Having read Bens books regarding the breaking of Vegas and the team of students whom cheated the poker scene world wide out of millions of dollars - it's fair to say I had high hopes for this one.

The setting - America vs Japan all over again and the how the gaijin swindled the Japananese economy and profited greatly.

The end!

I'm sorry to say that the whole loborius back story and build up to what should have been a great crescendo of a climax ends up being a completely deflatory dissapointment.

You could save your self a great deal of time by reading the general synopsis of this story in the Wall Street journal or the Guardian in the UK. I'm sure (without even looking) Malcolm has his own page on Wikipedia.

Picked up this book for free at a second-hand book store expecting the worst, but was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be decent. Plot was gripping but character development lacking. I also found it confusing to read at times because the chapters took place in at different times and places. Mezrich's attempt at making this 'non-fiction' wasn't successful either - his personal anecdotes interrupted the flow of the book and added nothing to the plot. That said, as an Econ major and an Asian, it was both an entertaining and educational read.

This is a just-OK book; I did enjoy it it but it's written (as the author points out) for people who don't read much. It represents a new genre of "guy chick-lit"; thrillers with a focus on getting rich quick and beating the system. If you are interested in Japan, being an "expat", and general risky business: this may a good book for you. If you are looking for character development, a real plot, and intelligent prose: not so much. I probably will not read any more of Mezrich's books, but I'm interested to check out the autobiography of Nick Leeson, "Rogue Trader", who features prominently in this story.

This is the second book by this author that I have read and I think I will read all of his books. Fascinating.

Mezrich never disappoints. He has this uncanny ability to find the most interesting and compelling subjects and people. This book sucks you in to the criminal underbelly of the Japanese yakuza and various business dealings with young Americans. He, Mezrich that is, is a literary genius. He introduces the everyday person to fascinating worlds of intrigue and keeps you wanting more and more and more.

I didn't expect to enjoy this book, but I truly did. Yes, it had insights into much darkness, but it was a compelling, fast-paced, engaging story.

I have enjoyed Ben Mezrich's books in the past but this was not at his normal level, partly due to the lack of interesting characters. Yes, I realize that these are real people with their names changed, but the ending felt flat to me and I only ever felt like we scratched the surface of what it meant to be gaijin in Japan.

Well, Mezrich seems to know how to make a Hollywood story out of a real account of an American who amassed millions through trading derivates and other financial instruments in the Japanese Nikkei. I was surely entertained throughout the book but the whole story seems formulaic with a happy ending to boot. Books like this where the authors hide the real identities of the people involved or confabulate stories to fill up missing parts is highly questionable to me. I doubt the authenticity of this story but hell, it was still entertaining and also plausible.

It's a great story and an entertaining read but I do dislike his writing style of shifting between time periods. The chapters about him in the present-day are pointless

I like Ben Mezrich books, but sometimes they read like fiction or amplified half truths. They still make compelling reads, like this book about American traders in Japan. A good book.

This was not in the same league as Bringing Down the House (which I loved), but still interesting. Of course I would have liked it more if names had been named. But I understand why they weren't. These guys were doing (are still doing?) some crazy stuff out there - and only the lucky survive.

Loved it! Exciting, easy read while also being informative and salacious. Ivy League financier moves to Osaka and bets big in Japan stock market and culture.