5 comments about Advanced Limit Hold'em Strategy.

1. This book deserves a place in your poker library whether you are a limit hold'em specialist or not. It will help make you a better poker player in general. The author notes that his goal is not to give you a game, but rather to improve your game, i.e. this book is not intended for beginners. Consistent with that goal, there is no glossary of poker terms, no description of the basic rules for how to play, no hand rankings, and no odds charts. These areas are all to often included in other "advanced" poker books and serve only as filler.
   
   The chapter entitled "Making One Big Bet per Hour" will be very useful for anyone looking to move up successfully to higher limit games. Seven specific skills are listed in the order that professionals will have added them as their games improved. The reader can quickly see where they fit in this poker skill continuum and determine which specific abilities they will need to acquire or improve upon if they wish to move up.
   
   The author's writing style is very reader friendly and the information is presented concisely without excessive hand descriptions or war stories.
   
   
   Hold'Em Poker for Advanced Players (Advance Player)The Theory of PokerWinning in Tough Hold 'em Games: Short-Handed and High-Stakes Concepts and Theory for Limit Hold 'emWinning Low-Limit Hold'emLimit Hold'em: Winning Short-Handed Strategies



2. A good book for those wanting to transition from say $3-6 to $10-20. Thought provoking book which should plug some leaks and get your big hands paid off. I particularly liked the discussions on giving the "illusion of action" and what's required to make +1bb/hr. Well thought out and accessible writing. I'd think 80% of us playing under $20-40 would find something here to improve their game.



3. I was taking a Limit Hold'em mentoring class just over 4 months ago and I decided to pick up Barry's book as an accompaniment to the class. I'm an avid reader of his columns in Cardplayer and it came as no surprise that this book is well written with thoughtful, concise and easily understood explanations of some of the more advanced concepts and techniques in Limit Hold'em.
   
   Recently there seem to have been a deluge of poker books hitting the market by new writers that just seem to regurgitate lessons written previously by the more notable poker authors. You may only find one or two tidbits of information contained within those books that may be truly useful, if you're lucky. Virtually every page of Barry's book had information you could readily use and adapt into your game.
   
   If you are a beginning to intermediate player this would be a great addition to your poker library. I would rate it right up there with "Small Stakes Hold'em", and "Hold'em poker for advanced players.)



4. I liked this book, it is:
   Easy and enjoyable to read.
   Covers a lot of topics, from preflop starting hands, to river play.
   Concepts and ideas explained clearly and logically.
   It contains a discussion about FUD which stands for Fear Uncertainty Doubt. Barry believes you need to mix up your play so your opponents
   1. Fear you
   2. Are uncertain what you have
   3. Doubt themselves and you
   After reading this book you will feel like You've been given an expensive 10 hour Lecture on Limit holdem by an expert.
   Just about everything on limit holdem is covered, but there is only 1 or 2 examples on each topic, thus only 4 stars.



5. Either Mr. Tanenbaum is not that great of a poker player, or he is unable or unwilling to teach what he knows to others. The subtitle of this book ("Techniques For Beating Tough Games") is completely misleading. The advice presented in this book is merely a statement of the obvious. Here's an example of what I mean from page 85;
   "[Y]ou bet the flop and get called. You missed your hand,
   so you correctly decide to check and fold the turn.
   So far, so good. But your opponent becomes happily
   conditioned to the fact that, when you check the
   turn, he will bet and you will fold.
   To keep him out of this comfort level, you must
   sometimes check the turn when you have a real hand,
   planning to either check-raise the turn or allow your
   opponent to continue a bluff on the river."
   If the above advice comes as a revelation to you, then maybe you can benefit from reading this book. However, this book will not get you ready to play in "tough games". In my opinion, the level of information in this book might be beneficial to someone looking to step up from a completely passive 3/6 game to a more aggressive 4/8 or 6/12 game. However, if you're looking for help on how to play in the "tougher" middle or upper limit games, this book will not help you.

5 comments about The Basics of Winning Lotto/Lottery (Basics of Winning).

