God Doesn't Shoot Craps: A Divine Comedy [Paperback]

Armstrong (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2006

“What can advertising scams, dice systems and topless dancers teach us about the nature of the universe? Read God Doesn't Shoot Craps and find out...A wildly entertaining yarn that will have you laughing out loud and pondering the eternal mysteries at the same time.” --Brian Rouff, Dice Angel and Money Shot

Can you take two losing outcomes and combine them into a winning system? That's the theory behind Parrando's Paradox, an actual breakthrough in math and physics that just may hold the key to beating the casinos.

This hilarious and thoughtful novel follows Danny Pellegrino, a successful junk mail con man content to scam the average Joe. That is, until he sells a “bogus” craps system through the mail--only to discover, too late, that it really works.

Soon, Danny Pellegrino is off to build a fortune without letting the world know about it. But when he discovers that his new formula holds the key to much more than gambling, all bets are off, and even the nature of existence is up for grabs.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After years of peddling profitable direct-mail get-rich-quick schemes to gullible customers, divorced, middle-aged grifter Danny Pellegrino finds himself scrambling for a new angle in Armstrong's absorbing if woodenly written debut. He goes into business with rich, aging inventor Virgil Kirk, the spiritually inclined author of a supposedly foolproof craps gambling system based on a mathematical principle called Win by Losing. Only after Danny launches a junk-mail effort does he secretly discover Virgil's system to be a gold mine. Wanting the jackpot for himself, Danny sends out apology letters to potential customers, deceives Virgil and eludes postal service fraud attorney Richard Goldman and David Invidia, a disillusioned Atlantic City casino host. Once word gets out about the easy money to be made using Virgil's system, mobsters want in, and they want Danny out—for good. A dash for the bright lights of Sin City puts Danny in hot water, but not for long, as mob royalty and government forces tangle with one another instead of Danny. The novel's madcap chicanery, gaming systems theorizing and casino settings will make it entertaining distraction for hopeful high rollers flying Jet Blue to Vegas. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Madcap chicanery, gaming systems theorizing and casino settings will make it entertaining distraction for hopeful high rollers flying to Vegas." -- Publisher's Weekly, January 30, 2006

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (March 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402206569
• ISBN-13: 978-1402206566
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #740,586 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Richard Armstrong is one of the nation's leading freelance direct-mail copywriters. Specializing in circulation-promotion for magazines and newsletters, he has written direct-mail letters for such well-known publications as Smithsonian, Prevention, Men's Health, Kiplingers, The New Republic, The American Spectator and National Review.

Richard is a two-time winner of the Caples Awards ' the 'Oscar' of direct mail -- and in 1982, the Caples committee also honored him with the Maxwell Sackheim Award for an 'outstanding achievement in direct marketing.'

In a feature-length profile, Advertising Age called Richard 'one of the new breed of direct-mail copywriters' whose style is 'offbeat, sometimes humorous, and always engaging.' Crain's Business Report dubbed him a 'direct marketing genius.'

Richard has written extensively on the subjects of direct marketing, political fund raising, casino gambling, and the new electronic media. His articles have been published in National Review, Washingtonian, Advertising Age, and others.

His first book, LEAVING THE NEST, was published by William Morrow & Co., Inc. in 1986 and had five printings. His second book, THE NEXT HURRAH, was published by Morrow in 1988. It was praised by The Los Angeles Times as 'captivating and complete' and by Kirkus Reviews as 'one of the best books on the ramifications of the electronic political process since Joe McGinniss's 'The Selling of a President.' Psychology Today called it 'as readable as it is disquieting.' GOD DOESN'T SHOOT CRAPS is his first novel.

A 1974 graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota (Art History), he lives in Washington, DC with his wife Sharon and his dachshund, 'Stardust.'

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful yarn, January 9, 2007

By 

Michael W. Danielson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: God Doesn't Shoot Craps: A Divine Comedy (Paperback)

Richard Armstrong spins a fast-paced, delightful yarn of the ultimate gambling "system" interestingly based on a real theory proposed by Juan Parrondo of The University Of Madrid. Mixed together with casinos, con games, the Mafia, and an assortment of bizzare characters this novel
is one that any gambler (or one considering gambling) simply cannot miss.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed bag, August 24, 2006

By 

Richard Mabry "author, retired physician" (Frisco, TX, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: God Doesn't Shoot Craps: A Divine Comedy (Paperback)

I wasn't sure what to expect with a title like that, yet billed as a "divine comedy." There's symbolism a-plenty, with the main character named Dante, and other characters with names like Pentangeli, Peccati, and Mortale. The novel is even divided into books named Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise.
Then I encountered the cursing, a bit of sex, and other parts that made it clear that this is no "Christian fiction" work.
I alternated between enjoying the story and scratching my head over the allegorical aspects, searching to make sure I wasn't missing some deep theological or philosophical meaning.
The information about craps was interesting, the scientific material thought-provoking, and I must admit, it held my attention to the end. But I still don't know how to classify it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!, May 31, 2006

By 

Barbara Mitchell - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: God Doesn't Shoot Craps: A Divine Comedy (Paperback)

Richard Armstrong's book is so good. Not only is it "laugh out loud" funny, the characters are well defined and I really cared what happened to Danny as he progressed through the book. I also learned a whole lot about craps--all I knew before was that it was complicated and I still believe that but did learn much more than I knew before. Thanks, Richard, for a really great book and I hope you are working on another. The ending was fantastic