Funny Money

Book Description

From esteemed New Yorker writer Mark Singer comes this cautionary tale of the Penn Square Bank, the oil and gas broker in an Oklahoma City shopping mall whose collapse in 1982 staggered America's banking industry. Recounting the whole spectacular story and its colorful characters, Singer makes brilliantly (and hilariously) clear what actually happened and why it had to happen in boom-time Oklahoma. Nowhere else did money flow in quite the same spontaneous fashion. "[A] tale of wonderful verve" (New York Times), Funny Money comes to life through Singer's vivid prose and continues to resonate in today's culture of corporate corruption.

Customer Reviews:

So that's what happened to the oil business.......2007-09-23

Well written and enjoyable - not a easy thing for such a potentially droll subject. Made a living shutting down oil companies for a while - now I know why.

Entertaining, but a little light.......2006-10-03

As one who lived through this, and is trained in economics and finance, and knew several of the individuals of the era, I enjoyed this book, but found it not as thorough nor displaying a comprehensive grasp of the context of the times as it could have. I felt like the author was striving more to be entertaining and engaging, than to provide a comprehensive historical record or in-depth economic analysis. I would recommend Philip Zweig's "Belly Up, the Story of Penn Square Bank" in its place for those seeking a more in-depth history. Zweig's book is better researched and also does an excellent job of communicating the flavor and energy of those years. I might give Singer's book a 3.6, but I think a 4.0 is too high.

What everyone needs to know.......2005-07-28

Mark Singer has written one of my favorite books ever. It is simple to read and simply hilarious to think that a bank in a shopping maul almost brought down the entire banking industry of the United States and hence the world. Mark Singer's understanding of how this happened and the characters involved in the fiascal leaves the reader with a more profound and terrifying idea of what makes the world go round.

Corrections to reviews.......2003-01-06

As someone who has grown up in Oklahoma City and graduated from high school the year that the collapse had happened, I knew of some of the persons involved through other people.

The red piggy bank logo belonged to Sooner Federal Savings and Loan, and sat on top of 50 Penn Place.

Penn Square Bank had built what is now known as The Tower a couple of blocks down the street. They never moved into it, they were shut down while they were still inside the north end of Penn Square Mall, and the building was finished out after the closure.

Singer has relatives here in Oklahoma in the oil business, so he had some insight into the things that had happened.

If you want more detail, Belly Up goes into much more greater detail and is harsher in it's treatment of the characters involved.

Okiesmo Lives.......2001-02-20

Growing up in Oklahoma my only real memory of the Penn Square Bank failure was when they pulled down the red-piggy-bank logo from the top of the building. It was something that was talked about on the national news every evening, but it wasn't well understood just how such a small local bank could cause such a ruckus.

Mr. Singer's book explains what was at the bottom of all of the trouble, how Penn Square fell from grace, and in the process of doing so provides interesting commentary on Oklahoma culture, as well as some history and other facts pertaining to the oil business. The book is very well written and quick paced, providing just enough detail to be considered in depth, while not languishing on unnecessary detail.

It is interesting to remark that the same conditions that caused everyone to say oil at $100 per barrel was a no-brainer are those that caused people to put forth the indestructible nature of internet-retailing. The Okiesmo of wildcats in pursuit of oil bears striking resemblance to the aggressive idiocy of venture capitalists fighting to put money into business plans that ignored common sense.

Book Description

Talking Funny for Money is a two-CD voice-over workshop (with demonstrations by professional voice-over performers), accompanied by an exercise manual and companion text. If you're a person who's been gifted with vocal variety, a hard working actor who wants to expand your casting potential, or just someone who's been told, "You have an interesting sound," you may wish to consider a career in the cartoon/character/looping area of voice-overs. Pamela Lewis, an accomplished voice-over artist and coach, has developed a CD workshop for people who are curious about breaking into the exciting world of "talking funny for money." In this workshop, you will learn: how to assemble a competitive cartoon/character voice-over demo; shortcuts to mastering the most requested dialects, age groups and celebrity impersonations; film looping/dubbing technique and terminology; and the varied employment opportunities in the cartoon/character/looping world. This workshop is an excellent introduction to a creative and lucrative area of voice-overs. As Ms. Lewis puts it, "What could be better than making funny noises for a living?"