1. Time and time again people play the lottery, but fall short
   because some do not use any methods, but just pick whatever number comes to mind. Winning is about luck, and strategies
   not just about picking whatever number.
   The book has several chapters that talk about the ways, the
   different ways one may improve on his game, Your lotto game.
   It does not matter what game it is: Powerball, Texas Lotto, The Virginia Lottery because the literature will help you with what you want, and that is strategies. All you have too do is read the book plain and simple; i believe it is a small book because another Version of this book came out and is a litte bigger,but the author is still Professor Jones.

   One method that will stick with you is the Frequency number theory. This Frequency theory talks about which number comes out the most in the lottery. The methods are simple to read, and are not time consuming as other books that offer strategies that you may think are good but are nothing but one thing: JUNK & PURE CONFUSION.
   Regardless of what one or any one says, we all want too be one thing:...Millionaires, with hot cars, houses, and the opposite sex wanting...us.

   I also recommend lotto books on the Canadian Lottery, for more methods. But this book by Professor Jones is recommended. Mom and Pop or seven eleven store customer lotto players have more of a chance in winning with this book as compared to just throwing your money away...Best of luck to all Lotto players of all states. Book is recommended.




2. Time and time again people play the lottery, but fall short
   because some do not use any methods, but just pick whatever number comes to mind. Winning is about luck, and strategies
   not just about picking whatever number.
   The book has several chapters that talk about the ways, the
   different ways one may improve on his game, Your lotto game.
   It does not matter what game it is: Powerball, Texas Lotto, The Virginia Lottery because the literature will help you with what you want, and that is strategies. All you have too do is read the book plain and simple; i believe it is a small book because another Version of this book came out and is a litte bigger,but the author is still Professor Jones.

   One method that will stick with you is the Frequency number theory. This Frequency theory talks about which number comes out the most in the lottery. The methods are simple to read, and are not time consuming as other books that offer strategies that you may think are good but are nothing but one thing: JUNK & PURE CONFUSION.
   [...] Book is recommended.




3. I did find some facets of the book very interesting such as conducting frequency analysis on numbers to see which ones show up most often and which numbers are overdue. The book does contradict itself, though, when it tells the reader not to indulge in Powerball because of the odds, yet the book dedicates several pages to playing Powerball. There are several examples of wheels in book that are interesting -- but in my own game playing style, I've made some modifications to these wheels to reduce redundancy. My advice to those that enjoy playing the lotto/lottery is: DEVELOP YOUR OWN PLAYING STYLE -- and work on developing your intuition, especially if you are a receptive to the concept. My gut feeling told me that the next round was going to draw low numbers and numbers that have shown up 4 and 5 times in the last year. So these were the type of numbers I wheeled. I didn't win but my numbers were very close to the winning numbers. I felt a sense of satisfaction because I improved my odds of winning, my decision making skills, and my ability to make an educated guess based on looking at the numbers rather than purely guessing. And these are just some of the reasons I play the lotto/lottery. The bottom line is this: KNOW YOURSELF AND KNOW WHAT WORKS FOR YOU. AND GO FOR IT WITH GUSTO! No matter what, you'll always come out a winner with that attitude.



4. This is an interesting book, and seems to make sense but doesn't really tell how to adapt the "wheeling" technique for five-wheel lottos. Acceptable value for the price.



5. It is easy to understand the analysis of numbers and position of numbers frequencies as reference for determining lotto numbers. I feel the combinations and wheeling systems are too complicated for beginning lotto players like myself.

5 comments about Running Scared: The Life and Treacherous Times of Las Vegas Casino King Steve Wynn.

1. I'm not sure how true all of the "accusations" / "observations" are about the infamous Mr. Wynn, but the book is extremely well written. Paired with the "Green Felt Jungle" (another excellent book) you will be hard-pressed to put these two books down. I would recommend this book to everyone.



2. This book is a real page turner. It is amazing it ever got printed, given Wynn's many attempts to strangle the unflattering portrayal it in its infancy. That in itself is reason enough to pick it up and study it.



