Customer Reviews (47)

Awful
This may have been the worst book that I have ever finished reading.So it's not absolutely horrible at least, or I would have thrown it away.

Within the first five pages, I began to think.. HEY!This book is ripping off an awful movie I saw a few years ago.And then I realized that the awful movie was actually based on this awful book.The movie I believe was called Fatal Error.Yes, it was made-for-TV, or someone might have put some extra thought into the title.

Anyway, as for the book:

On page 93, we have "In this room alone there are probably fifty million rhinoviruses floating through the air, clinging to every surface, being inhaled into our lungs.Rhinoviruses are everywhere"

On page 140 we have "Rhinoviruses aren't airbourne.They can live only in the cells that inhabit the mouth and nose." and "They can't be carried on breath, or by wind, or by ventilation".

I came CLOSE to throwing this away after the contradiction, but no.I kept on reading.

Some time later, this book became one of the few I've read that I would have to use a "sic" when quoting.Specifically the sentence about a person having trouble "trying to breath" (sic lol).I'm fairly sure there was at least one other silly instance like this but I don't recall it specifically.

Finally toward the end, just as I began to feel a little bit of tension, the author interjects three pages of his third grade "What I Did For My Summer Vacation" paper on the Smithsonian.Seriously.We've got a man chasing another man in a life or death end-of-the-book situation and they're noticing eight Smithsonian exhibits in excruciating detail?Yes, the author toured The Smithsonian and called it research.He took lots of notes and then wrote about it.That's great.I've been there too.Go Us.

Horrible
I can't believe this book was written by the same author who wrote another book so interesting I almost couldn't put it down.Reaper was so awful I couldn't finish it.I took it to an inmate at the jail where I work and then felt guilty.He's locked in a cell with almost no access reading material and I give him this?

One of the worst books you will ever have the pleasure of picking up
If you were looking for a text book on how to write just the most awful novel possible, this might be a landmark contribution to the field of literature. I can think of few books that rival this mess for tops on my all time least favorite list. From the insane silly plot to the plastic characters, this novel sways from one disastrous misguided idea to the next.

I can see that I am not alone here in tanking a book so heartily. Often I dont enjoy a book and then am startled to see that it is getting mostly four or five star reviews from my fellow critics. So it heartens me a little to see that for once, not only I but just about every other reviewer is joining hands in panning this trash to its fullest. The sad thing is that I have to give this story at least one star. 'Reaper' makes the argument that we should be able to remove that one star, its so bad that it does not even deserve that.

YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW
At the tender age of 32, Ben Mezrich is a writer with good skills that have yet to reach their maturity. "Reaper," while an enjoyable diversion, is full of plot holes and stereotypical characters. The leading characters of Nick Barnes and Samantha Craig are so "perfect," they are nauseating. Add to this those crises in their lives that have left them bitter, and you have two heroes that need to grow up! The plot is rather interesting: a biological virus spread through televisions and computers. We also have three over-the-top villains: Marcus Teal, a black billionaire, who wants to use his technology to "CONTROL" who gets ahead in the business world, most notably, of course, minorities and the poor guys; Melora Parkridge, who is like a modern-day Margaret Hamilton, who wants to use her technology to wipe out technology altogether, for some reason the reader is never fully told; and then we have nutso Ned Dickerson who is being "controlled" by the virus. He's a whacko who is the real culprit in this serpentine maze of incredulities. "Reaper" in the hands of a more mature writer, could have been fun, but it ends up being one of those books you would have passed on had the promotion and premise not been so intriguing. Yawn.

what is up w/ you?
this was a good book- very good, and yes, there were technical errors, but what book doesn't? i think that you should buy it and not listen to other dumbassed reviews buy "a reader in Arkansas." Please. ... Read more

Product Description
Enthralling story of Judah Ben-Hur's escape from prison, his triumph over Messala when, disguised as a Roman officer, he defeats him in one of the high points of the story, the famous chariot race. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Read the book
Yes, you've seen the Oscar winning movie. You've seen Charlton Heston play Ben Hur and you think you know what the book is all about.
But similiar to the way the Harry Potter fans compare the movies to the books and see the many differences in the pair, the same is true for "Ben Hur". I'm not saying "Ben Hur" is a bad movie - it most certainly isn't and "Ben Hur" won 11 Oscars to prove it. But there is something different about reading the book.
The story is well known. Prince Judah Ben-Hur and Messala were childhood friends. Messala becomes extremely loayal to Rome and banishes Ben-Hur's family. Ben Hur is enslaved on a war ship. Somehow, he makes it back to Rome and decides to take revenge against Messala.
He changes and decides he wants to give up the sword. A simple story, told without the Hollywood spectacle, is extremely moving. You get to see the internal workings of the man as he struggles between revenge and redemption.I recommend this book highly. ... Read more

Product Description
A passionate call for theological thinking that challenges our intellect, enriches our faith, kindles our heart, and infuses our daily life.

