mi sono incuriosito a questo libro dopo aver visto il film che ne è stato tratto; leggendolo ci si accorge delle differenze con il film, nel libro si da più risalto alla costanza,allo studio con il fine di fare soldi mentre nel film si da risalto al divertimento di questi ragazzi che deriva dal lusso dalla seconda vita oltre quella universitaria, come ci si aspetta che un film faccia.
Alla fine per questi ragazzi arriva il conto da pagare per esser riusciti a ingannare il banco e ci si chiede se ne sia valsa la pena.....

i enjoy the way mezrich writes a true story but in such a way that it seems to be a novel. the characters are believable (probably because they're real people) and the stories unbelievable (even though they really happened). but, this book only gets two stars from me because i already read bringing down the house and this one was a)too similar and b)not as good.

I'm not sure what the difference is between this book and Mezrich's "Bringing Down the House" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bringing... ) as they both focus on MIT students who use probability and memorization to win at Vegas card games. Judging by the Wikipedia entry for "Bringing," I'm not sure how much of "Busting" I should believe. Even if the story was completely made up, it's a fun read, seeing nerds trying to pay for college playing make-believe (every member of the blackjack "team" had a different disguise for each casino they hit) and winning against "the house."

This one doesn’t compare to the first Mezrich book I read, Bringing Down the House, but it certainly kept my interest. I vacillated between the ebook and audiobook, using the former primarily once I realized just how “abridged” the audiobook was. I do hate any form of abridgment, but sometimes I prefer to listen to a story, especially read by the author. I can’t say I was impressed by his unpolished delivery, but then, there’s a reason he’s found success as a writer instead of a narrator.

The book was enjoyable enough, but I’m frustrated overall with the concept of books touted as nonfiction but actually fall into a more “faction” genre. I get obsessed with what’s true and what’s not, and really, I prefer to not spend more time researching than reading…

I found this book absolutely fascinating. The mental ingenuity, smarts, and discipline to execute this technique was a thing to behold. Then the impact of winning so much money on the lives of the team members was a cold dose of the "no free lunch" maxim. They risked a lot to attempt it and to continue it. They almost got killed in the process too. I would have loved to be on that team.

Wait, so this is the second book he wrote about MIT students who figured out how to scam casinos?

Anyway, the story itself is compelling enough, but the writing is violently purple. The best description I've encountered of his writing style is "non-fiction pulp": tolerable enough for a book, I guess, and much improved by the time The Accidental Billionaires, the only other book I've read of his, is published 4 years later. And while I enjoyed Semyon's story (and found the techniques they discussed absolutely fascinating) I thought the epilogue rather disingenuous, and am willing to put the blame for that more on Ben Mezrich than Semyon: if there had been a progression displayed in the book of Semyon's movement from sheer self-interest to enlightened enmity towards the casinos, then I'd have found it much more believable.

As it is, very useful for those interested in blackjack and casinos, tho the writing style is a bit of a slog.

Fascinating. It's fun to learn about lives you'll never personally live. Well written.

I picked this up at an airport book store, intrigued because it sounded like something "different" than my usual repertoire. I was not disappointed. This quick and compelling read tells the story of a group of MIT students who find a mathematical formula for beating the odds at blackjack. What they didn't consider, however, was that the casinos across the world would be less-than-excited by their high-risk ventures. Although I am not a gambler, I did find this fascinating! (What happens in Vegas clearly doesn't stay in Vegas.)

4 stars. A sequel to Bringing Down the House about the MIT kids who come up with a system to win over a million dollars in Vegas. This team of 4 MIT students are brilliant and come up with three systems which they say are legal (not card counting--waiting for when a deck becomes hot--laced with mostly 10's and then signaling for a friend to come play to increase their odds)--no they learn to catch a glimpse of bottom card when a dealer with small hands is shuffling--they keep track of that card by being able to cut a deck to 52 cards exactly each time. They then play that card to their advantage to get 21 or force the dealer to bust--and bet big on that hand.

There system leads them to Vegas, Atlantic City, the Carribean, and then eventually Monte Carlo. As smart as these MIT students are--its amazing how frequently they leave their cash in random places--only to have it stolen- or lost.

Mezrich is an entertaining writer. Many reviews have suggested most of this book is fiction (particularly the parts about the bouncers and pit bosses taking the MIT kids to the basement rooms and roughening them up). But 4 stars. A fun read.

This was a great way that to tell a story and part of a history that was not seen by most people. It has a touch of things that most people will never experience, but want to in some way. The thrill of living on the edge with never knowing what will happen next, except for the cards. The thrill of making crazy money and pretending to be someone your not is just relatable and a kind of dark dream that everyone thinks of at one time. Capturing that in a book is thrilling and makes the book difficult to put down.

Good read about smart "kids" who should have known better. The factual story is both intriguing in execution and in how the MIT students pulled off the scam. Ironically, it is amazing that they took such a risk knowing that they weren't the only ones willing the break the established rules.

I wouldn't say this is a must read, but if you like non-fiction and enjoy behind the scene's details--this book is definitely for you.

This is a well-written fast paced story. I believe that it was better that I saw the 2008 movie "21" starring Jim Sturgess and Kevin Spacey BEFORE I read this book. Part of the reason that I liked the book so much was the fun I had making comparisons between the two. I really enjoy reading true stories that are larger than life and this one definitely fits the bill. Also, everyone involved in bringing this story public was very brave. For bravery alone, this book earned an extra star from me.