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For a Dollar and a Dream : State Lotteries in Modern America by Jonathan D. Cohen (2022, Hardcover)
Orion Tech LLC (203049)
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About this product
Product Identifiers
PublisherOxford University Press, Incorporated
ISBN-100197604889
ISBN-139780197604885
eBay Product ID (ePID)13057233087
Product Key Features
Book TitleFor a Dollar and a Dream : State Lotteries in Modern America
Number of Pages272 Pages
LanguageEnglish
Publication Year2022
TopicUnited States / 20th Century, Social History
IllustratorYes
GenreHistory
AuthorJonathan D. Cohen
FormatHardcover
Dimensions
Item Height0.9 in
Item Weight21.2 Oz
Item Length6.5 in
Item Width9.3 in
Additional Product Features
Intended AudienceTrade
LCCN2022-940623
Reviews"For A Dollar and a Dream is a powerful and incisive look into the lottery era in this country and how gambling is a reflection of its time. Jonathan D. Cohen reveals how state governments have gambled with the citizenry as they 'bet on betting' to avoid taxation. Most importantly he de-stigmatizes those people who play lotteries, showing that a quest to hit it big with winning tickets is a quest to achieve the American Dream by the only means available. Luck is at the heart of lotteries, and we're lucky that Cohen decided to write this deeply researched and captivating book." -- Bridgett M. Davis, author of The World According to Fannie Davis: My Mother's Life in the Detroit Numbers "Into this wild decade of NFTs, SPACs, and cryptocurrencies, wherein America's meritocratic ethos is confronted by a casino's worth of speculative investment schemes, Jonathan Cohen delivers more than just a fascinating history of state lotteries, but a window into the nation's hot mess of humanity: our tribal tendencies, social hierarchies, economic insecurities, political chicanery, religious delusions, aversion to taxation, and deeply held beliefs about work, fate, self-reliance, and deservedness of our fortunes, good or ill. For a Dollar and a Dream pegs America's lottery fervor to the same societal forces that fueled the rise of prosperity gospel during the '60s and '70s. Games of chance and faith in the unknowable, as one source explains, are but two sides of the same coin, ways for humanity to deal with life's precarious prospects." -- Michael Mechanic, author of Jackpot: How the Super-Rich Really Live, and How Their Wealth Harms Us All "With a fluid narrative that travels from the sidewalks of Newark and Chicago, to sunny California, to Bible Belt Georgia, this book allows us to understand the manner in which a complex and pernicious system of government lotteries has emerged. Cohen examines our sordid politics as well as our inner lives, shedding light on the dreamworld that lotteries have created in which American beliefs about wealth and religion have blurred into a confused synthesis. Widespread lottery participation has been at the center of American reaction to the emergence of glaring inequality in the late twentieth century. State governments have adopted an adverse position towards their citizens, and this book explains how this all came to be." -- Matthew Vaz, author of Running the Numbers: Race, Police, and the History of Urban Gambling "For a Dollar and a Dream will be the reference for historical analysis of the gambling industry in the United States." -- Richard McGowan, S.J., Boston College, "In addition to providing a chronological history of the spread of lotteries, this volume also examines the peculiar paradox of lottery advertising and the politics of lotteries in the South. All in all, this is a well-researched look at an enduring American phenomenon that, as a recent $2 billion Powerball jackpot demonstrated, seems to be here to stay." -- D. G. Schwartz, CHOICE "Cohen argues that the history of lotteries shows that the same conditions that spur players to spend large chunks of their often-meager incomes on lottery tickets hoping for a life-changing jackpot have also motivated states to legalize and promote lotteries....In addition to providing a chronological history of the spread of lotteries, this volume also examines the peculiar paradox of lottery advertising and the politics of lotteries in the South. All in all, this is a well-researched look at an enduring American phenomenon that, as a recent $2 billion Powerball jackpot demonstrated, seems to be here to stay." -- Choice "For A Dollar and a Dream is a powerful and incisive look into the lottery era in this country and how gambling is a reflection of its time. Jonathan D. Cohen reveals how state governments have gambled with the citizenry as they 'bet on betting' to avoid taxation. Most importantly he de-stigmatizes those people who play lotteries, showing that a quest to hit it big with winning tickets is a quest to achieve the American Dream by the only means available. Luck is at the heart of lotteries, and we're lucky that Cohen decided to write this deeply researched and captivating book." -- Bridgett M. Davis, author of The World According to Fannie Davis: My Mother's Life in the Detroit Numbers "Into this wild decade of NFTs, SPACs, and cryptocurrencies, wherein America's meritocratic ethos is confronted by a casino's worth of speculative investment schemes, Jonathan Cohen delivers more than just a fascinating history of state lotteries, but a window into the nation's hot mess of humanity: our tribal tendencies, social hierarchies, economic insecurities, political chicanery, religious delusions, aversion to taxation, and deeply held beliefs about work, fate, self-reliance, and deservedness of our fortunes, good or ill. For a Dollar and a Dream pegs America's lottery fervor to the same societal forces that fueled the rise of prosperity gospel during the '60s and '70s. Games of chance and faith in the unknowable, as one source explains, are but two sides of the same coin, ways for humanity to deal with life's precarious prospects." -- Michael Mechanic, author of Jackpot: How the Super-Rich Really