‘Memoir of the Last Real Bookie’ by Chris McLafferty and Anthony Costello Explores Street Wisdom

Memoir of the Last Real Bookie Cover

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, August 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Authors Chris McLafferty and Anthony Costello will publish Memoir of the Last Real Bookie on August 25, 2026. Available now for pre-order on Amazon, the fictional memoir follows a former Chicago bookmaker as he shares a lifetime of lessons with his grandson. Set across Chicago and Las Vegas, the novel examines family, discipline, grief and the responsibility of passing wisdom from one generation to the next.

A Grandfather’s Story Told in His Own Voice

‘Memoir of the Last Real Bookie’ is framed as a conversation between Joey “Eyes” Agostino, a sixty-year-old former bookmaker, and his fourteen-year-old grandson, Albert. Speaking on his birthday in June 2015, Joey recalls his childhood in Elmwood Park’s close-knit Italian-American community, his early street education and the experiences that shaped his understanding of people.

Joey’s memories begin with family, neighborhood hustles and lessons learned by watching the adults around him. His ability to read rooms and recognize unspoken motives earns him the nickname “Eyes.” That observational skill eventually leads him into numbers, bookmaking and high-stakes environments.

Albert remains an active part of the conversation. His questions, skepticism and humor encourage Joey to look closely at his own choices and the meaning behind the stories he has carried for decades.

Discipline, Risk and the Value of Protecting the Future

The story follows Joey from Chicago neighborhood life to the 2003 World Series of Poker, where mentor Bob Hilo helps deepen his understanding of patience, preparation and human behavior. These principles also inform Joey’s approach to sports betting.

Through setbacks and financial lessons, Joey explains the distinction between measured risk and reckless action. His financial advisor, Dan Shaw, introduces the idea of the “golden egg.” First presented as a retirement account, the phrase develops into a larger metaphor for protecting something that can support a family long after immediate opportunities have passed.

“This story is about the knowledge people earn through experience and the responsibility that comes with sharing it,” said Chris, co-author of Memoir of the Last Real Bookie. “Joey wants Albert to understand where he came from, how choices accumulate and why seeing people clearly can be one of life’s most valuable skills.”

Memoir of the Last Real Bookie is available for pre-order on Amazon and will be published August 25, 2026. To learn more or reserve a copy, visit https://www.amazon.com/MEMOIR-BOOKIE-McLafferty-Anthony-Costello-ebook/dp/B0H9QTFDXR/

An Unfiltered Portrait of Memory, Family and Loss

The novel preserves Joey’s neighborhood dialect and natural cadence. Dialogue appears without quotation marks, allowing remembered conversations and present-day narration to flow together as they often do in memory.

Family relationships remain central throughout the book. Joey reflects on his cousin Vito, his sister Maria, his wife Silvia and other figures whose choices shaped his life. Later chapters follow Joey and Silvia to Las Vegas, where the story turns toward aging, grief and the legacy Joey hopes Albert will carry forward. Here is a recent article published about the book.

Chris and Anthony present the book as an intimate account of a man deciding what matters enough to pass down while he still has time to explain it.

Chris McLafferty and Anthony Costello are the co-authors of Memoir of the Last Real Bookie, a work of fiction rooted in the language, relationships and street-level observations of Chicago neighborhood life. Their novel explores how family history and hard-earned judgment travel across generations.

Chris McLafferty and Anthony Costello
Author of Memoir of the Last Real Bookie
lmclaffert@gmail.com