The April Game: Secrets of an Internal Revenue Agent, by Diocenes (HC, 1973, $1.50)
Even though very out of date this book is a fascinating read. For instance, did you know that IRS agents have their personal tax forms audited almost every year, that the Egyptians were the first people to be taxed, or that for our first 100 years as a country our government made most of its money from customs duties, internal excise (think whiskey) taxes, and sales of land in the Midwest and West. Our first income tax, to pay for the Civil War, lasted only 9 years.
"Diocenes" tells many stories. The one I liked most was about someone who donated 70 paintings and took a deduction of $100 for each of them. (This was in pre-1973 dollars!) The art curator of the college that now owned them said they were worthless. Another agent went to a shop where more of the paintings were for sale, and was able to buy one for only $10. Since they didn't have enough to prove fraud, they could only decrease the donation to $2 a painting. The tax payer was furious, and mailed one of the paintings to the agent. The agent then put the painting he thought was worthless into his church bazaar. Guess what someone paid for it!
Look for this book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 9/14.
