Review of The Eudaemonic Pie

Title:

The Eudaemonic Pie

Author:

Thomas A. Bass

Publisher:

IUniverse

Date:

1985, 2000

ISBN:

0-595-14236-2

Pages:

336

Price:

$19.95

Reviewed by Nick Christenson, npc@lvrevealed.com

September 27, 2009

In the early 80s, a group of scientifically-minded people associated with the University of California Santa Cruz built a computer that could be concealed in a shoe and used to get an edge at the game of roulette. They encounter theoretical, electrical, and logistical problems in their attempts to stay one step ahead of the casinos they're trying to fleece. The Eudaemonic Pie is the story of their adventures.

The stars of The Eudaemonic Pie are an eclectic community of the sort that one might expect to find associated with a place such as UC Santa Cruz. They are students of the sciences and the arts, and they are all free spirits who feel that it is natural to pursue a life that bounds from one adventure to another. This story commences with the idea that they could assemble a miniature computer with which they could clock the motion of a ball orbiting a roulette wheel. With such a device they could tilt the odds of the game of roulette strongly in their favor.

This venture was not just a technical project. The crew not only needed to build their device, but to conceal it in their clothing, operate it without anybody noticing, learn how to interpret what the computer is saying, and be able to quickly bet accordingly. This turned out to be a considerable undertaking with many people contributing their individual skills to the team goals.

It seems amusing now to think about being able to surreptitiously conceal significant computing power in one's clothing, but at the time this was no mean feat. As I write this review, a high-end mobile phone might have thousands of times the processing power and millions of times the storage as the eudaemons' (as they called themselves) home-made contraption. Of course, this attempt was at the dawn of laptop computers and mobile phones. Building a portable, custom-built computer that could fit in a coat pocket was a fairly novel idea.

The Eudaemonic Pie is an up-and-down tale. As an experienced engineer might expect for such a project, the actual results never quite live up to their potential. Nonetheless, what our protagonists manage to accomplish is amazing, even if the final take may not be what our heroes originally hoped. In retrospect, though, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find that the subjects of the book ultimately consider the journey to be more beneficial, and fun, than reaching their destination.

The book reads well, although I found it to be a little stiff in spots. Technophobes might prefer fewer technical details, while hard-core geeks like myself may be disappointed that there isn't enough detail for us to build our own version of the eudaemons' device. Consequently, Bass probably picks the right line to walk between these two extremes in order to appeal to the widest possible audience.

The Eudaemonic Pie has bounced in and out of print over the years, and I'm pleased to find that at the present time it is available again. This is a legendary tale well enough told. The technology may seem dated today, but the story is timeless. I enjoyed the book and I recommend it as entertainment for those interested in gambling.

Capsule:

The Eudaemonic Pie is a classic story wherein a group of resourceful people come up with a scheme through which they can win big at roulette in Las Vegas. Their successes and failures combine to form an interesting set of adventures. Is the book a literary masterpiece? No. Will those interested in gambling enjoy the book? I think so. I certainly did.