Award finalist prize in American Book Fest "best book award" 2019. Magner (Free to Decide, 2015) explores the concept of treasure hunting in this debut collection of short stories and essays ... In "Gold for the Taking," an apparent homage to Edgar Allan Poe's 1843 tale "The Gold-Bug," a perennially broke man learns that his father hasn't left him his hoard of gold coins in his will, but rather has hidden them-- with instructions that whoever solves the riddle of its hiding place will become its owner. Magner's prose is light and relaxed ... The book is highly readable ... and most readers will likely find something to enjoy here--particularly if their dispositions are as sunny as the author's seems to be. --Kirkus Reviews There are few things more intriguing in life than a hunt for hidden treasures. In a collection of eleven short stories, five essays, and a novella, James Magner presents diverse characters, engaging plots, and enriching insights into the human condition. Within Magner's stories, his characters search for buried gold, seek a forgotten safe, lift cash from gangsters, solve a murder, escape Nazi-occupied Vienna with hidden assets, secure loot from a Spanish shipwreck, assist an uncle who may be living on top of a goldmine, and embark on other adventures that lead to entertaining and sometimes dangerous situations. Magner's essays explore a variety of topics including the necessary limits of science as a tool for understanding the meaning of our lives and the world, and the significant role of luck in life and poker. Finally in a novella set in Las Vegas in 2015 during a famous international poker tournament, Magner details a deceitful conspiracy scheme while also recounting his real-life experiences as he won more than a quarter of a million dollars (lifetime winnings $400,000). Seeking Hidden Treasures shares the struggles and joys of an eclectic group of characters on unique quests to find riches with the potential to change their lives forever.