Written by a man with his own gaming addiction, The Gambler paints a stark picture of the attractions--and devastating costs--of gambling. Using skillful characterization, Dostoevsky paints a fascinating picture of casino life in the fictious town of Roulettenburg, Germany. This classic, probing psychological novel explores the tangled love affairs and complicated lives of a young gambler and the woman he loves. Dostoevsky s novel inspired two hit movies, both of which shared the book s title: the first in 1974, starring James Caan, Lauren Hutton, and Paul Sorvino; and the second in 2014 starring Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, and John Goodman."