Customer Reviews:

Very good intro into vo work.......2006-08-25

This book has some great things on the included cd's, I found this more usefull than just reading becouse you can here how it should be done. This book also has a great glossery of industry terms that will help negotiate the terms of the field.

Average customer rating:

Funny Romp
Valentine Returns to Atlantic City
Good Solid Fun
Second in Series Has a Bit too Much Going On
Fun, entertaining and suspenseful as well.

Funny Money (Tony Valentine Novels)
James Swain
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345463447
Release Date: 2003-04-01

Amazon.com

"I can sense when things aren't right on a casino floor and I just take it from there," says Tony Valentine, the cop turned casino consultant who--all boasting aside--finds himself stumped more often than not in Funny Money. James Swain's smartly plotted, often humorous sequel to Grift Sense sends the 62-year-old Valentine back to his hometown, Atlantic City, where his former police partner, Doyle Flanagan, has been blown up in his car at a McDonald's. Is this murder linked to Flanagan's investigation of a $6 million blackjack hustle at the city's giant Bombay casino, allegedly perpetrated by a gang of badly coifed Croatians? Meanwhile, Valentine will have to face down thugs who are putting the squeeze on his flaky son, try to appease the Bombay's much-despised owner, and win the help--and heart--of a no-nonsense woman wrestler with a nasty attitude.

Like his debut novel, Funny Money is distinguished by Swain's knowledge of gambling scams from card counting to the judicious application of a "monkey's paw" on a slot machine. Less even is this book's character development. Valentine is expertly drawn, and the relationship between him and his late-blooming son is both convincing and heartwarming. But some secondary players are about as thinly realized as a poker chip, and Swain's too-convenient use of violence as a plot propellant threatens to undermine his story's credibility. All in all, though, Funny Money is a safe bet. --J. Kingston Pierce

Book Description

Tony Valentine has a gift for grift: He can walk into a casino and spot a cheater across a crowded floor. A man who still uses pay phones and won’t spend more than a buck for coffee, Tony has protected Atlantic City gambling palaces for twenty years and learned every trick of the trade—until a new one blows him away.

With his old partner murdered in a bomb blast, Tony returns to A.C. to retrace Doyle Flanagan’s last case. Investigating a six-million-dollar casino takedown, a square cop soon meets a whole lot of bent people, from a beautiful lady wrestler to some Manhattan mobsters; from a trio of beautiful casino “consultants” to a team of Eurotrash blackjack card counters. But while everyone around Tony Valentine (including Tony’s own son) is playing some kind of angle, Tony is determined to find a killer who is playing for keeps. . . .

Customer Reviews:

Funny Romp.......2007-07-07

Funny Money is the 2nd of the Tony Valentine series. I read them out of order, but they were still very enjoyable. Tony is a loveable, complex character. Fast-paced excitement. This is a must read for anyone who knows gambling, likes gambling or doesn't know a thing about gambling.

Valentine Returns to Atlantic City.......2007-07-05

Retired cop turned casino consultant Tony Valentine returns to his hometown of Atlantic City when his ex-partner is murdered. Doyle Flanagan had been investigating a group of casino cheats when a car bomb ended his life. Tony is hired almost immediately by the Bombay's owner to take over the investigation, but things aren't adding up. In addition, Tony's ne'er do well son Gerry is being chased by some mobsters who want their $50,000, but Tony isn't about to pay them. Things get really interesting when Tony takes up with a professional wrestler and winds up part of her act. Between crooked cops and casino employees trying to kill him, the Mollo brothers out to harm his son, and a band of Croatians who don't quite fit in the picture, Tony Valentine has a lot on his hands.

Tony is a likeable and flawed character, smart but often rubbing other people the wrong way. His relationship with Gerry is complex; loving his son while being disgusted with the choices he's made. Another fun character we meet mostly over the telephone is Mabel, Tony's retired neighbor from Florida who fields his phone calls and tries to keep him in line. Tony's the kind of guy who's only slept with one woman in his life, so it's quite amusing when he finds himself in the arms of a professional wrestler named Kat.

