Book Jacket:From taking $2 horse bets at his uncle's newsstand in Chicago's downtown district as a nine-year-old in the 1940s, to taking $20,000 Super Bowl bets from traders on the floor at one of Chicago's Exchanges, Anthony Serrano has seen every bet and every character that comes with them-some loved, and some who wield machine guns.Serrano, a lifelong resident of Chicago's Chinatown, takes readers on a story about his childhood experience with a book-maker, in the army, as an options clerk and broker and as a railroad clerk. Where it seemed everyone just couldn't resist the thrill of a good (or bad) bet.Told first-hand, Serrano walks us through light-hearted tales that often lead to funny yet sometimes serious circumstances.After taking steep bets from what appeared to be a wealthy businessman, Serrano is exposed to what turns out to be a drug-crazed, bankrupt husband who will stop at nothing to get his ex-wife back and suffers a brutal fate in his pursuit. Meanwhile, Serrano is swept into this drama after the husband cannot pay back a bet.Serrano also explains how his experience as a bookie gave him an advantage while in the army, giving him job opportunities that few other reserves had.He tells how his investment in a Lounge in Cicero, Illinois, welcomes some threatening and dangerous company, and how his neighborhood connections may have saved his life.From being shaken down by Chicago Police for "their" share of the action from a bookie on the railroads to trying to rescue a dear friend from financial ruins in the commodity markets in 1980s, we see a self-made man who has an unusual grace in pressure situations and an affinity for forging friendships with the most unlikely of characters, resulting in some fascinating tales.

This volume provides a wide-ranging account of the development and importance of private libraries and book ownership through the seventeenth century, based upon many kinds of evidence, including examination of thousands of books, and a list of over 1,300 known owners from diverse backgrounds. It considers questions of evolution, contents and size, and motives for book ownership, during a century when growing markets for both new and second-hand books meant that books would be found, in varying numbers, in the homes of all kinds of people from the humble to the wealthy. Book ownership by women, and by non-professional households, is explicitly explored. Other topics include the balance of motivation between books for use, or for display; the relationship between libraries and museums; and cultures of collecting. While presenting a wealth of information in this field, conveniently brought together, this volume also advances methodologies for book history, and makes extensive use of material evidence such as bookbindings. It challenges received wisdom around priorities for studying private libraries, and the terminology which is appropriate to use. In addition, the list of owners, detailed in the Appendix, make this book a work of permanent reference, alongside its value in advancing book history.

Lawyer's Desk Book is an extraordinary guide that you can't afford to be without. Used by over 150,000 attorneys and legal professionals, this must-have reference supplies you with instant, authoritative legal answers, without exorbitant research fees. Packed with current, critical information, Lawyer's Desk Book includes: Practical guidance on virtually any legal matter you might encounter: real estate transactions, trusts, divorce law, securities, mergers and acquisitions, computer law, tax planning, credit and collections, employer-employee relations, personal injury, and more - over 75 key legal areas in all! Quick answers to your legal questions, without having to search stacks of material, or wade through pages of verbiage. Key citations of crucial court cases, rulings, references, code sections, and more. More than 1500 pages of concise, practical, insightful information. No fluff, no filler. Just the facts you need to know. The Lawyer's Desk Book, 2017 Edition incorporates recent court decisions, legislation, and administrative rulings. Federal statutes and revised sentencing guides covered in this edition reflect a growing interest in preventing terrorism, punishing terror-related crimes, and promoting greater uniformity of sentencing. There is also new material on intellectual property law, on legislation stemming from corporate scandals, such as the Sarbanes- Oxley Act, and on legislation to cut individual and corporate tax rates, such as the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act. Chapters are in sections on areas including business planning and litigation, contract and property law, and law office issues.