Blackjack Books

I have read dozens of non-fiction Vietnam books, trying to gain every perspective. Donohue provides a view somewhat different from many others in that his unit successfully combines US commanders with Cambodian nationals. As other reviewers have related it is the gripping tale of a significant engagement, but with emphasis on the relationships and interactions between men from vastly different cultural backgrounds. I have to admit, in places I questioned whether conversations or details were representative of actual events, or if they were modified as a vehicle to convey patrol SOP (for example) for the benefit of an unenlightened reader. Those impressions were easily overpowered by Donahue's story of the courage and tenacity of the men in his unit, and their dedication to and affection for each other regardless of nationality. As in so many outfits, individual personalities became critical to the success of the mission as well as the care of the unit's dead and wounded both during the battle and in the aftermath. It is a tale well told and will remain on my bookshelf.

Most of the writing I have read from first person accounts of war in Vietnam were either poorly written (ie. We Were Soldiers) or just plain boring and just didn't give you the sense of being there (ie Lest We Forget). Not the case here as Jim is a great writer. He lights up all of the senses on yet another Blackjack suicide mission and really puts you in the jungle. This may sound silly but I wish there was a scratch and sniff part of the book so you can really get what the smell of cut foliage and spent gun powder smell like, or burning napalm, burning flesh and rotting humas.

SPOILER ALERT: Skip the next paragraph if you want to find out what happens on your own.

On this mission it was basic recon of looking for stuff to blow up such as base camps or finding pockets of NVA/VC in the thick triple canopy jungle. MGF manages to spot some communication wires in the jungle indicating at least a regimental size enemy. Recon platoon manages to get spotted when all hell breaks loose and the 4 platoon company sized Mobile Guerrilla Force must retreat back to a small hill that was crossed a short time ago, set up a defensive perimeter around the hill, slug it out with the multiple regimental sized VC and wait for the Mike Force to bail them out resulting in an all day firefight. I personally (which means you free to disagree) equate this book to being the Vietnam version of Black Hawk Down with the exception that MGF didn't screw up. Its a great conclusion to the MFG trilogy as Jim simply falls asleep at a hospital after finally being medivaced from receiving an near fatal head wound.

SPOILERS END HERE

This book is not the typical mud, blood and tears of most Vietnam writings. In fact, there are some parts that will have you laughing (such as when Jim and Bob go to investigate a hut that the VC had just left about as soon as 5 minutes ago...oh the look on Bob's face : D). I will have to take back part of that last statement though as one of Jim's dear friends dies in this one and Jim struggles vainly to save him...not much you can do when their brains are on the ground. Its a good mix of emotions from on the edge of your seat action thrill, to having a good laugh, to being sadden by loss.

The Mobile Guerrilla Force trilogy that Jim writes would make an excellent movie that would show American led forces handing the VC's butts to them, which is historically correct through attrition. We didn't loose...we left. Its like our team was up by 2 touchdowns with about 5 minutes in the 4th quarter and we left. Someone must write a script and hand it to Oliver Stone...PLEASE!!!

Blackjack 34 is a sequel to another book (Backjack-33) about an earlier USSF Mobile Guerrilla Force operation to find and engage VC in the eastern 3 corps area. I certainly support the five star reviews of the earlier reviewers. Unless you were there, you cannot begin to really understand or appreciate what these SF soldiers went thru, but the book helps. Read both of them to get the full value of their operations and experiences.

A fabulous book for anyone looking for firsthand accounts of the great work our fighting men & women did in Vietnam, and an excellent antidote for the overplayed drivel Hollywood & the "mainstream" media try to spoon-feed us.

The author provides a minimal amount of background info on himself and the Mobile Guerilla Force, and then jumps right into the action. He gets your heart pumping and your senses instantly alerted through first-person writing, and once you start this book it is very difficult to put down. Mr Donahue does not hold back anything from the reader either; he skillfully relates the sights, sounds, smells, and even tastes of combat in Vietnam.

