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

Through most of the 20th century, Atlantic City was controlled by a powerful partnership of local politicians and racketeers.

For longtime Jersey residents, the phrase "Atlantic City politics" carries a pungent aroma all its own; the strong scent of cigars in backrooms, stale smoke from gambling arenas. New Jersey Superior Court judge Nelson Johnson has been observing the underpinnings of the boardwalk scene for three decades, both as a professional and an amateur history buff. His scintillating new book traces the city's long, eventful path from birth to seaside resort to a scandal-ridden crime center and beyond. The Sopranos with salt-water taffy.