The Devil Takes Bitcoin is a wild ride through the glitchy, glorious mess that is crypto history. Jake Adelstein connects the dots like a conspiracy theorist with actual receipts. Read it. Laugh. Cringe. Maybe even HODL (Hold on for dear life). -- Tigran Gambaryan, former IRS Special Agent also known as The Crypto Wizard It is, of course, brilliant. A twisting, complex, international true-crime thriller involving Bitcoin, The Silk Road, and the cutting edge of Cryptocurrency malfeasance. -- David Hayter, award-winning screenwriter The true story of cyber-era commerce, crime, cold-hard cash, and one of the greatest heists in history. * ArtsHub * A whirlwind account of cryptos rise and rot. Reading Adelsteins tale is like listening to the best storyteller at the pub, full of outrageous anecdotes, pithy takedowns, and a clear-eyed account of how cryptos true lifeblood was always crime The Devil Takes Bitcoin is a weirdly successful vibe check from what may be the internets last Wild West: funny, chaotic, horrifying, and deeply revealing of how belief and greed blur until theyre indistinguishable If you want to be entertained, informed, and a little appalled, pull up a bar stool. -- Amy Gray * The Saturday Paper * Drawing from his expertise in Japans underworld, Adelstein reveals how Bitcoins promise of freedom quickly entangled with crime Adelsteins book shines when exploring how this innovation provided the necessary financial infrastructure for the dark web, particularly through the Silk Road marketplace At 224 pages, its a quick, eye-opening read for crypto novices or crime buffs alike. -- Vikram Zutshi * Asian Review of Books * Praise for Tokyo Noir:
Journalist Adelstein follows up The Last Yakuza with another illuminating blend of memoir and reportage As always, the authors ability to boil down Japans complex sociopolitical dynamics in sharp, often-humorous prose impresses For true crime fans, this is a treat. * Publishers Weekly * Praise for Tokyo Noir:
Mafioso, dirty dealings, true crime its all inherently interesting. And Tokyo Noir is exactly the sort of sequel youd want to the now-seminal Tokyo Vice. * Unseen Japan * Praise for Tokyo Noir:
It might be packaged as a hard-boiled, gonzo tour through Japans underworld, but this intricate tale keeps unfolding in unexpected ways Its tempting to call this story Chandleresque, but theres a depth of feeling and undercurrent of spiritual questing that goes beyond Chandlers remit. * The Sydney Morning Herald * Praise for The Last Yakuza:
Journalist Adelstein parlays decades of reporting on Japanese organised crime into a propulsive history of the yakuza. Drawing on interviews with both his yakuza and Japanese law enforcement contacts, he examines how yakuza groups obtained power Hes especially good at tracing the yakuzas political influence in Japan, explaining how they bribed and blackmailed legislators into opposing bills that would have curbed their influence. Painstakingly reported and paced like a thriller, this is a must read for anyone interested in organised crime. * Publishers Weekly *