Though some of the information about cheating casinos is a bit confusing to a non-gambler, this book nonetheless showed an interesting, inside view of life in an Atlantic City casino, as well as delivering a mystery with many twists and turns. This casino mystery series is well worth reading.

Good Solid Fun.......2006-09-23

I have read almost all of the Valentine books and (obviously) enjoy them. I read this one on a business trip where the books I brought were important because other diversions were few. This one is better than average for Swain. It delivers just what you want from such a book, an interesting story and at least two dimentional characters. I enjoyed the ride and you don't even have to be in Mauritania to feel the same. If you like Valentine or if you want to give this series a try this is your book.

Second in Series Has a Bit too Much Going On.......2005-08-17

I had a hard time rating FUNNY MONEY, the second in the series of mysteries by James Swain featuring freelance casino cheat-catcher Tony Valentine. FUNNY MONEY sees Tony back in his original stomping grounds, Atlantic City, NJ, where he was a cop for many years and first developed his "grift sense" that let him see when a casino was being ripped off, even if he couldn't figure out exactly how right away.

Tony returns because he is a witness (via cellphone) to the horrific death of his old friend and partner, who is blown to bits while investigating a possible scam in an A.C. casino. The convoluted plot in this novel is one of my favorites of the series, and the mystery of exactly who is stealing from the casino and exactly how they are doing it is suspenseful and well-developed.

I also was pleased by the setting, because I grew up very close to Atlantic City and lived in the area when the casinos first moved in and have seen the developments, good and bad, that gambling has wrought on the whole southern Jersey shore in the 25+ years since. But I was also a kid at the time, and to see an older character like Tony talking about the old days when the casinos first came in and Atlantic City was a "candy store" for hustlers was interesting, since to me the casinos just meant lots of Frank Sinatra billboards on all the seashore causeways. Living now for nearly 2 decades in the landlocked south, I relish any story that can make me smell the special salt-air tang of the Jersey shore where I grew up.

Where the story let me down and where it felt like the author tried to cram too much in was in the huge cast of characters. In addition to welcome returning secondary characters like Tony's son and his faithful neighbor (now employee) Mabel, who are further developed and fleshed out in this book, Swain adds old friends, acquaintances and enemies from Valentine's police career, including the family of his deceased partner, other cop buddies, his judo sensei and a potential love interest.

These last two were the most problematic. There's a great story waiting to be told about Yun, Tony's long time judo teacher and coach, but he's wasted here on a somewhat silly side storyline about a former judo student who has turned his tradition and honored family crest into props for a pro wrestling gig. The whole plot detracts from the main action and seems mainly designed to give Tony a possible girlfriend, but once the two are together (somewhat unbelievably), Swain doesn't seem to know where to go with it.

Don't get me wrong--I like both characters, and the love interest is an intriguing choice for Tony's first involvement since the death of his beloved wife. This subplot could have worked but not in the time allotted to it in a book already crammed with characters and plot. Instead it distracts and detracts from a book that would have been tighter and more compelling without it.

That said, I still read this book in less than two days and went right on to the next in the series, so it's still certainly worth reading and has plenty to recommend it. If I were giving it a letter grade it would be a B-.

Fun, entertaining and suspenseful as well........2005-06-14

James Swain is a great writer and an expert on sleight-of-hand and gambling. Both talents show in this tale of Tony Valentine, former cop and current consultant to casinos fighting cheats.

Tony is a genuinely nice guy who can be tough as nails.

Things begin this time with Valentine's old buddy and partner being blown to bits in a car explosion. Tony takes up the case of figuring out how a casino was taken for $ 6 million.

Swain's plots are always thick and this is no exception. All the characters are richly human and believable.

Swain doesn't need a lot of unlikely contrivances to move his plot forward. There are some, but they don't make your eyes bug out.

Just a plain fun read.