3. So damaging to his super clean image, Wynn drove the original publisher into bancruptcy and tried everything he could manage to keep this book out of circulation. Steve Wynn vs. the First Amendment (1st 1, Wynn 0).
   
   Certainly did improve Vegas by leaps and bounds, but at what cost? Using public water to build his exclusive Shadow Creek golf course, buying art, jets and NY condos with stockholders money as the stock sank into takeover waters, untimately being shown the door by casino magnate Kirk Kerkorian. Once owned by MGM, things changed. The golf course was opened, the art, NY condo and jet all sold.
   
   How does one man undermine Federal law to build a dolphin attraction? he is on film meeting with a known mobster who used his Atlantic City casino (Golden Nugget) to launder money, but can't seem to remember anything about it.
   
   Fact: the son of a Bino Hall operator rises up to be one of the worlds leading casino developers and owners through some very shady associations. He influences Nevada politics as all people with money are able to, so no surprise there. The mob associations are clearly documented and associating with a convicted felon (Milken) is grounds for losing your gaming license, yet Wynn does so with impunity.
   
   Wynn has brought some great changes to Las Vegas, but after reading the other sidie of the story, you have to ask yourself if the ends justify the means.
   
   John L. Smith has done a great job with the facts surrounding Steve Wynn. Hat's off to him!



4. This is an excellent book for anyone wanting to know more about the character of the man who is Steve Wynn. It is a true account of the way he has conducted himself over his history in Vegas and Atlantic City, not the image projected of him by Steve Wynn and his company. It is well written and concise. John L. Smith does an excellent job presenting the information, including several of the more uncanny incidents Steve Wynn has been involved in over the years by merely presenting the facts as they happened. He asks some very good questions that should have been asked but never were because of who the man is. He also points out numerous things that have been glazed over by the press and various agencies involved. Very informative. A definite must read.



5. If you're looking for a biography-style book about S.Wynn's road to being King of Las Vegas this really isn't it. I'm about 120 pages into it now, and I'm already flipping through to see if it is going to get any better. Here's a little on the book:
   
   VERY detailed! Assuming all is true in the book, you can tell there has been much research and hours of connecting people together in the stories in the book. Unfortunately, the book seems to be just that, many many small stories or bits of stories that rarely link together at once. The book really doesn't have a good time line -- it's all kinda scattered, and doesn't read very well. The worst part about the book is for me it seems the author has an agenda to destroy the reputation of S.Wynn. Every opportunity is taken to say how Wynn was asscoiated with crooked and shady characters. So many of these characters one would never recognize, so there is much wrote about why these characters are shady people, so we all will know just how bad the company of Wynn was. There just seems to be nothing good written about Wynn in the book (so far) and that doesn't seem to be changing. Maybe that's just how it really is, I don't know. There's no wonder Steve Wynn sued these people for putting this book out. If you really want a copy, you can look for mine on ebay. This will be the first book I haven't finished in long time.

4 comments about Training Thoroughbred Horses.

1. If you are just starting out in this business, you should read this book. Preston Burch gives you a simple, direct and enlightening understanding of thoroughbred horses. This book may have been published almost 50 years ago but in every advancement man has made we constantly find ourselves going back to old knowledge and wisdom.



2. If every owner had a trainer like Preston Burch, there would be a lot more owners.

   This is a cornerstone book for a racing library. There is a large amount of fundamental training information in this simply written little book.

   The sections on conditioning schedules are invaluable. The degree of conditioning Burch afforded his horses is probably unmatched today.

   Read this book, and then end it to your trainer (if he can read).




3. Impossible that present day horses would beat any horse trained by Preston Burch. Just read the exercise prescriptions in this book and be blown away. I certainly was. Here is carefully controlled training by a trainer understanding that his horses are participating in an athletic event. This is a book about conditioning equine athletes and also contains every other aspect of training and caring for thoroughbred race horses in a well written book by an individual who apparently understood the great care required. I held off reading this fearing it was dated, but what a pleasant surprise to find the extreme if succinct comprehensiveness here, every aspect is covered by a fellow who tried to do everything correctly. This is Ivers before Ivers, and one does wonder whatever happened to trainers like Max Hirsch and Preston Burch.