Live, and How Their Wealth Harms Us All "With a fluid narrative that travels from the sidewalks of Newark and Chicago, to sunny California, to Bible Belt Georgia, this book allows us to understand the manner in which a complex and pernicious system of government lotteries has emerged. Cohen examines our sordid politics as well as our inner lives, shedding light on the dreamworld that lotteries have created in which American beliefs about wealth and religion have blurred into a confused synthesis. Widespread lottery participation has been at the center of American reaction to the emergence of glaring inequality in the late twentieth century. State governments have adopted an adverse position towards their citizens, and this book explains how this all came to be." -- Matthew Vaz, author of Running the Numbers: Race, Police, and the History of Urban Gambling "For a Dollar and a Dream will be the reference for historical analysis of the gambling industry in the United States." -- Richard McGowan, S.J., Boston College, "In addition to providing a chronological history of the spread of lotteries, this volume also examines the peculiar paradox of lottery advertising and the politics of lotteries in the South. All in all, this is a well-researched look at an enduring American phenomenon that, as a recent $2 billion Powerball jackpot demonstrated, seems to be here to stay." -- D. G. Schwartz, CHOICE"Cohen argues that the history of lotteries shows that the same conditions that spur players to spend large chunks of their often-meager incomes on lottery tickets hoping for a life-changing jackpot have also motivated states to legalize and promote lotteries....In addition to providing a chronological history of the spread of lotteries, this volume also examines the peculiar paradox of lottery advertising and the politics of lotteries in the South. All in all, this is a well-researched look at an enduring American phenomenon that, as a recent $2 billion Powerball jackpot demonstrated, seems to be here to stay." -- Choice"For A Dollar and a Dream is a powerful and incisive look into the lottery era in this country and how gambling is a reflection of its time. Jonathan D. Cohen reveals how state governments have gambled with the citizenry as they 'bet on betting' to avoid taxation. Most importantly he de-stigmatizes those people who play lotteries, showing that a quest to hit it big with winning tickets is a quest to achieve the American Dream by the only means available. Luck is at the heart of lotteries, and we're lucky that Cohen decided to write this deeply researched and captivating book." -- Bridgett M. Davis, author of The World According to Fannie Davis: My Mother's Life in the Detroit Numbers"Into this wild decade of NFTs, SPACs, and cryptocurrencies, wherein America's meritocratic ethos is confronted by a casino's worth of speculative investment schemes, Jonathan Cohen delivers more than just a fascinating history of state lotteries, but a window into the nation's hot mess of humanity: our tribal tendencies, social hierarchies, economic insecurities, political chicanery, religious delusions, aversion to taxation, and deeply held beliefs about work, fate, self-reliance, and deservedness of our fortunes, good or ill. For a Dollar and a Dream pegs America's lottery fervor to the same societal forces that fueled the rise of prosperity gospel during the '60s and '70s. Games of chance and faith in the unknowable, as one source explains, are but two sides of the same coin, ways for humanity to deal with life's precarious prospects." -- Michael Mechanic, author of Jackpot: How the Super-Rich Really Live, and How Their Wealth Harms Us All"With a fluid narrative that travels from the sidewalks of Newark and Chicago, to sunny California, to Bible Belt Georgia, this book allows us to understand the manner in which a complex and pernicious system of government lotteries has emerged. Cohen examines our sordid politics as well as our inner lives, shedding light on the dreamworld that lotteries have created in which American beliefs about wealth and religion have blurred into a confused synthesis. Widespread lottery participation has been at the center of American reaction to the emergence of glaring inequality in the late twentieth century. State governments have adopted an adverse position towards their citizens, and this book explains how this all came to be." -- Matthew Vaz, author of Running the Numbers: Race, Police, and the History of Urban Gambling"For a Dollar and a Dream will be the reference for historical analysis of the gambling industry in the United States." -- Richard McGowan, S.J., Boston College, "In addition to providing a chronological history of the spread of lotteries, this volume also examines the peculiar paradox of lottery advertising and the politics of lotteries in the South. All in all, this is a well-researched look at an enduring American phenomenon that, as a recent $2 billion Powerball jackpot demonstrated, seems to be here to stay." -- D. G. Schwartz, CHOICE"Cohen argues that the history of lotteries shows that the same conditions that spur players to spend large chunks of their often-meager incomes on lottery tickets hoping for a life-changing jackpot have also motivated states to legalize and promote lotteries....In addition to providing a chronological history of the spread of lotteries, this volume also examines the peculiar paradox of lottery advertising and the politics of lotteries in the South. All in all,this is a well-researched look at an enduring American phenomenon that, as a recent $2 billion Powerball jackpot demonstrated, seems to be here to stay." -- Choice"For A Dollar and a Dream is a powerful and incisive look into the lottery era in this country and how gambling is a reflection of its time. Jonathan D. Cohen reveals how state governments have gambled with the citizenry as they 'bet on betting' to avoid taxation. Most importantly he de-stigmatizes those people who play lotteries, showing that a quest to hit it big with winning tickets is a quest