"As good, if not better, than the television series" Independent "The book is full of compelling anecdotes and characters ... Nucky Johnson's description of Atlantic City is equally applicable to Nelson Johnson's book: "We have whiskey, wine, women, song, and slot machines. I won't deny it and I won't apologise for it" Telegraph 20111104 "Enthralling ... Johnson deftly straddles centuries while using nearly 20 years of research and an energetic, novelist style to bring to life the mobsters, bootleggers and bent politicians behind Atlantic City's rise and fall" Shortlist "Fascinating" Daily Express "Stranger, and scarier, than any fiction" Independent --

From Barnes & Noble
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. Now in paperback. (Hand-selling tip: When we assert that Boardwalk Empire possesses cinematic potential, we're not just speculating. An HBO series based on Johnson's book is in the works now with a pilot directed by Martin Scorsese!)

“Read Boardwalk Empire . . . Johnson spares no detail when painting a picture of the illegal activities that flourished in Atlantic City.” —Egg Harbor News (New Jersey)

Nelson Johnson practiced law for 30 years, during which time he was active in Atlantic City and Atlantic County politics. He is currently a judge of the New Jersey Superior Court, sitting in the Civil Division of Atlantic County. He lives in Hammonton, New Jersey.