4. The author writes from legendary experience as a thoroughbred trainer. Of course with any knowledge presented it can not possibly include every little detail regarding the subject but certain it can only enhance the experience one can acquire as a trainer.
   
   Be that as it may, my motive behind purchasing this material was not that of becoming a trainer, but rather to become an outstanding horseplayer. To me, the more a horseplayer can learn about the horses including important details about how thoroughbreds are trained, the better.
   
   This book offers exactly the information desired about training. I truly recommend others reviewing this material and also let me know what you think about the information, perhaps we can dialogue about the sport of training thoroughbreds. All the best! --- Stanley Pall

5 comments about Getting Started in Hold 'em.

1. I have read four books on holdem poker and this has the best and most understandable format of any of them. I would recommend it to all beginners and to most intermediate players also, that are interested in improving their game.



2. I agree with the reviewer that said that this book has replaced Lee Jones' book as the best introductory text for beginning players. Where I differ from most reviewers is in the idea that this is only a "beginners" book. I disagree. This book is great for anyone who plays poker including advanced players in that it acts as reinforcement for concepts we know but sometimes forget or ignore. It basically explains advanced concepts in a simple way and for that reason it is valuable to anyone. I remember that even though I was already a winning player when I read this book, it still improved and strengthened my understanding of concepts such as pot equity, the danger of hand domination, importance of aggression and so on. If I had a close friend just starting out in hold 'em, this would be the first book I would recommend to him, followed by Millers other classic, "Small stakes hold 'em- Winning big with expert play."
   
   Great book, you can't go wrong with this one.



3. I have played poker for years, but Hold'Em is a very different game and Ed Miller's book Getting Started in Hold'Em is an excellent introduction. Other books I've bought seem to assume the reader already has some experience at Hold'em, but I was looking for information before sitting down to a game. Without condescending, Miller explains the game in detail and shows the differences in analysis and strategy from other poker games.



4. I've got this book in my bag right now. And I've bought over 20+ poker books; a half-dozen DVDs; and plenty of poker magazines.
   
   I'm rereading it to review some of the NL cash concepts...which one reviewer ridiculed...but I thought it made alot of sense...essentially its NL short stack cash strategy...play tight and put your stack in the middle with premium or very good hands. I like that he admitts...this probably won't make you the most popular guy at the table.
   
   In other parts of the book...he goes over the concept of pot equity in an easy to understand fashion...which I still appreciate. After you read this book you're either aware of....or refreshed on...some very solid poker concepts/principles.
   
   The NL tournament section is short...true. Nothing remarkable. But still useful for a beginner. I looked at it more as an add-on than anything else.
   
   good luck



5. I bought this book at the same time I bought "winning low limit" by lee jones. Had previously read ITH by mathew hilgger, but lee jones's text is so great in the way it presents strategic information, I now prefer it to ITH.
   As for this book, I have no idea what the people who say this is a great introduction for hold'em are talking about.
   The presentation is confusing, the book contains a lot of fillers with little valuable information. Rules of hold'em aren't that complicated that requires the extensive chapters on reading the board as this necessarly comes with experience and doesn't take that long.
   As for strategy, I admit Miller is a bit more agressive than lee jones(which depends on the stakes you play in) and does present very valuable ideas, but I think the presentation is less than functional for complete begginers, for whom this book is intended.
   
   It is a cheap book...in all ways possible.

5 comments about Basic Horsemanship (Revised) (Doubleday Equestrian Library).

1. I read this book just to see if I was riding the correct way because I taught myself. I learned a lot and it has helped me understand my horse better. It would be a great book for a Novice Rider or new Instructer. Anyone will benifit from reading this to improve their skills!



2. This is an awesome book teeling just about everything you need to know about basic riding! The index is full of pictures about tack, brushes and parts of the horse! It seems like you have a trainer right there with you helping you along the way, going at your pace! It is a great book for all!



3. I'm a twelve year old rider. I just started to learn to ride. I wanted to learn to ride better and faster since my riding lessons are only once a week. I think that the book helped me a great deal. I got to learn at the pace I felt comfortable with.