Jerry

Average customer rating:

Mr. Chickee's Funny Money
Excellent book for youth
sorry - Not his best
a laugh out loud book
Mr. Chickee's Funny Money Review

Mr. Chickee's Funny Money
Christopher Paul Curtis
Manufacturer: Yearling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0440229197
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Book Description

Mr. Chickee, the genial blind man in the neighborhood, gives 9-year-old Steven a mysterious bill with 15 zeros on it and the image of a familiar but startling face. Could it be a quadrillion dollar bill? Could it be real? Well, Agent Fondoo of the U.S. Treasury Department and his team of Secret Government Agents are determined to get that money back! But Steven and his best friends, Russell and Zoopy the giant dog, are more than a match for the Feds. After all, Steven is the president of the Flint Future Detectives Club, and the inventor of fantastic spying and detecting equipment such as the Snoopeeze 9000!

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Mr. Chickee's Funny Money.......2007-05-30

I love how the characters of Chickee's Funny Money have such "funny" names, like Zoopie, Agent Fondoo, and Mr. Chickee. The characters are hilarious! This book would be great for 8 to 12 year-olds (2nd grade to 6th grade). Mr. Chickee's Funny Money is adventure fiction. In the book, a boy named Steven sticks up for his old blind neighbor, Mr. Chickee, when all the other kids (except for his five-year old friend, Russell) make fun of Mr. Chickee. One day, Mr. Chickee wants to leave Steven's town to visit some relatives. Mr. Chickee gives Steven an envelope and tells Steven not to open it until he gets home. When he gets home, Steven opens it up to find a...quadrillion-dollar bill with some jumbled letters! He wants to know what it means, so he shows it to his Mom and Dad. Steven's Dad takes him to a government agent named Agent Fondoo. When Agent Fondoo saw the quadrillion dollar bill, he wanted to get it back. It used to be the government's bill, but Mr. Chickee somehow got it. Christopher Paul Curtis made the words pop out from the page, like when Steven's dad said, "'I'M NOT PLAYING WITH YOU, STEVEN DAEMON CARTER. STAY OUT!!!!!!!!!" My favorite part of the book is in the ending, but to tell you would give the entire book away. Two thumbs up for Christopher Paul Curtis!

Excellent book for youth.......2007-01-19

An excellent mixture of comedy and intrigue. Book positively explores the concept of relationships. Is a little week on supporting authority figures, but all in all a very good book for youth.

sorry - Not his best.......2006-10-29

The Wastons is one of by favorite books and I really liked Bud Not Buddy and Bucking the Sarge...but alas this one does not reach the same high standard. Compared to the Watsons, Bucking the Sarge is for an older reader and Mr. Chickee is for a younger reader. It does have some very clever ideas and some funny moments but it does not come together as brilliantly as his first two books.
What ever happen to the movie for the Watsons?

a laugh out loud book.......2006-07-13

My 6th grader couldn't resist reading this book out loud at the dinner table, chuckling the whole time. A didactic father who turns every event into an excuse for a math or history lesson, an overly patronizing mother who has read one too many child psychology books -- what child wouldn't identify with their long-suffering son, who sees right through them? I especially liked the fact that here, as in Bud Not Buddy, while it becomes gradually clear by the end of the story that the protagonist is African-American, that fact is no more and no less relevant than describing some other character as Irish. Highly recommended.

Mr. Chickee's Funny Money Review.......2006-03-30

By: Christopher Paul Curtis
Reviewed By: B. Lin
P.1

The book is about a blind man who gives Steven a quadrillion dollar bill but Steven does not know if it is real or not. He decides to take the book to the "Feds" to see if it is real of not. Well, agent Fondoo is offering Steven 2 thousand dollars for the quadrillion dollar bill but Steven knows better than that. The agent then start traking Steven. Read the book to find out what happens. It is a very funny and exciting book.
I like this book because of how the author writes. He writes simple buy yet, uses words that can get you tense. He makes you feel that you are a spectator who is in the book and you can see in your head of what is happening. If there is a sequel I will be wanting to read it and I wonder what will happen to Steven in his next adventure.
My favorite part in the book is when Agent Fondoo had to apologize to Steven and his parents and Russell's parents too. I didn't like how the way Fondoo treated the kids so I thought it was really funny how Agent Fondoo had to give Steven and his family a lot of things so he could apologize. I hope that the if the sequal comes out Steven will be able to find out who and how r. Chickee was invovled with all of this. So, read the book and experience how fun and exciting this book is.

