Card counting is not gambling. It's math.
Bringing Down the House is the "true" story of the MIT blackjack team. It's true in that there have been many MIT blackjack teams over the years-this book focuses on one in particular that was active in the mid-to-late 1990s. However, the people the characters in this book have been based on claim that the story has been significantly amped-up for entertainment value. Regardless of the embellished shake-downs, violence, and theft- the book is a fascinating account of how these geniuses used their smarts to win millions in America's playground.
Mezrich does a great job at explaining the concept of card counting to make it understandable for the reader- not doable (it's ridiculously hard to execute successfully)- but perfect for following this story down the rabbit hole and into the casinos. For those who look at this book and say "I saw 21, I'll pass."- it's a completely different story than the film. There were a few short parts that had a hard time keeping my attention and I would've loved to hear more from Micky Rosa- but mostly I really loved this book.
A-
*SIDENOTE: This makes me very curious to read The Accidental Billionaires also written by Mezrich. The film based on the book (The Social Network) comes out October 1.
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