If you are looking for a well-written first-hand account about the experiences of combat in Vietnam, then I highly recommend this book. If you are a little squeamish, or prefer to research the unit histories and command structures of combat units in Vietnam, well, I STILL recommend this book (and all of Mr Donahue's books).

U.S. special forces experience varied widely in Vietnam. The A Teams, the Greek letter projects, the MIKE Forces, and MAC-V-SOG all fought different fights of a large and very complex war. Within those units, none was more unique than Donohue's, which morphed from an A Team on a mobile guerrilla mission, into the B-36 Special Task Force, much later into the B-36 MIKE Force. Donohue describes the early days, when the window of opportunity for mobile guerrilla operations against the NVA and VC Main Force regiments was wide open. If you want to know what it was like to be with a small band of American special forces (and one Australian), leading companies of Cambodian nationalist rebels from the Khmer Serai against one half of their ancient enemy, then this is one of two books you must read. This is a war of companies against battalions, out well beyond the range of artillery where American forces were not allowed to go, where junior sergeants functioned as platoon leaders during the heavy fighting, and then quickly morphed into medics and radio operators. Read this, and Donohue's Blackjack-33, and you'll have enjoyed some of the finest combat writing to come out of the 5th Special Forces Group.

I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone interesting in learning how to play blackjack. Good for beginners, but also has good material
for experienced players. Very easy to follow. Has interesting stories about how blackjack teams operate.

If someone could only buy one book on blackjack, I would highly recommend this one. I have been playing & counting for 15 years. This covers everything you need to be a winning player and then some. It also has something for everyone from the first-time novice to the seasoned professional (including some things I'd rather not see in print).

I have a hard time finding anything that was missed in this book, and it is written in straight-forward, easy-to-understand language. If anything is missing, it is the complex math that bogs down most of us anyway. Blaine instead offers up the best ways to make money, and that is what we are really after (at least me anyway).

Hey its about time a guy put a book together like this*****.

I recommend BJ Blueprint as the first book to read when learning the game. Everything is clearly explained and the stories mixed in are fascinating. Five Star Rating from this reader!

GOOO Train..

Robert

I'm reading "Blackjack Blueprint" for the second time.
It is an impressive tutorial and practice guide for
anyone seriously interested in learning to play blackjack.
Similar to Revere's classic work, Mr. Blaine explains the
basics one must learn to get an advantage playing the game.
Then he offers practice drills designed to ingrain those
basic skills/info, so the new BJ player can perform at a
level to compete with the casinos.
The last half of the book introduces related topics like
BJ tournament play, casino critters, comps, shuffle tracking,
team play, camouflage, etc. All interesting topics for aspiring
advantage players.
Blackjack Blueprint is among the best introductory books on
advantage blackjack play that I've read. It compares favorably
with Revere's and Wong's books, and is more up-to-date.
I don't hesitate to recommend it, and am happy to own it.

This book is without doubt the most well written and entertaining blackjack book around right now. I have read many many books on counting cards and the game of blackjack in general and this is by far the funniest read there is while actually giving really good information on counting cards and the game you must play to be a counter. Blackjack Blueprint doesn't bore you to death with super advanced systems that will cause you to sleep after read each single rule. Instead it's filled with many stories and useful information that are completely relevant to the situation that they accompany. If I were to have one blackjack book this would be the one without any doubt in my mind. I will also add that I don't read for fun at all, I only read books that will give me information and teach me how to do stuff. If all books were this good I would read more then I do.

Striking It Rich is my bed-sided book. I used to live in Phnom Penh for a few years and understand the people as well as their culture. A society in which the power is Gun and Money. I really admire Doctor Sheftall because he dared to risk his life by playing golf with those military generals. The author is a super intelligent, talent and funny person. Through the very incredible, amazing golf stories and other ones in his life in Southeast Asia, Doctor Sheftall shared his life experiences in a very funny way but he really means it: My eyes darted between my beautiful angel, her husband, the AK-47, her nipple pressing against the front of her pajamas, the door, her husband, the AK-47, her nipples, the door... Then a strange calm came over me......

