As more and more the United States becomes a nation of gamblers, an understanding of the attractions and risks of gambling becomes increasingly important. This study explores its history, its misguided myths, its currency in cultural icons, and the potential pathologies of its practice. What may push a relatively harmless and enjoyable habit over the line to a serious problem, how the problem may in turn escalate into a destructive disease, and how the condition may be diagnosed and treated are presented in a series of instructive stories. These cautionary tales, summarizing both clinical cases from actual practice and the fictionalized narratives by some of our best writers, provide vital insights needed to guide both popular appreciation of the seriousness of the issue and public policy to deal with it. "A fascinating and unblinking exploration," George Garrett called it, "brightly written and marked by compassionate wisdom."