to achieve the American Dream by the only meansavailable. Luck is at the heart of lotteries, and we're lucky that Cohen decided to write this deeply researched and captivating book." -- Bridgett M. Davis, author of The World According to Fannie Davis: My Mother'sLife in the Detroit Numbers"Into this wild decade of NFTs, SPACs, and cryptocurrencies, wherein America's meritocratic ethos is confronted by a casino's worth of speculative investment schemes, Jonathan Cohen delivers more than just a fascinating history of state lotteries, but a window into the nation's hot mess of humanity: our tribal tendencies, social hierarchies, economic insecurities, political chicanery, religious delusions, aversion to taxation, and deeply held beliefs aboutwork, fate, self-reliance, and deservedness of our fortunes, good or ill. For a Dollar and a Dream pegs America's lottery fervor to the same societal forces that fueled the rise of prosperity gospel duringthe '60s and '70s. Games of chance and faith in the unknowable, as one source explains, are but two sides of the same coin, ways for humanity to deal with life's precarious prospects." -- Michael Mechanic, author of Jackpot: How the Super-Rich Really Live, and How Their Wealth Harms Us All"With a fluid narrative that travels from the sidewalks of Newark and Chicago, to sunny California, to Bible Belt Georgia, this book allows us to understand the manner in which a complex and pernicious system of government lotteries has emerged. Cohen examines our sordid politics as well as our inner lives, shedding light on the dreamworld that lotteries have created in which American beliefs about wealth and religion have blurred into a confused synthesis.Widespread lottery participation has been at the center of American reaction to the emergence of glaring inequality in the late twentieth century. State governments have adopted an adverse positiontowards their citizens, and this book explains how this all came to be." -- Matthew Vaz, author of Running the Numbers: Race, Police, and the History of Urban Gambling"For a Dollar and a Dream will be the reference for historical analysis of the gambling industry in the United States." -- Richard McGowan, S.J., Boston College, "Cohen argues that the history of lotteries shows that the same conditions that spur players to spend large chunks of their often-meager incomes on lottery tickets hoping for a life-changing jackpot have also motivated states to legalize and promote lotteries....In addition to providing a chronological history of the spread of lotteries, this volume also examines the peculiar paradox of lottery advertising and the politics of lotteries in the South. All in all, this is a well-researched look at an enduring American phenomenon that, as a recent $2 billion Powerball jackpot demonstrated, seems to be here to stay." -- Choice "For A Dollar and a Dream is a powerful and incisive look into the lottery era in this country and how gambling is a reflection of its time. Jonathan D. Cohen reveals how state governments have gambled with the citizenry as they 'bet on betting' to avoid taxation. Most importantly he de-stigmatizes those people who play lotteries, showing that a quest to hit it big with winning tickets is a quest to achieve the American Dream by the only means available. Luck is at the heart of lotteries, and we're lucky that Cohen decided to write this deeply researched and captivating book." -- Bridgett M. Davis, author of The World According to Fannie Davis: My Mother's Life in the Detroit Numbers "Into this wild decade of NFTs, SPACs, and cryptocurrencies, wherein America's meritocratic ethos is confronted by a casino's worth of speculative investment schemes, Jonathan Cohen delivers more than just a fascinating history of state lotteries, but a window into the nation's hot mess of humanity: our tribal tendencies, social hierarchies, economic insecurities, political chicanery, religious delusions, aversion to taxation, and deeply held beliefs about work, fate, self-reliance, and deservedness of our fortunes, good or ill. For a Dollar and a Dream pegs America's lottery fervor to the same societal forces that fueled the rise of prosperity gospel during the '60s and '70s. Games of chance and faith in the unknowable, as one source explains, are but two sides of the same coin, ways for humanity to deal with life's precarious prospects." -- Michael Mechanic, author of Jackpot: How the Super-Rich Really Live, and How Their Wealth Harms Us All "With a fluid narrative that travels from the sidewalks of Newark and Chicago, to sunny California, to Bible Belt Georgia, this book allows us to understand the manner in which a complex and pernicious system of government lotteries has emerged. Cohen examines our sordid politics as well as our inner lives, shedding light on the dreamworld that lotteries have created in which American beliefs about wealth and religion have blurred into a confused synthesis. Widespread lottery participation has been at the center of American reaction to the emergence of glaring inequality in the late twentieth century. State governments have adopted an adverse position towards their citizens, and this book explains how this all came to be." -- Matthew Vaz, author of Running the Numbers: Race, Police, and the History of Urban Gambling "For a Dollar and a Dream will be the reference for historical analysis of the gambling industry in the United States." -- Richard McGowan, S.J., Boston College, For A Dollar and a Dream is a powerful and incisive look into the lottery era in this country and how gambling is a reflection of its time. Jonathan D. Cohen reveals how state governments have gambled with the citizenry as they 'bet on betting' to avoid taxation. Most importantly he de-stigmatizes those people who play lotteries, showing that a quest to hit it big with winning tickets is a quest to achieve the American Dream by the only means available. Luckis at the heart of lotteries, and we're lucky that Cohen decided to write this deeply researched and captivating book.