I couldn't help laughing with the way he wrote the stories. You will enjoy it. I would recommend to anyone to this book and of course to the golf players.

Rein Forest

Reid Sheftall, an American doctor who specializes in burn and reconstructive surgery lives and practices medicine in Cambodia, a country in which feuds are sometimes settled by splashing acid on one's enemy.

At 46, Dr. Sheftall wondered if he, a practicing surgeon, could return to the game of golf and play respectably on the professional tour, while keeping his day job. He had been a promising junior some 28 years ago when he quit playing golf to pursue other sports. It wouldn't be easy to qualify for the Malaysian Pro Golf Tour, but the temptation lingered. While running a medical center in Phnom Penh and treating children of unfortunate acid attacks, he practiced his swing by hitting balls at ships cruising by on the Mekong River.

How he became part of that pro tour is revealed in his recent memoir, Striking it Rich: Golf in the Kingdom with Generals, Patients and Pros. Sheftall utilizes his golfing adventure as the framework to chronicle his work as a surgeon, as well as the joys and pitfalls of being a 46-year-old bachelor living in Cambodia.

For instance, when he played in his second pro tournament, the Chevrolet Open, Dr. Sheftall was concerned about his travel expenses to and in Pattaya, Thailand, where the tournament was being played. An expensive hotel in a Thai beach resort could be a budget-buster for the third world surgeon. So, he found an inexpensive hotel - a real bargain at only $[...] per night - even if it was located down a dark alley. It did not occur to Sheftall that this was a house of ill repute until the all- female "bell-hop" staff appeared dressed in string bikinis. All night, he heard banging on doors and giggling girls running in the corridors. Due to the commotion and lack of sleep, he nearly missed his tee time the next day.

Striking it Rich includes numerous entertaining experiences and tips that are appropriate for golfers and non-golfers. What appears to be a story about a middle-aged fellow and his quest to become a professional golfer after years away from the game, morphs into a collection of stories of unexpected humor and heart-touching encounters. The reader is treated to a peek into the life of a struggling golfer on the pro circuit who is also a doctor that continues to treat patients. Dr. Sheftall must also learn dating etiquette in a foreign country. This is one of those rare books this reader hated to finish, knowing the story continues as the doctor continues to golf his way across Southeast Asia.

I recommend this inspirational book to anyone looking for more than mere entertainment in their leisure reading. Striking It Rich opened up new areas of interest for me, including a fascination for life in a part of the world I knew little about prior to reading this book. Dr. Sheftall's story inspired me to face new challenges in middle age and to provide assistance and awareness for the unfortunate victims of acid attacks in Cambodia.

Half the profits of the $19.95 book go to Operation Kids, a charity founded by Dr. Sheftall in 2001, to provide free surgery for burned and disfigured children of the developing world who otherwise can not afford treatment.



A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Reid Sheftall graduated with a physics degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. When he was only 21, he became a member of the University of Southern California faculty. Later, after a brief stint as a card counter in Nevada, he went to medical school. He completed his surgery residency and a fellowship in pediatric burn reconstruction. Dr. Sheftall currently lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where he serves Director of the American Medical Center, Phnom Penh.

Dr. Sheftall is also the author of The Tour Player's Handbook: Strategic Decisions Under Pressure in Tournament Golf. Readers may email him with questions or comments at [...].

This is a fantastic book which combines a unique golf odyssey with some fascinating cultural insights on southeast asian culture. For a full review, please see my article on thesandtrap.com, at [..]If you aren't intrigued enough by the story line to buy the book, remember that half of all proceeds from sales go to fund Dr. Sheftall's charitable efforts in Cambodia. Happy reading!

With the exception of a handful of casual rounds at social events, Dr. Sheftall had not played golf for almost 30 years. When he started playing again in his late 40s, he found his game was still there. While on holiday in the US, he was encouraged by a pro golfer to consider playing professionally.