4. I have to say it's really "basic". I didn't mean that it's worthless.But it's not worth the price. It suits the one who is interested in horsemanship but doesn't have any experience in riding . The major drawback is the pictures or graph are not enough for the reader to make a precise and vivid image of what the author trys to present. And this is quiet helpful for novice riders.isn't it?



5. this book is great! it has a little bit of everything in it from riding to common horse problems.

5 comments about High-Low-Split Poker, Seven-Card Stud and Omaha Eight-or-better for Advan (Advance Player).

1. After reading the other books from Two Plus Two publishing by Sklansky & Malmuth, I was let down by this offering. I play both Stud 8/b and Omaha 8/b and I can't really say that this book helped me at all. Anyone who's logged any time at the tables knows the basics of live cards in Stud 8/b and drawing to the nuts in O8B. What I found especially irritating was the deceptive size of the book. Zee goes through the teaching sections and then says the EXACT same thing in the "Questions and Answers" section, giving the EXACT same answers. Considering how few good books there are on the subject of high-low poker, I thought surely an offering from Two Plus Two would be the definitive authority, but alas, buy this book and you'll be disappointed.



2. This is the book which has been read by all the Pros. If you do not read it you are at a major disadvantage. In fact at the higher limits its impossible to play well without reading the section on starting hands.
   O8 has so many naunces and the shorthand game is completely different from the regular game. Whilst the regular game can become very mechanical with discipline being the key criteria, the shorthanded game is a game of position and anticipation, bluffing (Do you call the bet at the river with A3 does he have A2? etc.) and guts. As your opponent keeps raising can you put him on a high hand or low hand?
   With two big bets an hour its twice a profitable as Holdem at the same limits. However there is such a gap between the good and bad players that bad players do not last too long. Therefore the regular O8 games become a grind with the odd "fish" preventing the blinds from eating up everyone.
   One weakness of the book is that a comprehensive set of odds tables are not given. For instance if you hold 3 low cards and 2 low cards flop that do not counterfeit your hand you have about a 60% chance of making a low hand by the river. The odds are important to compare to the pot odds & implied odds.
   
   One benefit of the book is introducing you to Hilo 7 Stud. If you like O8 low from the aspect of two way pots you will want to learn Stud 7 Hilo which is useful as you will have two opportunities for a game instead of one. It also adds to and draws from your stud 7 poker knowledge.
   Overall the book continues to be the best Hilo book for both games. (...)



3. I originally bought this 'cause I've been playing seven-card stud and was curious about Stud/8, but reading the Omaha/8 section motivated me into learning it first.
   
   I've read most of the relevant 2+2 Publishing poker books (and some of the irrelevant ones) and this seems fairly typical of the genre. They don't tend to give specific advice about specific hands, but describe strategy in more general terms and help players to start asking the right questions.
   
   The Stud/8 half is more comprehensive than the Omaha/8 half, but I feel both sections give pretty decent introductions to their respective games. While they don't, for example, list specific starting hands (a common complaint) I didn't have any trouble figuring out what to play; the beginning chapter in each section goes into the this in sufficient detail. They're "for advanced players" but I didn't have any trouble understanding any of them, and I'm most definitely a fishy newbie when it comes to poker.
   
   I really appreciate the "question and answer" sections. The questions serve as helpful reminders, which is exactly what they're supposed to be. If there's a question you don't understand, it's easy to hop back to the relevant section in the main text and read in more detail what he's talking about.
   
   My biggest issue, and it's a common problem with most of the 2+2 books, is the lack of basic information like hand probabilities. I find this surprising because of the emphasis placed in their books (Sklansky's Theory of Poker et al) on probability math in general and issues such as pot odds. If you don't know how likely it is your hand will hold up or what the chances are of, say, hitting a flush, it's nearly impossible to determine if you're getting enough of a return to make a call/bet worthwhile.
   
