Gambling, Pornography, and the Making of Modern America with Dennis Broe

Gambling, Pornography, and the Making of Modern America with Dennis Broe

Published: March 6, 2026

Duration: 48:36

In this episode of the Explaining History Podcast, we're joined once again by writer and cultural critic Dennis Broe to discuss his new novel, *Pornocopia*, and what it reveals about the intertwined histories of the gambling and pornography industries in post-war America.


Set in 1952, *Pornocopia* follows detective Harry Palmer through Los Angeles and Las Vegas at a crucial moment when two nascent industries—pornography and gambling—were beginning their long march from the criminal fringe to the centre of American economic life. It's a moment when the mob's low-level control of these enterprises was coming into conf...