What followed was an intriguing adventure as he prepared and played on poorly maintained courses in Cambodia (where he works as a surgeon) with machine gun toting military officials. It was through high stakes games with these men that he improved to the point that the generals would not allow him to play with them anymore.

His experiences at the professional golf events throughout East Asia also highlight the main differences between professional and non-professional golfers. These philosophies and strategies he revealed has already improved parts of my golf game.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story and to any golfer who dreams of playing professionally.

What an incredible book. While there are a lot of Golf stories in this book it really is about so much more and can be applied to any sport or business venture. I couldn't put it down.I learned a lot about the importance of the mental aspect of the game/sports and how you must play it one shot at a time and forget the bad ones as well as the good ( something I had never thought of). I laughed out loud and was amazed at the incredibly awkward situations the author was capable of getting himself into ( over and over and I laughed harder each time). He must be brilliant, scoring 800 on the SAT Math, Physics degree from MIT, Med School and Re-constructive Surgical training and then decides at age 46 that he wants to become a PGA
golfer ....all while doing recontructive surgery on children in Cambodia.
I am making my kids read this book ....there is so much to learn here.
You owe it to yourself to read this one...you won't regret it.

Blackjack-33 is one of the best written first hand account of men in combat. Very well written and hard to put down. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great true account of the Mobile Guerilla Forces in action in Vietnam. I can't wait to receive and read the author's other books.

The Vietnam war is still an enigma for many of us who were not there. It is fascinating and a bit frightening. Many people only understand it based on movies like Platoon or Full Metal Jacket. This book does a fabulous job of illustrating an unknown aspect of the war, yet makes you understand how the pieces fit together. Very descriptive and action packed, you feel as if you are close to the action and get a better feel for the life of a soldier in the bush.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable book and increased my education and awareness of the war.

Mr. Donahue brings out a little known aspect of the Vietnam War--the use of Special Forces and Cambodian soldiers to fight the VC on their own ground. You can get more of a description of the book by reading the adjacent reviews. I spent almost two years working with the Vietnamese day by day, and consider this book to be a must read for anyone interested in the genre. It is very well written and makes the scene jump out at you. For me, it was almost like revisiting my experiences back then.

A fabulous book for anyone looking for firsthand accounts of the great work our fighting men & women did in Vietnam, and an excellent antidote for the overplayed drivel Hollywood & the "mainstream" media try to spoon-feed us.

The author provides a minimal amount of background info on himself and the Mobile Guerilla Force, and then jumps right into the action. He gets your heart pumping and your senses instantly alerted through first-person writing, and once you start this book it is very difficult to put down. Mr Donahue does not hold back anything from the reader either; he skillfully relates the sights, sounds, smells, and even tastes of combat in Vietnam.

If you are looking for a well-written first-hand account about the experiences of combat in Vietnam, then I highly recommend this book. If you are a little squeamish, or prefer to research the unit histories and command structures of combat units in Vietnam, well, I STILL recommend this book (and all of Mr Donahue's books).

These men brought the fight to the communists. They fought smart and hard and outguerrlla the guerrilla. There is action from the beginning of the book to the very end. Doc Donahue writes a descriptive and detailed account of his experience in the jungles of Vietnam fighting with a Special Forces led indigenous Cambodian fighting force. It is amazing the hurt they put on the Viet Cong and sad when many of these brave fighters gave their lives often fighting a superior force. I also enjoyed the story of Donahue's adventure of getting supplies in Saigon. An unconventional fighter making an unconventional acquistion of supplies through unconventional means. I plan on reading all the other Donahue books.

This book is a must read story for any horse lover. I was lucky enough to meet Blackjack in person and he is a beautiful horse. Reading this book will take you on a wonderful horse adventure! Thank you Ellen Feld for writing such an amazing book.

