Dice, Cards, Wheels: A Different History of French Culture

Contents

Contents PREFACE VII INTRODUCTION I. TOWARD A CULTURAL HISTORY OF GAMBLING 7 2. DICING WITH THE SAINTS: JEHAN BODEL'S Le feu de saint Nicolas 31 3. GETTING GOD'S EDGE: PASCAL'S GAMBLER AS PARACLETE 49 4. THE LIBERTINE'S BLUFF 68 5. GAMBLING HIGH AND LOW: CASANOVA'S Story of My Life 85 6. STAGING THE GAMBLER: SEX, SENTIMENT, AND FAMILY VALUES 110 7. GAMBLING ON THE ANVIL OF HISTORY: BALZAC'S The Wild AssJs Skin 132 8. WHIST, OR THE ARISTOCRACY OF MYSTERY: BARBEY D'AUREVILLY'S "BENEATH THE CARDS IN A GAME OF WHIST" 150 9. BETTING AGAINST YOUR SELF: PAUL BOURGET'S "A GAMBLER" 168 10. DREAMING THE CASINO: DEMY'S Baie des anges AND MELVILLE'S Bob Ie flambeur 187 VI Contents CONCLUSION 215 APPENDIX: "A GAMBLER" BY PAUL BOURGET 223 NOTES 233 INDEX 247 ...