The Gambler: How Penniless Dropout Kirk Kerkorian Became the Greatest Dealmaker in Capitalist History

About the book

David builds Episode 65 around Rempel's biography, praises it with unusual warmth, and later points back to the book while explaining how Kerkorian led him to the Beech aviation story.

Why read it

Best if you want a dealmaker biography about aviation, Las Vegas, Hollywood, risk, and an unusually private operator

Evidence and original sources

David says finishing the book gave him the bittersweet feeling of wishing he could read it again for the first time, signaling strong enjoyment of the primary book.

• Ted Turner — David explicitly associates The Gambler with an earlier Founders episode, approximately episode 65.
• Kirk Kerkorian: Penniless Dropout became the Greatest Deal Maker in Capitalist History — David introduces this book as the episode's central source and draws Kerkorian's life story and business career from it throughout.
• Walter and Olive Ann Beech (Aviation Legends) — The host says Founders #65 on Kirk Kerkorian led him to learn about Olive Ann Beech.