Jonny Magic and the Card Shark Kids
How a Gang of Geeks Beat the Odds and Stormed Las Vegas
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Jonny Magic and the Card Shark Kids
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Narrated by:
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David Kushner
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By:
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David Kushner
About this listen
The ultimate bully-magnet, Finkel grew up heckled and hazed until destiny came in the form of a trading-card game called Magic: The Gathering. Magic exploded from nerdy obsession to mainstream mania and made the teenage Finkel an ultra-cool world champion.
Once transformed, this young shark stormed poker rooms from the underground clubs of New York City to the high-stakes tables online, until he landed on the largest card-counting blackjack team in the country. Taking Vegas for millions, Finkel's squad of brainy gamers became the biggest players in town. Then they took on the town's biggest game, the World Series of Poker, and walked away with more than $3.5 million!
Thrilling, edgy, and ferociously feel-good, the odyssey of these underdogs-turned-overlords is the stuff of pop-culture legend. Acclaimed author David Kushner masterfully deals out the outrageous details while bringing to life a cast of characters rife with aces, kings, knaves¿and more than a few jokers. If you secretly believe every player has his day, you're right. Here's the proof.
This audio also includes an interview with Jon Finkel, a.k.a. Jonny Magic.
©2005 David Kushner (P)2005 Listen & Live AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 75
Who were the Ship It Holla Ballas? Arguably the most successful poker crew of all time, they took advantage of the online poker boom to win tens of millions of dollars before most of them were old enough to set foot inside a casino. Then they did what any red-blooded teenagers with mountains of cash and no responsibilities would do: They partied like rock stars, transforming themselves from Internet nerds with zero life skills into legends, at least in their own minds.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fun trip down memory lane
- By Anonymous User on 03-31-24
By: Jonathan Grotenstein, and others
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Magic Is Dead
- My Journey into the World's Most Secretive Society of Magicians
- By: Ian Frisch
- Narrated by: Charlie Thurston
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 182
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 157
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 158
In the vein of Neil Strauss’ The Game and Joshua Foer’s Moonwalking with Einstein comes the fascinating story of one man’s colorful, mysterious, and personal journey into the world of magic and his unlikely invitation into an underground secret society of revolutionary magicians from around the world.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Not for me.
- By Jason P Aylward on 03-17-19
By: Ian Frisch
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Double or Nothing
- How Two Friends Risked It All to Buy One of Las Vegas' Legendary Casinos
- By: Tom Breitling, Cal Fussman
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 69
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 46
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 46
If Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn had come of age at the end of the 20th century looking for an all-American adventure, they probably would've headed for Vegas. However, they'd have been hard-pressed to go on a wilder ride than the one taken by Tom Breitling and Tim Poster to the top of the famed Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino. Call them the Odds Couple.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A look at lives of 2 guys who bought casino
- By Eric A, on 01-05-21
By: Tom Breitling, and others
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Pin Action
- Small-Time Gangsters, High-Stakes Gambling, and the Teenage Hustler
- By: Gianmarc Manzione
- Narrated by: Chris Lutkin
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 22
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 19
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Story5 out of 5 stars 19
Most of us think of bowling as a "sport" in quotation marks, and bowling alleys are places with disco balls, matching shirts, and funny shoes. But in the 1960s, New York City was the center of "action bowling", a form of high-stakes gambling in which bowlers - often teenagers - faced off for thousands of dollars every night. When money like that is changing hands, you can bet the pressure is on (and the balls are rigged), and losses come with dire consequences.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent
- By joseph azze on 03-16-19
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It Takes Two
- Our Story
- By: Jonathan Scott, Drew Scott
- Narrated by: Drew Scott, Jonathan Scott
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 905
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 818
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 818
It Takes Two: Our Story shares never-before-revealed tales of the Scott brothers' childhood and rise to fame - from starting their first business at seven years old and their years modeling and acting to their first house purchase at the impressive young age of 18. They soon found their true passion in life, combining their natural gifts for entertaining with the skills they learned from buying, renovating, and selling homes.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Not Worth the Time or $2.95
- By Sharlotte on 03-06-18
By: Jonathan Scott, and others
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Fooling Houdini
- Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind
- By: Alex Stone
- Narrated by: Alex Stone
- Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 240
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 210
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Story4 out of 5 stars 210
When Alex Stone was five years old, his father bought him a magic kit - a gift that would spark a lifelong love. Years later, while living in New York City, he discovered a vibrant underground magic scene exploding with creativity and innovation and populated by a fascinating cast of characters: from his gruff mentor, who holds court in the back of a rundown pizza shop, to one of the world's greatest card cheats, who also happens to be blind. Captivated, he plunged headlong into this mysterious world.