The assumption in much of the church is that theology is an obstacle to a vital, growing faith, not an aid to it. In fact, everyone is a theologian—either a good one or a bad one. So what are the advantages of thinking intentionally about matters of theology and how they can guide, inform, and nourish our faith? What are the components of good thinking and what are some ways we can cultivate it?

As the contributors to this volume make clear, theology is for everyday and every person, as all are called to be thoughtful followers of Jesus. They make the case for how a living, thoughtful faith and how learning to think about God can launch your faith and make it powerful and alive.This engaging volume will help lay people, incoming college students, and prospective seminarians understand that vital faith is as much about our mind as it is about a warm heart.

“Cultivating a Thoughtful Faith challenges the intellect while touching the heart. It advances our understanding of how to love God with all our minds. We in Christian higher education celebrate this contribution to a deeper understanding of our calling.” --- Robert C. Andringa, President, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, Washington, D.C.

 “Rather than reserving theology for a classroom or Sunday morning discussion, these essays challenge the reader to make sure that theology engages the imagination and the intellect, the heart and the mind. The writers remind us that a thoughtful faith compels us to change the world by transforming our daily lives from the inside out.” --- Barbara Oliver Korner, Associate Dean, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Edited by Maxie Dunnam and Steve Moore (Essays by Paul W. Chilcote, Maxie D. Dunnam, Steve Harper, George G. Hunter III, Steve G. W. Moore, Howard A. Snyder, and Ben Witherington III)

Maxie Dunnam is the Chancellor of Asbury Theological Seminary, and formerly served as the fifth President of the Seminary (1994-2004). His many books include The Workbook of Living Prayer, Staying the Course, and the forthcoming Praying the Story.

Steve Moore, a well-known leader in Christian higher education and spiritual formation, is the Senior Vice President of Asbury Theological Seminary and the President of the Asbury Foundation for Theological Education. He is the author of College 101: A Guide to Getting the Most Out of College.

Paul Chilcote is Professor Historical Theology and Wesleyan Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary.  His recent works include Her Own Story and The Wesleyan Tradition.

Steve Harper is the Vice President of the Florida campus of Asbury Theological Seminary (Orlando), and teaches spiritual formation and Wesleyan studies. He has written Devotional Life in the Wesleyan Tradition.

George Hunter is Distinguished Professor of Communications and Evangelism, and formerly Dean of the E. Stanley Jones School of World Mission and Evangelism at Asbury Theological Seminary. His books include How To Reach Secular People (1992), Church for the Unchurched (1996), The Celtic Way of Evangelism (2000), and Radical Outreach (2003), all from Abingdon Press.

Howard Snyder is Professor of the History and Theology of Mission at the E. Stanley Jones School of World Mission and Evangelism at Asbury Theological Seminary.  He has written Decoding the Church: Mapping the DNA of Christ’s Body.

Ben Witherington III is Professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary. A much sought-after speaker and prolific author, his recent work includes The Brother of Jesus. ... Read more

Product Description
Cultural Writing. Literary Criticism. African American Studies. Ben Lerner interviews the poet Michael S. Harper about his important book on the American experience, DEBRIDEMENT(now available for the first time in its intended format). In addition, Herman Beavers, Alison Bundy, Deborah Murphy and Scott Saul contribute thoughtful and provocative essays on Harper's major contributions to the artistic, political and social discourse."In my experience, most history is unwritten, particularly the history about blacks in America, and its traduction is a continuous minefield of delusion and denial, from slavery, to the African slave trade, to "Reconstruction," and the compromises inherent in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. So as an American writer you had better have your own sense of history if you are going to be rooted in any kind of truth as you see it" - Michael S. Harper, interviewed by Ben Lerner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Useful Guide
"Debridement" is Harper's strangest and most significant work and there is very little critical writing about it of any worth. Ben Lerner edited this as an undergraduate and it's intended to be clarifying, not mystifying like most critical writing. The interview with Harper is fantastic, as is the essay by Scott Saul. Anybody writing on Harper -- one of our most important poets -- should check this out. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Sojourners, published by Sojourners on March 1, 2000. The length of the article is 741 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: PRODDING THE SPIRIT.(Review) (sound recording review) (sound recording review)
Author: Elizabeth Newberry
Publication: Sojourners (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2000
Publisher: Sojourners
Volume: 29Issue: 2Page: 58

Article Type: Sound Recording Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description

He played in casinos around the world with a plan to make himself richer than anyone could possibly imagine -- but it would nearly cost him his life.