Dewey Edition23
Dewey Decimal795.380973
Table Of ContentAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: An Astronomical Source of Income: The Return of State Lotteries Chapter 2: Not Luck, But the Work of God: Merit and Miracles in the 1970s Chapter 3: Rivers of Gold: The Lottery Industry and the Tax Revolt Chapter 4: Somebody's Gotta Win, Might as Well Be Me: Lottomania in the 1980s Chapter 5: This Could Be Your Ticket Out: The Paradox of Lottery Advertising Chapter 6: Selling Hope: Lottery Politics in the South Conclusion: Jackpot Notes Index
SynopsisThis first comprehensive history of America's lottery obsession explores the spread of state lotteries and how players and policymakers alike got hooked on wishful dreams of an elusive jackpot.Every week, one in eight Americans place a bet on the dream of a life-changing lottery jackpot. Americans spend more on lottery tickets annually than on video streaming services, concert tickets, books, and movie tickets combined.The story of lotteries in the United States may seem straightforward: tickets are bought predominately by poor people driven by the wishful belief that they will overcome infinitesimal odds and secure lives of luxury. The reality is more complicated. For a Dollar and a Dream shows how, in an era of surging inequality and stagnant upward mobility, millions of Americans turned to the lottery as their only chance at achieving the American Dream. Gamblers were not the only ones who bet on betting. As voters revolted against higher taxes in the late twentieth century, states saw legalized gambling as a panacea, a way of generating a new source of revenue without cutting public services or raising taxes. Even as evidence emerged that lotteries only provided a small percentage of state revenue, and even as data mounted about their appeal to the poor, states kept passing them and kept adding new games, desperate for their longshot gamble to pay off. Alongside stories of lottery winners and losers, Jonathan Cohen shows how gamblers have used prayer to help them win a jackpot, how states tried to pay for schools with scratch-off tickets, and how lottery advertising has targeted lower income and nonwhite communities.For a Dollar and a Dream charts the untold history of the nation's lottery system, revealing how players and policymakers alike got hooked on hopes for a gambling windfall., A comprehensive study of American state lotteries, For a Dollar and a Dream shows how players and policymakers alike got hooked on hopes for a big windfall., This first comprehensive history of America's lottery obsession explores the spread of state lotteries and how players and policymakers alike got hooked on wishful dreams of an elusive jackpot. Every week, one in eight Americans place a bet on the dream of a life-changing lottery jackpot. Americans spend more on lottery tickets annually than on video streaming services, concert tickets, books, and movie tickets combined. The story of lotteries in the United States may seem straightforward: tickets are bought predominately by poor people driven by the wishful belief that they will overcome infinitesimal odds and secure lives of luxury. The reality is more complicated. For a Dollar and a Dream shows how, in an era of surging inequality and stagnant upward mobility, millions of Americans turned to the lottery as their only chance at achieving the American Dream. Gamblers were not the only ones who bet on betting. As voters revolted against higher taxes in the late twentieth century, states saw legalized gambling as a panacea, a way of generating a new source of revenue without cutting public services or raising taxes. Even as evidence emerged that lotteries only provided a small percentage of state revenue, and even as data mounted about their appeal to the poor, states kept passing them and kept adding new games, desperate for their longshot gamble to pay off. Alongside stories of lottery winners and losers, Jonathan Cohen shows how gamblers have used prayer to help them win a jackpot, how states tried to pay for schools with scratch-off tickets, and how lottery advertising has targeted lower income and nonwhite communities. For a Dollar and a Dream charts the untold history of the nation's lottery system, revealing how players and policymakers alike got hooked on hopes for a gambling windfall.
LC Classification NumberHG6126
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