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2 out of 5 stars
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I suppose the author thinks he's clever
- By Joe on 11-01-12
By: Alex Stone
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Dr. J Unabridged
- The Autobiography
- By: Julius Erving, Karl Taro Greenfeld
- Narrated by: Julius Erving
- Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 133
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 120
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 120
With his flights of improvisation around the basket and his towering afro, Julius Erving became one of the most charismatic (and revolutionary) players basketball has ever known. But while the public has long revered this cultural icon, few have ever known of the double life of Julius Erving. Dr. J traces the inner lives of the nearly perfect player and the imperfect man - and how he has come to terms with both.
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5 out of 5 stars
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I may overrate it, but I’m a hoops junkie!
- By @JWTheBlueprint on 01-29-14
By: Julius Erving, and others
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Unlabel
- Selling You Without Selling Out
- By: Marc Ecko
- Narrated by: Todd Haberkorn, Marc Ecko
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 443
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 394
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 396
Instructive as it is innovative, Unlabel will empower you to channel your creativity, find the courage to defy convention, and summon the confidence to act and compete in any environment. This blueprint will teach you how to grow both creatively and commercially by testing your personal brand against the principles of the Authenticity Formula. Marc Eckō shares the bruising mistakes and remarkable triumphs that reveal the truth behind his success, growing from a misfit kid airbrushing T-shirts in his parents' garage to the bold creator of two hugely successful branded platforms.
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5 out of 5 stars
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...So Real, It Should Be Illegal
- By 2Fresh on 01-20-16
By: Marc Ecko
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The Keeper
- A Life of Saving Goals and Achieving Them
- By: Ali Benjamin, Tim Howard
- Narrated by: J.D. Jackson
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 132
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 121
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 120
In the summer of 2014, Tim Howard became an overnight sensation after more than 10 years as one of America's leading professional soccer players. His record-breaking 15 saves for the United States national team against Belgium in the World Cup electrified a nation that had only recently woken up to the Beautiful Game after decades of hibernation. In this inspiring and candid memoir, the beloved US and Everton goalkeeper finally allows himself to do something that he would never do on the field: He drops his guard.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Tim Howard Saves more then Goals!
- By Ron on 12-16-14
By: Ali Benjamin, and others
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Open
- An Autobiography
- By: Andre Agassi
- Narrated by: Erik Davies
- Length: 18 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7,817
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6,527
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Story5 out of 5 stars 6,510
From Andre Agassi, one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, a beautiful, haunting autobiography. Agassi brings a near-photographic memory to every pivotal match and every relationship. Never before has the inner game of tennis and the outer game of fame been so precisely limned. In clear, taut prose, Agassi evokes his loyal brother, his wise coach, his gentle trainer, all the people who help him regain his balance and find love at last with Stefanie Graf.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Just an Incredible Story!
- By Patrick on 12-13-09
By: Andre Agassi
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Loudmouth
- Tales (and Fantasies) of Sports, Sex, and Salvation from Behind the Microphone
- By: Craig Carton
- Narrated by: Craig Carton
- Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 40
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 34
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 34
In this debut, Carton invites the listener to join him as he recounts tales from his suburban youth, defends his long-held love affair with the New York Jets, reminisces about the shenanigans of some of the highest paid and most celebrated athletes playing today, and reflects on his work as one of radio's craftiest, most hilarious personalities ever to get behind the microphone.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fun but too much about early life
- By Anthony A. Ciaccio on 07-13-13
By: Craig Carton
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Blood in the Cage
- Mixed Martial Arts, Pat Miletich, and the Furious Rise of the UFC
- By: L. Jon Wertheim
- Narrated by: Phil Gigante
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 154
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 115
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 114
Based on unlimited access to the Ultimate Fighting Championship and its rival leagues, Blood in the Cage peers through the chain-link Octagon into the frighteningly seductive world of mixed martial arts, which is exploding in popularity despite resistance from every corner. Wertheim focuses on Pat Miletich, a mixed-martial-arts pioneer and six-time UFC champion, who currently runs the most famous MMA training school in the world.