Mezrich, the author of previous bestsellers about MIT gamblers and a colorful Ivy League trader in Japan, tells how Dukach's crew used a system that Vegas had never seen before. Dukach, the son of Russian immigrants who grew up in the poorest neighborhoods of New Jersey and Houston, was determined to climb out of poverty and help his family. His system didn't involve the commonly used techniques of card counting. Posing as an arms dealer or dentist, Dukach deliberately sought out blackjack dealers with small hands or thin fingers who frequently didn't conceal the bottom card when they shuffled the cards. Dukach would often manage to get a glimpse at the bottom card. This was highly significant because it was the card the dealer would hand the player to cut the deck. Dukach had practiced a technique to insert the card in a precise spot in the deck and then make big bets when the card was dealt. Dukach and his team ended up barred from casinos, threatened at gunpoint, and beaten in Vegas's notorious back rooms. This is a riveting yarn. —Alex Roslin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (63)

A Fun Read but Full of Technical Mistakes
I won't bother guessing how much of this book is fact versus fiction -- even as pure fiction, it's enjoyable to read, similar in style to Mezrich's earlier 21: Bringing Down the House - Movie Tie-In: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions.The three winning techniques described in the book sound plausible, at least in theory, and I wouldn't be surprised if most casinos really were oblivious to shuffle tracking and precise shoe cutting when the events supposedly took place.

However, as much as I like Mezrich's breezy style of writing, he makes lots of mistakes when describing the blackjack action itself.If you're not an experienced blackjack player, you probably won't notice or care, but over and over I was brought out of the story with a "WTF?" moment.One such example comes in the epilogue: "The dealer flipped over her down card, a ten, for a fourteen.She asked if I wanted to hit either of my hands."Um, was Mezrich playing double exposure?Mistakes like this make me wonder if Mezrich has ever really played a single hand of blackjack.Other errors are more subtle, like confusing first base with third, or describing a push as a win.

The worst technical mistake is Mezrich's description of the supposed mathematical advantage of the first technique.Somehow he comes up with a whopping 45% advantage for six hands.Even taking at face value his claim that an ace gives one hand a 51% advantage, playing five other hands at a -2% disadvantage gives an expected value of (0.51-0.10)/6 per hand, or about 6.8%.After reading Mezrich go on and on about Semyon's math skills, it's ridiculous to see the author make such a glaring error the first time he tries to explain the math.

More Fun than 21
I really, really enjoyed this book, definitely a page turner that will have you switching off your TV to read more. While many people have become familiar with the author's previous title 21: Bringing Down the House - Movie Tie-In: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions due to the release of the film recanting how a team of gamblers can make massive sums of money working together, this time the premise centers around 3 new techniques that a single player can use to break the dealer and well "Bust Vegas". I am surprised how few have heard of this more recent book. The globe hopping adventures continue in this black jack fueled sequel.

The trip to Monte Carlo was my favorite part even from an American's point of view. I think Americans are all pretty familiar with Vegas, but reading about the city state of Monte Carlo was very exciting and educating. They have such a rich history and the fact the recent James Bond Movie was set there added to my curiosity. The trips to the Carribean made me wish I was closer to the equator while reading this in December. The only thing I didn't like was how disjointed the flow of the book became, as the author inserted himself into the plot to unfold how he met the characters in the book to gain their story. I love Mezrich's ability to re-hash real life events in a way that still feels like he is telling a story instead of just documenting events in time. He has a real knack for these Ivy league genius fairy tales of making money, so much so I picked up Rigged: The True Story of an Ivy League Kid Who Changed the World of Oil, from Wall Street to Dubai (P.S.) hoping to work my way through the rest of the author's collection of money making tales in 2010.

MIT blackjack
Vegas is an alternate reality. Reading this book it is sometimes hard to believe that the events described by Ben Mezrich occurred in real life - captivating read and a fascinating story of a MIT blackjack team on the run to outdo the casinos. The book reveals the three different strategies that the team employed to beat the casinos and their burly adventures and run-ins with the casinos themselves. It is a thriller.

