Rating: Summary: Awesome! Review: I read every gambling book I can get my hands on so when Mr. Mezrich was interviewed on a local radio show I couldn't wait to read it. Starts out a bit slow but when Kevin's training is complete it feels like you're in Vegas collecting all those chips, hanging out with celebrities, dating a cheerleader, hosts catering to your every whim, etc. But when the hammer comes down and they feel the casino's wrath you will be on the edge of your seat and you will never look at a pit boss the same way again. Read this book on your day off because putting it down is impossible.
Rating: Summary: Adjust Your Expectations Review: I read this book in a couple of sittings. Like everybody said--It's a quick read. I really enjoyed the book and now I'm sending a copy to my brother. Perhaps, the reason that I am not dissappointed in the book is because of the many things that I did not expect the book to be.I didn't expect War and Peace--I've read a lot of gambling books and great liturature they ain't. After all, how many different ways can you say, "I had lots of money on the table. I took a hit. I won/lost" and keep it fresh? Have you ever watched someone playing blackjack? What seems like high drama to the person whose money is on the line; is quite boring to almost everyone else. Nor did I expect a How To on some easy way to bring the casinos to their knees. As this writer explains--that situation just doesn't exist. What I did expect (and get) was a straight forward discussion on taking on the casinos for big bucks. In an unflinching manor the author accurately described the true odds of Joe Blow winning in blackjack and what it is like for a few very inteligent, highly motivated, people who worked very hard, turned the odds in their favor, then had the guts to spend big money in order to prove themselves right. All that and a bit of a morality play thrown in as the "favored few" aid in their own demise. I agree that a better writer, probably, could have done more with the material. But then again, a different writer might not have brought the same qualities out of the material that made the book so interesting (at least to me).
Rating: Summary: A fun, quick read Review: This is a book that you can finish in a few hours prior (or enroute?) to your next trip to Vegas. It covers the story of a team from MIT that (for a time) beat the house in Vegas and other casinos. It's a lively adventure that explains the techniques used in an easy to understand manner. It also covered why these might not be valid anymore. For a book that's about "beating" the system, it accurately captures the reality that eventually the casinos always catch up. Not fine art or higher literature, but a fun read.
Rating: Summary: Fascinating! Couldn't put it down Review: This is in incredibly interesting book about how these kids legally won lots of cash in vegas and all the crazy things they had to do to do it. I really enjoyed it, it was a very white-knuckle story, and I liked the writing style. Yes, it's isn't the best writing style, but it worked well for what the book was about. It really is a page-turner, and some parts are so amazing that they are almost unbelievable. A fascinating story. I'm amazing that it was ever written.
Rating: Summary: Borrow it from the Library! Review: I was really excited to get this book, it had a rating of 5 stars when I ordered it. Bringing Down the House is an interesting story, and a quick read. I was disappointed in it though, because it really wasn't well-written, the content could have been covered in many fewer pages, and the narrative didn't have a realistic voice. I also thought this book would have more math content, and be written to a higher-level reader. The author was a bit self-aggrandizing, a real turn-off. It was an interesting story and worth reading from the cultural literacy perspective, but it could have been a much better book.
Rating: Summary: One Night's reading Review: This is a fun book. You don't particularly get the feeling the author had to work that hard, although it sounds like he had a few scary moments of his own. This is light reading, but worth devoting a night to, just for the excitement of wondering if they were ever going to get caught. Doesnt really approach the topic from all sides, really just the MIT students viewpoint. I didn't see any quotes from the so-called goons or anything. If you can't get to the casino to play some black jack, the next best thing I guess. Can't believe they made that much money, even with their system. Could identify with the guy who lost two hands in row for $50K, probably happened more often than admitted in this book. Okay though.
Rating: Summary: Hard to Believe Review: Even with systemically perfect timing and play, I find it amazing that these groups never ran into serious losing streaks. Their simplified version of +/- counting is such that any attentive player, carefully varying his bets, could apply it even without an extensive team spotting in support. Enticing story, mediocre writing at best.
Rating: Summary: Great story, poorly done Review: After reading an excerpt in Wired magazine, I excitedly ordered "Bringing Down the House". Overall, it's a great story: supergenius kids living a rockstar lifestyle in Vegas, but unfortunately Ben Mezrich (author) comes up short. This is his first attempt at non-fiction, and it shows. Some flashes of actual interviews and unfabricated dialogues appear throughout the work, but it left me disappointed in the end. This work should have let the facts, and the people behind them, speak for themselves, instead of relying on an unnecessary fiction-like framework.
Rating: Summary: Outstanding Review: A few misspellings and off-beat grammar but in all other ways this book is a blockbuster!
Rating: Summary: Unexpected Joy Review: A friend let me borrow this book and I was blown away. The writing style of short, clear sentences bring the fast paced scenes to life and create an addictive page turner. This was one of the better books I have read in recent memory. The only drawback is that this book can be read in a very short period of time. I would recommend this book to anyone.
|