Casino by Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi
The book Casino by Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi is a story set in Nevada during an era when mob activity in the Casinos was a focused topic of discussion for many politicians and law enforcement officials. It was a time of transition because before the events of the book the mafias had a reputed stronghold on all ofhte Las Vegas activity with regards to the gambling. People and corporations that owned casinos were told that they were selling to various entities(Scorsese, Pileggi, 1995). Whether they wanted to sell of or not, they were aware of the pressure to sell and concerned with what could happen to them or their families if they refused. The sales and the movement within the city of sin eventually brought the mafia into complete control. The story includes all of the suspense elements that make it a page turner. There are murders, marriages, stories of revenge and adultery. It is a story that details the eventual derailing of the Mafia's stronghold on the industry in Las Vegas and the many people that went down with that reduction of power. The most important theme of the book is the idea that good over powers evil every time it has the opportunity to do so. For many years the mob provided cr
Even though the powers that be from the mob are essentially considered evil there is supposed to be some honor among thieves and the reader finds himself unhappy with the way the mob members trust Spilotro and he betrays them(Scorsese, Pileggi, 1995). The book does succeed in the desire to drive home the truth of casino life from the 1960's to the 1980's(Scorsese, Pileggi, 1995). The love story that is provided between Allen Glick and his wife Geri provides dramatic flair for those who have a romantic side. Few people in America are not aware of the Teamsters and their reputed mob connections. The beginning of the book brings the theme of good versus evil to the forefront with almost immediate action that lets the reader know there will be violence throughout the story. In a story that sounds like the later released Scarface however, Spilotro decided he wanted much more power and money than he was getting as a body guard for the mob and he set out to manipulate his way to the top spot in Vegas. Because of the many characters involved one might find that they need to go back and reread passage to maintain a sense of who is who and what is happening in each sub story(Scorsese, Pileggi, 1995). Using only four main characters helps to personalizes the story for the reader. There are many examples of the evil that the mob brought to the casino business. The use of first person was a perfect landscape to being the reader along on a first person account of the inside of mob life an the world of gambling. At this point the reader is really watching two good against evil plots at the same time. While few people dwell on it there is an underlying belief that the Teamsters finances many of the illegal operations that occur in Las Vegas through the funds in their pensions plans(Scorsese, Pileggi, 1995). It is an age old theme that has worked once again and went on to make a film that is now considered a classic in the telling of mob stories. There was corruption, murder for hire and territorial issues that are exclusive to mob involvement. One of the weaknesses displayed in the book however is the confusion that can occur about who is who.
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Acceptance Essays
