I’ve never liked going to casinos much. It’s not just the completely artificial environment, nor knowing that all the games are rigged to favor the house. It’s the sheer desperation wafting off some of the casino patrons. People are ruining their lives there. I’d rather eat or see a show someplace else.

Addicted to Dimes is the poignant story of a young women who emerged from a childhood that contained sexual abuse and frequent criticism to seek help in the wrong place—gambling.

Money conveys status, and it’s easy to see how someone who is unsure of their own worth could be sucked in. And our society makes it so easy—native gambling casinos, lotteries, Keno, bingo—it’s all over the place. The gambling machines are usually conveniently located near ATMs.

The author tells of a life that spiraled out of control—embezzlement, arrest, accepting that she was a liar and a cheat rather…