This book is a must have for all who love horses! It is entertaining, heartwarming, and inspiring. No teenage girl should be without it!!

AWSOME!! I can't wait to read the other ones!!!

Its the best horse book I have ever read. Any horse lover or owner like me will fall in love with the horses and the characters. I laughed and even came near to tears in this heart filled story. I highly recommend it.

I love Ellen Feld's Morgan Horse books. I love them because they don't ask the reader to believe that teenaged girls can solve crimes, stop the destruction of rural America, or take a half-starved rescue horse on Monday and win the KY Derby on him the following weekend. OK; I'm exaggerating. It usually takes them at least 6 months before they win the Derby.
Ms. Feld's books are realistic in their portrayal of the human and equine characters, and accurate in their descriptions of tack, veterinary care, etc.
As a once-upon-a-time horse-crazy teenager grown into a horse-crazy middle aged person, and both a bookseller and tack store owner in years past, I appreciate the fact that Ms. Feld's books aren't filled with inaccuracy and improbable fantasy. It has always seemed to me that many YA stories that are, presuppose that the readers are not very knowledgeable about horses.
Five stars and a bag of carrots to Ellen Feld's books.

I really enjoyed this quick easy read. I purchased the book to read on the plane (DC - CA). I was amazed to discccover that it was a such a fun and interesting read. I really understand the concepts much better and cant wait to put the easy techniques to work!! I highly recommend the book for beginning or advanced players.

If you are a blackjack player this book will help you win. It is worth more than the price. It is endorsed by well-known experts. Many of the books published about blackjack are manuals. This book is more than just a manual. I highly recommend this book if you would like to win at blackjack consistently.

I loved this book. I've been interested in blackjack and the science of card-counting for a long time. Thing is, nobody has really written much about the game. And, upon reading this book, I am secure enough to admit this is the definitive book on the game of blackjack and the tools you need to beat the casino. Not only do you learn about the game but you also come to understand the intricacies of the casino. Mr. Bukofsky explains what to look for in the casino regarding how casino management tend to get the odds in their favor. However, this book puts the odds in the reader's favor. Thanks for the tips.

This is the best overall of three books on blackjack I've read so far. You get the feeling this man has a very well-organized mind. He's the first author I've read who adequately explains deviations from basic strategy and the matix tables. He nicely discusses the issue of whether to go with a simpler or more complex counting system. Ironically, he is weakest where other writers are stronger: on betting strategy. Here I think he gets a bit too mathematically precise in his betting tables. Would someone with a $20,000 bankroll really bet in amounts of 83, 133, 182, 267, 338...? (p. 122). Of course not. But I completely agree with Bukovsky when he says, "Don't just read this book. Read everything you can get your hands on....Read and reread..." (219). Sound advice, in my view.

I'm a successful player already at two games: blackjack and poker. I just finished reading this book last weekend and it's the book I will now recommend to friends and players I meet at the tables who want to learn more about how to make money at this game. I was put on to it by a long time friend who now works on an Illinois riverboat. Between us we've been in the game, on both sides of the table, for more than 50 years, and we both agree this book gets you thinking about things in a way no other books can. It is also one that seems to be popular among serious poker players. Simply put, one of the best blackjack books out there.

This is the second blackjack book I've read. It's very good and has a lot of interesting and useful information. It also only costs about 10 bucks, but there are two important points here: In Berg's view, one would need to start with about $150,000 to make serious money in blackjack. Second, he uses one of the most complex card-counting methods out there.

I've never played blackjack and probably never will, but I was absolutely fascinated by Alan Berg's book. Serious players must be blown away. I was amazed to learn so much about the game when I had always thought it was just a question of luck. NO WAY. It almost makes me want to take up black jack so I can reach the zenith of being barred from a casino. That isn't apt to happen since I got a bit bogged down in the intricacies of the numbers systems, but I LOVED the book. I especially enjoyed learning about Alan's gambling experiences and now have enormous admiration for his honesty in telling about himself in a thoroughly enjoyable and often amusing fashion. WONDERFUL book- I recommend it to players and non-players alike.

