constituent services, and African American hotel employees. The result feels more nuanced, as chapters deviate into deeper dives on the actual day to day life of the machine and the city.
Unfortunately, the book doesn't end with Hap, and the last two chapters land on such a sour note that I wish the author would write an updated version. Two problems rear their ugly heads in the last few chapters, one structural, the other just historic:
1. Johnson's writing style is very stop-and-go, with the narrative advancing only to the next person Johnson finds interesting, then he backtracks to write out several pages of biography. After "Hap" Farley this accelerates and more and more backstories clog up the flow. Johnson also writes all of his political figures in a weirdly fawning, half friendly light, downplaying the damage of corruption and playing up their community roles.
2. I can only explain the last chapter as awkward reading in 2018. Johnson concludes the book with Donald Trump, who he treats as a narrative thru-line to the Commodore. Which, among other things, means referring to "The Donald" accordingly to a grating degree. Given that the book was completed before Trump concluded his smash and grab in Atlantic City, using junk bonds to finance his casinos then running for the hills with the profits as they burned behind him, Johnson ends by declaring how great legalized gambling has been for Atlantic City; how it built a "different kind" of casino culture. The book would be better served by the newer ending, with casinos playing out one the role of one more line of credit to a desperate gambler in deep with the sharks. It's certainly the narrative Trump used on the campaign trail, mocking the city and New Jersey's governor as suckers who got out too late.
Regardless I'd recommend Empire. As a work of history it's compelling, even its foray into current events badly predicts the present.
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A. CLOSING
3.0 out of 5 stars NUCKY
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2013
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Fans of the HBO TV series may be dissapointed. This book is a non fiction history of Atlantic City not a story following the TV drama or similar to it. I prefer a story, particularly ones based in historical fact, but put together in that format. If you enjoy reading history texts then this is for you. The history of the area, as presented, is interesting and starts about a century prior to Nucky.
I should say that if you have not seen the TV show, Nucky Thompson, in real life Nucky Johnson, was for a couple decades including prohibition a powerful political force in Atlantic City. I found it amazing that in the book we find truth stranger than fiction wherein nucky has far more power in reality than in fiction. He was in fact for a long period the most powerful politician in the whole state not just the city. Simultaneously he was the most powerful mobster in the state, controling gambling, booze, brothels and selling 'protection'.
The part of the book covering this era is only about 15%-20% and while the early history is interesting I found my mind drifting after the departure of Nucky.
Add a star if you live in New Jersey and two if you live in Atlantic City or Las Vegas.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Reginald Bews
5.0 out of 5 stars Basis of TV series
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 21, 2022
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Well written account of an interesting place and period. Despite the alleged connections the TV series is completely fictional but nevertheless entertaining
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aaron
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on July 31, 2018
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Enjoyed, was very captivating and very educational. The characters are very interesting.
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J. M. ARDID
3.0 out of 5 stars es una cronica de Atlantic City
Reviewed in Spain on November 22, 2013
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Creia que era una novela y es una crónica llena de datos que aburre un poco por el ritmo lento de la narración
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Chris C
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book
Reviewed in Canada on January 9, 2024
Verified Purchase
Haven’t read it yet but the price was great and despite being used, book condition was great! Looking forward to taking it on vacation to read pool side. Nice decent sized print to read with sunglasses on haha
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barbara nicholson
3.0 out of 5 stars Barbara Nicholson
Reviewed in Germany on March 31, 2015
Verified Purchase
Johnson's book may be of interest and value to those who have been inspired by the TV series, which is excellent on so many levels. I recommend it as an informative suppliment, though find it lacking as literature that can stand on it's own.
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