Book excerpt: He quit his job, abandoned his wife, and checked in at the Nirvana Casino. In Michael Konik’s darkly satirical debut novel, an American Humbert Humbert is overwhelmed by fantasies of becoming a Vegas big shot. Dubbed the “Dean of the World’s Gambling Writers,” Konik is a former Cigar Aficionado gaming columnist and TV poker analyst. The best-selling author of three acclaimed gambling-story collections, including The Man with the $100,000 Breasts, he brings his vast knowledge of the casino world to the pages of this viciously funny (and strangely inspiring) evisceration of our modern aspirational lifestyle.