The thing I liked about this book is that it was like having a one on one lesson with the author. He gives you the important factual skills you need to win the game. But also throws in personal experience and stories that make it very entertaining. You will like what he has to teach but at the end of the book feel like you could hang out and have a drink with him.

Alan Berg has given us a thrill ride through the world's casinos from the view of a high-roller. Even for a confirmed non-gambler like me, his well-crafted book provides hundreds of insights into winning at blackjack - and winning all the side battles as well. Most impressively, he often succeeded at keeping himself in the building and in the game through guile, brains and style - when most card-counters would long have been banished from casinos everywhere. Read - and enjoy - "The Counting Game."

The Counting Game: An Accountant Reveals How to Win at Blackjack is different from an ordinary "how-to" gambling guide in that author Alan Berg is not only a skilled professional gambler (so good at winning money through card counting he's been banned in casinos across America), but also a certified public accountant. The Counting Game teaches the reader about the mechanics of card counting, the savvy acting skills needed not to get caught doing it, and especially about tax law, including how to take the government's due into account when calculating one's gambling profits. In particular, Berg notes that tax law is brutally regressive to recreational gamblers, effectively amounting to double taxation (and it's not much nicer to professional gamblers, who must adhere to stringent criteria to be considered such by the IRS). Taking the hypothetical example of a female recreational gambler who wins a $7000 casino jackpot and then amasses $7000 of losses in subsequent plays: "Her preparer explains that the $7000 win, even though wiped out by aggregate losses of roughly an equal amount, reduce her refund to the tune of $1475!" Although The Counting Game is the "must-have" blackjack counting book for anyone seeking to make money at casino tables, it effectively (and unintentionally?) is also one of the strongest exhortations not to gamble at all, simply because it spells out the unvarnished truth about what gambling for a living is really like, the severity of its risks, and the demands it makes upon a player. Highly recommended.

It takes place in the year 2066. Our world as we know it has been decimated by terrorists, foreign and home grown, followed up with chemical warfare that has most of the population dead or dying. The story is fascinating in that it covers the gamut -- love, brutality, and politics in a world that is just emerging from catastrophe. Frightenly real.

As both a author and reader of fiction I was impressed with Blackjack. The characters seemed real and the story line was believable. I guess that I just like books that can hold my interest and make me think at the same time. I recommend this book. Time keeps me from writing a longer review but I wanted to get something posted as I enjoyed this book.
Tommy Taylor

Lee Singer, where did Rica Marin come from? I loved everything about her. Especially, a mercenary, torch singer. All the characters were great. I can't wait to see what's next. Please tell me that this is only the beginning.

I can't tell you how many times she brought a smile to my face with her quick witted remarks. This does not happen very often.

Thanks Lee Singer. I had a good time.

Rica Marin rocks! She's noir and deep, a postapocalyptic mercenary and torch singer who blazes her way through the fast action, intricate society, and dangerous politics in the year 2066 in BLACKJACK. Read it!

-Jaqueline Girdner, author of the Kate Jasper and Cally Lazar mysteries.

I found "Blackjack" by Lee Singer to be an exciting blend of

science fiction and mystery. It was full of action and

intriguing characters. Even the minor characters are

fully drawn. I look forward to reading about the further

adventures of Rica Marin and her cohorts.

Adrienne Tanick

Mr. Simmons has done it, an action hero in the 1930's who is an African American. The book captures everything a good action book should and is a nessesity in any good collection

Someone please make this into a film right now!

What I love about Blackjack is the character. Blackjack is a wealthy, well educated, world-travelled black man at a time (the 1930's) when many people felt that wasn't a good thing to be. He is a complicated man--and no, he's not Shaft, and he's not Indiana Jones, he's a complex, three-dimensional character who I find utterly fascinating. Another plus is that the writer's historical settings are so accurate it almost feels like you're reading a true story about a person the history books forgot. A great book for anyone who loves well-written, well-drawn adventure in the grand tradition.