   In general I think their books could be much better, but I must admit they're currently the most rigorous introduction to poker play I've been able to find. If you're just starting out with Stud/8 or Omaha/8, or you're an intermediate player looking for ways to improve, I think Ray Zee's book will be useful. If you're hoping for a "gentle" introduction to these games you're in the wrong place--and you might want to rethink your poker career, because poker isn't and never will be all that easy to learn.
   
   Other suggestions: Bob Ciaffone's Omaha book has a practical section on Omaha/8, and I believe the latest version goes into it in even more detail. He's an excellent writer and his books are well worth checking out.
   
   You might also try Tenner and Krieger, but I wasn't that impressed. Cappeletti's Omaha book is a jumbled mess, it gives me a headache just to look at it. The SS/2 section isn't awful, but can be summed up as: "always draw to the nuts, play good starting hands".



4. this book is like no other 2+2 book~ its well edited.
   having been a seven card stud h/l play for 7 years my game started to have leaks, this book plugged them.
   
   if you are wanted to learn stud hi/lo read todd brunsons chapter in SS2 play and then pick up this book.
   
   the omaha hi/lo section is not bad, still is missing something but one of the better book writen on the subject.



5. There are no good books out there on how to play Omaha 8 or better. The closest to good books are this one and Todd Brunsons section in SuperSystem. This covers enough to get you rolling and gives good principles on play, as opposed to specific advice.
   
   Definitely worth getting if you're going to play split pot games.

5 comments about Positively Fifth Street: Murderers, Cheetahs, and Binion's World Series of Poker.

1. If you look at the reviews for this book, you'll see a wide range of opinions. From 1-star all the way up to 5-stars. I believe the reason for the wide range is because the book cover and descriptions (including the back) fails to manage the reader's expectations. Similar to many other reviewers, I expected a book 100% about poker and related topics. However, it's really 60% about Ted Binion's murder, and 40% about poker. I did realize that Binion's murder was a topic in the book, but I though it was just a backdrop for the poker story. The murder almost dominates the book. If I had that 60/40 expectation I think I would've enjoyed the book more. So i penalize it 1 star because it didn't meet my expectations. I also subtract 1 more star because the author goes off-topic way too often. Other reviewers rant on how off-topic the book goes, so i don't need to again. 3 stars.



2. For decades, I went to the World Series of Poker as a side-game player and a writer. Like so many, I played mostly and wrote a little. All the writers I met over those years just have to be jealous of James McManus. He played well and made the final table and the big bucks AND he wrote a best-seller about it. I am a poker writer, but I do not pretend to have a fourth of the skills of the eloquent Mr. McManus. He is the Dean of American Poker Writers. England has some fancy wordsmiths. This book is not just for poker players. It would make a great gift for anyone. McManus throws in the saga of Teddy Binion, to boot.
   Johnny HughesTexas Poker Wisdom



3. McManus has taken several plot lines of varying interest and wrapped them into one messy book. The real-time WSOP diary part of the book is outstanding--funny, gripping, and a great way to live out every small-time rounder's dream vicariously. It's well worth the price of the book. The rest of it... I wasn't nearly interested enough in McManus as a personality to enjoy the insights into his poker-playing youth, and the coverage of Ted Binion's weird life could have been cut without me missing it.
   
   At half the length, this would have been a positively five star book.



4. An amazing book. Somehow the author is simply telling the story of how he played in the World Series of Poker but also weaves in all of the following:
   
   - Murder
   - Adultery
   - The history of poker
   - The history of cards
   - The history of Las Vegas
   - The mob
   - What constitutes "cheating" on your wife?
   - High ethics
   - Discussions of game theory
   - His own family tree
   
   And just about everything else. All of it in brilliant prose that makes it fascinating.
   
   At the same time he brings you to the poker table and you feel the tension of re-raising TJ Cloutier with the author. I felt sick a few times as the author described playing pocket jacks aggressively.
   
   If you love poker or gambling or marriage or reading or life, read this book.



5. I still cant' believe the guy made it to the final table. What an incredible feat. He writes really well too. Great story, well written. Ah, the catch is, this is definitely a GUY book, whatever that mean.