Average customer rating:

Fun with Ones
Kids love this book!

Funny Money Folds for Kids
Jodi Fukumoto
Manufacturer: Island Heritage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: 1597001325

Product Description

Flip-flop Frog, President's Surfboard, Wristwatch and Penny Jet flyer are just a few of the hilarious new money folds in the keiki-friendly Funny Money Folds for Kids. Every fold is accompanied with step-by-step instructions, a full color photograph and a playful poem to entertain keiki and the whole family.

Customer Reviews:

Fun with Ones.......2007-04-09

This was a fun book to have it was nice to fold bucks for tips and stuff. I enjoyed it

Kids love this book!.......2007-04-03

I bought several for Christmas presents, and they were not only a hit with the younger kids, but the teenagers as well.

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It's Not Funny I'Ve Lost My Money!
Melody Carlson
Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1581341830

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Funny Money
Florence Temko
Manufacturer: Darby Creek Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Funny Money Folds for Kids

ASIN: 1581960379

Book Description

All ages. Funny Money is filled with activities, trivia, information, puzzles, jokes, and FUN--and all of it is about money! Full-color photos and illustrations create a visually appealing book that kids just have to have. Six fun money-folding activities are included.

Arthur's Funny Money (I Can Read Book 2)

Average customer rating:

Sweet book with a math challenge
"Old-Fashioned" Experiences Still Have Appeal
Daughter tired of it after first week

Arthur's Funny Money (I Can Read Book 2)

Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0064440486

Book Description

`An hilarious account of Arthur's attempts to earn enough money to buy a T-shirt and cap, assisted by his sister Violet. Simple business concepts are ingeniously woven into the story. This marvelous book will capture the interest of eager learners and creative teachers.' —YC.

Children's Choices for 1982 (IRA/CBC)
Children's Books of 1981 (Library of Congress)

Customer Reviews:

Sweet book with a math challenge.......2007-07-19

Our family loves this book, as well as the other Arthur books. My seven year old really enjoys the challenge of adding and subtracting Arthur's business transactions in his head. I appreciate a tale of children working hard to earn something that they want. We've enjoyed it as a read-aloud and an early reader.

"Old-Fashioned" Experiences Still Have Appeal.......2003-10-17

I loved Lillian Hoban's books as a child. I identified with the character's typical childhood adventures. Whether planning a party, losing a tooth, or trying to earn money for something, the humor in these stories is what makes them so entertaining and the lesson in the end is learned painlessly. Ms. Hoban's distinctive drawings are attractive with lots of details that communicate & enhance the text (think of the Frances series) - perfect for readers new to the chapter book format.
But how would these books appeal to my own children, 20 years later? I oughtn't have worried. My 5 year old, who is reading a little ahead of her age, is engaged by these books. She finds Violet clever & identifies with her "little sister" issues. The topics are not beyond her. My 7 year old son also enjoys the books because they make him laugh. There is an "old-fashioned" flavor to the tales my children find sweet - taffy making, penny candy, reading the funnies or pulling a loose tooth with a string.
It is fair to note that Arthur is mean to his sister, Violet, at times. As a mother I find it a little off-putting. But it is very clear to readers that he is not being nice and is food for thought for many an older sibling (myself included). A fine reminder to older kids to be patient with little ones, because they often have something worthwhile to contribute. And, fortunately, Arthur always makes amends in the end.
As many of our children grow up in a time where they can't run around the neighborhood they way these characters do, or their parents did, it's nice to pay a visit to Arthur & Violet's little world.

Daughter tired of it after first week.......1998-10-21

This was OK the first few times, but it doesn't hold up to repeated playings. My daughter and I don't like Arthur much, don't care much about him, and don't want any more of his stories. Maybe it would be better for kids with siblings close in age that fight who could relate to it better.

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Funny Money Game
Andrew P. Tobias
Manufacturer: Playboy Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0872164527

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Funny Money
Paul Hellyer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0969439423

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