My comic book days are about over, but I remember them fondly. I remember some of my enduring favorites. The Spirit; The Green Lantern; The Blackhawks, to name a few. Now, my friend Alex has brought forth one who fills a deep void in the pantheon of world class heroes pitted against an evil force. BlackJack is one on a par with The Blackhawks, full of daring adventure in exotic places in the world. Bravo!

--- Morgan Freeman, actor and film star ---

Alex Simmons's "Blackjack: Blood and Honor" is fresh and exciting, thoughtful and informative, and incredibly well-written. Yes, this is a graphic novel, and you are thinking, "I'm only into real books, man." Here's the bottom line, pal: This is a real book, just done in a fresh, thrilling way.

Blackjack is an adventurer-for-hire, who takes a contract to protect a Japanese official opposed to the pre-World War II build up in Japan, circa 1938. I never even knew any leading Japanese were opposed the war! I found it great to learn something new while reading a strong action tale.

Simmons writes more words than usually show up in graphic novels, and does it in such a way that this is, indeed, a very good thing. I forwarded my copy to a friend who commented that he didn't need the visuals to follow this tale; that is how clearly Simmons spins his yarns.

But the art is wonderful to behold as well. From the intense cover painting to the frequent action sequences, the illustrations deliver the back up punch to the intelligent, intriguing prose. And additional pages such as "Shades of History" serve as exquisite desert to this hefty reading meal.

So pick order it, sit on down, enjoy, and bon apetite!

The ups and downs. The highs and lows. The good the bad and the ugly of LV advantage playing. Could not put it down.

Read it all in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down!

LV Pro is a card counter. He turns himself from a degenerate losing gambler into a degenerate winning card counter and shares all the details as he proceeds to build his bankroll trip after trip, beating the casinos at their own game of blackjack. Unlike the high-rolling whiz-kids on the MIT team in Bringing Down the House, LV Pro grits it out, starting on small teams, but deciding to make it on his own. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas is the usual rule, but not this time. The good games, the interesting folks who count cards and pursue them, sex, drugs, and money...all find their way into this genuine account of one man's pursuit of the Vegas dream.

I too have been following LVPro's adventures in the Blackjack Insider newsletter. When I heard that he was compiling a book of his trips, I just had to read it and see how it all started!

His approach to grinding out an advantage in BJ play against the casinos was written in a much more realistic style than other books I have read on the subject. I could relate to his goals, problems, highs and lows in his pursuit of the elusive bankroll.

His style of writing is easy to read as well as humorous. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and found many nuggets of knowledge that I can apply to my own pursuits.

I have followed Barfarkel's trip reports as posted on bj21.com for many months now. "You've Got Heat" is a compilation of the reports that blackjack fans have followed for several years on bj21.com and on Henry Tamburin's Blackjack Insider site.

"You've Got Heat" is not a how-to manual on card counting. It is, however, a very entertaining read about the author's journey into both the secretive world of the card counter and the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas.

Books such as "Bringing Down the House" would have one believe that card counters live a lavish existence and routinely throttle casinos for millions of dollars. "You've Got Heat" dispels this myth and shows that the card counter faces an enormous challenge. Barfarkel describes the emotional highs and lows of his grind against the casinos in a very straightforward fashion.

Las Vegas guidebooks and Travel Channel specials generally show only the glitz and the glamour of Sin City. "You've Got Heat" explores the various cultures and subcultures of Las Vegas from many angles, ranging from the ritzy shows at the Bellagio and other high-end Strip properties to the prostitutes, vagrants, and other unsavory characters at the city's numerous run-down casinos.

Anyone with an interest in either Las Vegas or blackjack will like Barfarkel's book. Frequent Vegas travelers can learn a great deal from Barfarkel's experiences. All aspiring card counters should read this book so that they may thoroughly understand the focus and discipline required for long-term success.