5 comments about The Horse God Built: The Untold Story of Secretariat, the World's Greatest Racehorse.

1. AMAZING Book!!!! I would recommend it to anyone that wants to read about Secretariat! The bond between Eddie and Secretariat is so touching and real! So far best book I have read about a famous horses life, very real!!!



2. Mr. Scanlon's book was one of the best books written about the Thorougbred racing industry and it's key players, the horses and the people behind the scenes. It was so touching to hear stories I have never heard of about Secretariat ( and I have read every book written on him) and the heart wrenching love his beloved groom, Eddie Sweat had for him. I could not put the book down and was sad when it ended. There is so much lore to the racing world and the grooms that put their charges first before themselves will touch your heart!



3. I am so happy I did not read the reviews of this book before buying it. Some say they never could understand the premise of the book, but to me the lovely story of the strong bond between Secretariat and Eddie Sweat was captivating. The greatness of this wonderful horse has long been celebrated, but how often do we get to view that greatness through the eyes and experiences of those who were closest to him? It was a joy for me to celebrate the strong bond of love that can develop between a man and a horse. I salute the artist Ed Bogucki for capturing that mysterious closeness in his magnificent bronze statue at Kentucky Horse Park which includes Secretariat, his jockey Ron Turcotte, and his long unheralded groom Eddie Sweat. I think Mr. Bogucki would understand the point of this book. I HIGHLY recommend this book to any animal lover.



4. Lawrence Scanlan approaches the life & times of Secretariat and covers a wealth of angles in an industry that has yet to live up to the legendary accomplishments of this iconic champion.
   
   From the shooting-star fame of Big Red's groom, Eddie Sweat, the final minutes in the life of the champion - who apparently was treated like a pauper and not comforted like a king - to the destruction through neglect of the farm that was Secretariat's home and the plight of the runners who never perform at the highest levels of the sport, Scanlan covers much turf, but does it with style and class.
   
   There are more straight-forward biographies of Secretariat, but none roar down the stretch to bring the legend to life - and uncover the missed potential in "The Sport of Kings" - the way Scanlan's poignant reporting and timely tackling of current issues ultimately accomplishes through several strong surges to the wire, many lengths in front of the pack.



5. this book was purchased as a birthday present for my daughter, so i cannot personally review it. however my daughter was delighted in reading this book so i would take that as a positive review.

5 comments about Whale Hunt In The Desert: The Secret Las Vegas Of Superhost Steve Cyr.

1. I enjoyed this book as it informs the reader how the behind the scenes casino hosting business works. What a job to have!



2. As a gambler, I learned alot from the book. I never realized my casino host's bonus was tied to our losses. I always thought they were sincere. The book covers most subjects is good detail, however, it seems to loose steam towards the end. It is worth reading, especially if you gamble.



3. This is a book about an egotistical, self promoter. If you want to read about how great Cyr believes he is buy this book. You would think this guy was working on the cure for cancer rather than getting people that already want to come to the casino to actually come to the casino.
   No new stuff here.



4. Although the last few chapters are clunky, the rest of the book is so good that I really didn't care! What a fabulous glimpse into the good, the bad, and the truly ugly sides of the cream-of-the-crop gamblers and their relationship with the casinos who host them.
   
   I just was fascinated to peek behind the curtain (or in this case, above the ordinary hotel rooms and inside the high-roller gaming areas).
   
   The next time I'm in Vegas, I'll be doing a lot more than looking for a "fun" slot machine or table game to try out ... I"ll be whale watching!



5. Take a spectacular author writing about a spectacular person and you end up with a spectacular book!! This is an incredible read...it is by far the best book on high rollers and their hosts ever written. It is an "insider" view of Vegas that is both fascinating and revealing: a high octane blast of Superhost Steve Cyr and his multi-million dollar casino "whales" (high limit players) that will keep you turning pages faster than a blackjack pro can deal cards. If you want a glimpse of how a top casino host operates, the kinds of comps and treatment afforded high rollers, and the lifestyle and gambling habits of the truly wealthy...this book is for you. It's the next best thing to a seven figure credit line! Enjoy.