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Summary: What a story!!!
Review: This story is almost too unbelievable to be true. But the thing is, it is absolutely true. Mezrick does a great job of bringing the whole story to life. Even if you aren't sure what exactly card counting is, you'll enjoy the story he tells. I highly recommend this book.
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Summary: Fun Book, but Scoblete and Uston are Better
Review: This is a fun book and does read somewhat like fiction. When all was said and done, the MIT "kids" won about $25,000 a year each. That is fine but I wouldn't want to have to live on that income. It also shows to what disgusting levels casinos will stoop to stop people from using their brains at the tables. The actions of the American casino industry should really be scrutinized. However, I think the book is a little too exaggerated in its depiction of the "lifestyle" and typical nights of the team and their players. For a more balanced, and entertaining view, I believe you should read Frank Scoblete's "Best Blackjack. I also heartily recommend Ken Uston's "The Big Player." Both of those books are written by players from the players perspective.
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Summary: Great story...but not the whole story
Review: This was a great, well-written story about a group of MIT students who gambled the casinos out of a few million dollars. The action flows and it is a quick read. It is not the whole story, however. It is the author's first attempt at non-fiction and the lack of research shows. 95% of the story comes from one source (one of the students). His other interviews include a stripper and security expert, both who are not major players. I expect that other authors will write books about these teams and include information from interviews from more players, dealers and casino employees. Anyway, great book but it leaves you hungry for more.
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Summary: I totally didn't expect to love this this book--But I did!!
Review: I saw Ben Mezrich on CNBC promoting this book so I figured I'd give it a shot. Man, what an intelligent, fast-paced, tale. I'd recommend this book to anyone. . .No Joke.
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Summary: Fast, Furious and Fun
Review: A book needs a great story or a great storyteller. This is a GREAT story by a good storyteller. The book is about a group of MIT students who card count their way to a fortune. The author does a great job framing what is involved in the game of blackjack taking the reader through higher levels of complexity so the reader will understand the math even if you do not gamble.Without telling the story, a team of MIT geeks descends on Vegas using a unique code of signals to hide who is the big gambler of the group. Quickly these MIT geeks are corrupted by the life of sin in Vegas although they do keep their eye on the ball and rake in the money. But nothing lasts forever and the team faces internal issues as well as the casinos increased efforts to stop card counters. This book is a fast read loaded with action. I highly recommend this book particularly if you have any interest in gambling or Vegas.
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Summary: Long time Las Vegas pro says this book is exaggerated hokum
Review: As a successful high stakes 21 player of more than 20 years in Las Vegas, it saddens me to have to read this misleading book. There are so many exaggerations and improbabilities compared with the reality that I felt compelled to speak out...This may be fine as ficiton.
Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING
Review: This is a book about a group of MIT students who count cards as thr title refers to there main playground being las vegas but they hit casinos around the united states.This wll not be a technical book on card counting but even if you have no gambling experience this is a book to read,as one of the other reviewers stated i could see this being made into a movie.This is a fast read you will not be disapponited.
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Summary: Couldn't Put It Down
Review: I lost a lot of sleep last night because I started reading this book and absolutely could not put it down until I was finished. It has everything one looks for in a book: its a well written, great story full of twists and turns and excitement. I highly highly recommend this one!
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Summary: What a Pleasure!
Review: "Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions" is a delicious look at unlikely winners. I'm no great fan of gambling, and see what gambling boats are doing to lower the quality of living as they creep up around Chicagoland. Hence, I derive great pleasure from reading about how a few smart kids beat Las Vegas at its own game. Statistically based on finding suckers and losers, casinos 'always' win. And, if you discover a way to beat a casino, you get kicked out. The only ones to stay are those who won because of luck, not smarts (because the house knows they're likely to lose it all). MIT is known for bringing in and graduating kids who know math about as well as math could be known. Usually, the school is asociated with cranking out thick-glasses, math-geek gerbils who spin the wheels of science. They are more likely to win Nobel prizes than blackjack. Still, they are smarter than most of us, and really aren't the thin stereotype we imagine. This story has so many angles to enjoy. The underdog winning. The geek beating the tough guys. Basic math and quick thinking winning. And of course, these kids are doing what most of won't do: win a boatload of money. Let's bring DeNiro, Hoffman, and some other great stars together, as well as a few of the "Revenge of the Nerds" crowd to get a made-for-TV movie going. I'd watch it. I fully recommend "Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions" by Ben Mezrich. It is worth gambling a few bucks to buy the book. Anthony Trendl
Rating:
Summary: Swift, slick and stunning
Review: Ben Mezrich's instincts were right. When Kevin Lewis let him in on the sophisticated card-counting scheme he and other MIT students used to take Vegas for millions, Mezrich knew he had fodder for a compelling story. This nonfiction tale, told with the expertise of an in-depth feature reporter, gripped me from start to finish. I devoured the book in just a day, reminding myself again and again that the story, except the names, was actually true. I recall that Roald Dahl, who normally favors fiction, had the same instinctual reaction when he learned of the Mildenhall treasure. When a farmer discovered ancient silver in a field, he spun a nonfiction story is every bit as compelling as his works of fiction. I hope that Mezrich, who has already authored six novels, continues to be on the lookout for nonfiction stories to tell. Vibrant writing and thoughtful, daring research made this story top-notch.
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