Boardwalk Empire Audiobook By Nelson Johnson cover art

Boardwalk Empire

The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City

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Boardwalk Empire

By: Nelson Johnson
Narrated by: Joe Mantegna, Terence Winter (foreword)
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About this listen

Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)

From its inception, Atlantic City has always been a town dedicated to the fast buck, and this wide-reaching history offers a riveting account of its past 100 years, 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 characters, led by Enoch "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.

This audiobook, narrated by Joe Mantegna, is the true story that inspired the upcoming HBO series of the same name. It includes a foreword written and narrated by Terence Winter.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2009 Nelson Johnson (P)2010 Audible, Inc.
Organized Crime State & Local United States City Exciting
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Editorial reviews

The choice of opening music for this recording of Nelson Johnson’s Boardwalk Empire is telling: though the book charts the rise and fall of Atlantic City from its beginnings as a shyster health resort in the late 19th century through the Donald Trump years to the beginning of the new millennium, the Jazz-age ragtime announces the real crux of this sprawling epic — the age of prohibition, gambling, and mob protection. These transgressive themes are woven throughout the city's history as well as (the author tacitly implies) the recent history of the United States. Johnson shows how Atlantic City was one of the cradles of the American mafia as it served as an entry point to those wanting to get around prohibition (including a young Al Capone), and played host to a cast of Damon Runyon-esque characters.

Overseeing it all was the archetypal character of Enoch "Nucky" Johnson: half politician, half underworld boss, his career "personifies the greed, corruption, and high times that were of Atlantic City in its days of glory". His ties with the Republican Party and invites to the White House are a case study in official corruption, and his personality is nailed down here to memorable effect: he was "a master at holding the hand of a widow and whispering gently what a fine man her husband was".

Many will be drawn to this book on the basis of the Scorsese-produced HBO series, though they should be forewarned that Boardwalk Empire can be exhaustive in its cataloging of each step of the myriad legal processes that variously built up and tore down the antiheroes of Atlantic City; the author was professionally involved for several decades in the city's politics, and it shows on more than one occasion. But luckily for the listener, Joe Mantegna's voice immediately and effortlessly invests each word with sly insinuation and more than a hint of malevolence. He's particularly good at hinting at the self-serving and dishonest motivations behind acts of public munificence, as his voice becomes a knowing wink, a secret handshake turned into sound. His narration makes an offer you can't refuse, and at its considerable best the result is along the lines of Citizen Kane as narrated by The Simpsons’ Fat Tony (another Mantegna performance). —DafyddPhillips

Critic reviews

"Joe Mantegna's steady, unaffected reading of Johnson's history of Atlantic City is a model of good audiobook narration. Mantegna seems the perfect choice for this title, a solid professional whose voice is tuned to both the drama of individual moments and the rising and falling arcs of the narrative as a whole." (AudioFile)

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What listeners say about Boardwalk Empire

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Well Written...But

I too purchased this thinking it would have the excitement as the previews for the upcoming series show. This isn't that kind of book. It is very interesting and really gives a great historic account of Alantic City, but it isn't the fast action you might be expecting from the series with the same name. It is however a really well written account if you're interested in the real history of the area. I've never been there, but I think I'd be familiar with a lot of it if I did decide to go there. I was a bit disappointed because of my expectations, but I can't say there's anything wrong with this book....

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Not bad

I can't remember if I actually finished this one or not - I might have lost interest after 2/3 of the book or so. Interesting diversion from my usual type of books (fiction). Wouldn't call it great, but not bad either

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Well done tale of a fascinating place...

Few places have such unusual stories as the founding and growth of Atlantic City. And this author serves it well, telling that story in fast-paced, clear prose. The narrator adds to the clarity with a well-done reading. If you have any interest in American urban history, listen to this whether you've seen the prohibition-era chapters dramatized in the HBO series or not.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I love stories steeped in History

Living in NJ, I found this story particularly interesting because Altantic City has had so many chapters to its history. I even know several surviving Pitneys and the tale they tell of their early ancestor corroborates this account. Mr. Montegna does a wonderful job. I thinking hearing this lays a terrific groundwork for the HBO series I'm looking forward to seeing this Fall.

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Not what I expected

I was expecting something quite different but regardless it was engrossing and enjoyable. Narration is outstanding and you won't be disppointed. I look forward to the HBO series.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

O.K. history lesson

I was expecting more of a story. It was definately more of a history lesson.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

it was pretty solid.

it was a good look into the history of Atlantic City. It was a pretty good book. If you are a historian and you like gangster stuff then you would love this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Good Listen

It was a good listen. I’m glad I bought it. Covers all eras of Atlantic City.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Well told history of Atlantic City

This is a history of Atlantic City, from it's beginnings at a mosquito filled wetland to the glitter of the Trump Tower. It's just the facts with no romance or cliffhanger endings -- and it's a very good history. It's clear why HBO opted to serialize and fictionalize the life of Nucky Johnson -- its an amazing story and I think the most interesting part of the book, but don't give THE DONALD a short shrift. Before he was a joke with bad hair, he was an egomaniacal businessman and he turned AC around. Well narrated by Joe Mantegna, it's a very interesting slice of American History.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Truth is stranger than fiction.

What did you love best about Boardwalk Empire?

My wife and I bought this book because we were big fans of the HBO series. We enjoyed hearing the true story which inspired the series.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The real Nucky Johnson was even more powerful and organized than the fictional "Nucky Thompson" played by Steve Buscemi in the series. It was interesting to contrast the entire life story of Nucky Johnson with that of the fictional character.

Which scene was your favorite?

This is a nonfiction book and doesn't really have"scenes.'

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Boardwalk Empire - The Real Story.

Any additional comments?

This book covers a much longer period than the HBO series. Its epilogue ends in 2010, I think. Some of the history of the Farley machine era, which followed Nucky Johnson's time in power, was detailed and a little bit tedious. My wife dropped out during this period, but I continued. I was impressed by the extent of the decline of Atlantic City after Prohibition was repealed, and its revival through legalized gambling, with a whole new set of problems and opportunities.

I should add that I think Joe Mantegna was the perfect narrator for this book.

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