Gary Mayer’s first (and only?) book came out in 1974 when he was 29 years old. It was an account of the two and a half years he spent working for his bookie to pay off his debts called Bookie: My Life in Disorganized Crime. It was darkly funny and at the time it was well received. Over the years it has faded into obscurity, and its author and subject both gone with little trace of the rest of their lives. Roxy Roxborough, a former bookmaker whose life has been anything but obscure and anonymous, joins me this week to talk about Gary Mayer, “Al Talcum,” and the good old days and current strange ones.
Buy Bookie: My Life in Disorganized Crime
American Gambler Book Club SALE: Use the code BSO15 for 15% off these titles until April 1st