All ready been done.
The book is entertaining but at the same time it really seems like a copy of his earlier book Bringing Down The House. So the author is just covering the sameterritory. We get it a bunch of smart MIT kids took Vegas for a lot of cash had a fun time doing it, but now they don't do it anymore because everyone caught on. I think that sums it up. The sad thing is these kids are so talented and their contribution to society is taking money from casinos. How about a book about some MIT kids accomplishing something worthwhile. Mezrich seems to have created his own genre writing about rich punks who make a lot of cash.

another strong title by Mezrich
got it decent shape and it shipped within a week. if you've read bringing down the house or ugly americans, then you should definitely get your hands on this one ... Read more

Product Description

After conquering the hallowed halls of Harvard Business School, an Italian-American kid from the streets of Brooklyn decides to take on the testosterone-fueled Merc Exchange in lower Manhattan—where billions of dollars in oil money trade hands every week and where fistfights are known to break out on the trading floor.

Customer Reviews (90)

Intriguing
Narrative very descritive and exciting. Keep you open-minded and fresh. Help us to realize some happenings on ours lives and create bold to overcome the diary's issues. Dubai is the place!

Rigged - A Page Turner!
Rigged: The True Story of an Ivy League Kid Who Changed the World of Oil, from Wall Street to Dubai by Ben Mezrich is another entertaining page turning event.I really enjoy Mezrich's books.He puts you in the middle of the action with sex, political intrigue and historical information to boot.I was a bit disappointed at the ending which is why I rated it a 4.I think the author could have expounded on it a bit more.However, having a brief interview at the end with the real person at the center of this story helped to fill in some of the gaps.Until I read this book I literally knew nothing about Dubai and why it has the excesses it does in the way of its architecture and finance.I found the reasons fascinating and it actually made me happy to know there's a sheik out there with a conscience and who really does give a damn about his country and the people he's responsible for.And bringing the MERK into the 21st century was without a doubt a James Bondish accomplishment. If you like Wall Street intrigue you'll like the MERK even better!What am I gibbering about?Read the book and find out!

Wonderful but Ben should have avoided repeating things
Wonderful story of a Harvard guy who just after graduating got job with NYMEX and was shocked on seeing those meatheads fighting on trading floor. He had a hard time getting adjusted to that environment and everybody thought he won't survive for more than a week there.

Mendelson rightly described to John that traders are savants, who know numbers the same way a gambler knows cards - instinctively. And more importantly, they have got balls. You have to know the math and you have to be scrapper. You have to know how to fight. These were Mendelson's words.

It explains the system inside the Merc, which was something like family business and no way you can get in without a solid connection. People who were already in were very influential and didn't want to change the system; didn't want to let exchange go electronic as that meant for them going out of business.

John who was made VP of Strategy at 27 years of age met Khaled in Dubai and in spite of all the restrictions from the most powerful people in this industry went ahead to create Dubai Mercantile Exchange.

Rigged shows good picture of Dubai and how in reality it is divided into two Dubais. One for outsiders and the other for insiders. One where everything is legal and the other where all that legal is illegal.

I think Ben could have cut short as one starts feeling reading same things again, especially about Dubai and its life.

No depth whatsoever
For a non-fiction story, I thought it read okay. But it totally lacked substance; the only meat was in the afterword by the kid the book was based on. It at least explained the workings of the Exchange.The book had a brieflyinteresting,incredibly thin travelogue of Dubai, with lots of adjectives and zero experience."Rigged"? No telling what that meant. I hoped to find out how the young thugs who trade oil screw our economy, but on that it was silent, except that the afterword says that one barrel of oil could yield thousands in trading profits. Isn't that just wrong?

It's an okay beach or flight read, since there is no plot and no characters to keep straight in your mind.

A GREAT READ FOR FINANCIAL INTRIGUE AND MAYHEM
I'm not sure why the constant dissapointing reviews here on Amazon, but while I'm a HUGE Fan of Ben Mezrich's work, I haven't loved all his books..but Rigged does what was fantastic about Ugly Americans, but condenses it. It's a great read, not mind boggling or anything like that, but interesting all the same. Mezrich gets flack for writing to simplified....I LOVE that about his books. It's almost like you can imagine the movie version of his books (which hollywood is already doing that) Anyone who's young and in business, whether finance or sales or marketing or whatever, should be interested in this tale. I like this book very much and can't wait to read it again.

Ugly Americans is still Mezrich's best book thus far (in my opinion). ... Read more