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5 out of 5 stars
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MMA Bible
- By Bret on 01-27-09
By: L. Jon Wertheim
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Lose Well
- By: Chris Gethard
- Narrated by: Chris Gethard
- Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 388
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 339
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 341
Let’s face it: we all want a seat at the cool table, a great job, and loads of money. But most of us won’t be able to achieve this widely accepted, black-or-white, definition of winning, which makes us feel like failures, that we’re destined to a life of loserdom. That’s the conventional wisdom. It’s also crap, according to comedian and cult hero Chris Gethard, who knows a thing of two about losing. Failing is an art form, he argues; in fact, it’s the only the way we’re ever going to discover who we are, what we really want, and how to live the kind of life we only dreamed about.
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5 out of 5 stars
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WHAT A LOSER
- By Amazon Customer on 01-26-19
By: Chris Gethard
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The Great Nowitzki
- Basketball and the Meaning of Life
- By: Thomas Pletzinger, Shane Anderson - translator
- Narrated by: Charles Constant
- Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 36
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 32
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Story5 out of 5 stars 32
The seven-foot Dirk Nowitzki is one of the great players in basketball history. With a devastating fadeaway and unexpected agility, the Dallas Mavericks superstar helped to pioneer the modern three-shooting game and became a global ambassador for the sport. Award-winning novelist and sportswriter Thomas Pletzinger traveled with Nowitzki for more than seven years, seeking the secret of his success and longevity. In novelistic detail, Pletzinger tells the dramatic story of how a lanky kid from the German suburbs became a top-five all-time scorer and NBA champion.
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5 out of 5 stars
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👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
- By Anonymous User on 08-22-24
By: Thomas Pletzinger, and others
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Got to Give the People What They Want
- True Stories and Flagrant Opinions from Center Court
- By: Jalen Rose
- Narrated by: Jalen Rose
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 567
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 505
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 504
Jalen Rose has never been quiet. Not as a kid growing up in Detroit in the '70s and '80s. Not as the brash, trash-talking leader of the legendary "Fab Five" at the University of Michigan. Not as the player under the stewardship of Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, and others throughout his 13-year NBA career. And certainly not as a commentator and analyst on ABC/ESPN and Grantland.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing book - a MUST download / read
- By Terry on 10-08-15
By: Jalen Rose
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Wanna Bet?
- A Degenerate Gambler's Guide to Living on the Edge
- By: Artie Lange
- Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
- Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 359
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 323
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 320
The two-time best-selling author, comedian, actor, and radio icon explains the philosophy that has kept his existence boredom-free since the age of 13 - the love of risk. An avid sports better and frequent card player, Lange believes that the true gambler gets high not from winning, but from the chaotic unknown of betting itself. He recounts some of his favorite moments, many of which haven't involved money at all. In this candid and entertaining memoir, he looks back at the times he's wagered the intangible and priceless things in life: his health, his career, and his relationships.
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5 out of 5 stars
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who needs Artie (to read)
- By B. Wenners on 08-24-18
By: Artie Lange
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Elliot Allagash
- A Novel
- By: Simon Rich
- Narrated by: Richard Powers
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 54
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 48
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Story4 out of 5 stars 48
Seymour is the least popular student at Glendale, a private school in Manhattan. His new nickname, “Chunk-Style”, is in danger of entering common usage. But then he meets the new transfer student: Elliot Allagash, evil heir of America’s largest fortune. Elliot’s rampant delinquency has already gotten him expelled from dozens of prep schools. But despite his best efforts, he can’t get himself thrown out of Glendale; his father has simply donated too much money. Bitter and bored, Elliot amuses himself by transforming Seymour into the most popular student in the school.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great book.
- By Reid Robinson on 01-29-16
By: Simon Rich
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Play Their Hearts Out
- A Coach, His Star Recruit, and the Youth Basketball Machine
- By: George Dohrmann
- Narrated by: Emily Rose Speer
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 72
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 58
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 58
The NBA has returned to prominence on the backs of phenoms like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett. The media promotes them, the shoe companies pay them, and America applauds. But how exactly do such players reach the pros? What do they give up to get there? And what happens to those who fall short?
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5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing book, fantastic narration.
- By Randy on 11-03-10
By: George Dohrmann
What listeners say about Jonny Magic and the Card Shark Kids
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Glenn A Miller
- 09-15-05
A nut flush
David Kushner evenly writes a short history of a group of guys who turn passion for gaming into a serious vocation. Even if you don't know a thing about poker, you'll enjoy the journey, the disappointments and the wins of this rag-tag gang of gamblers.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Fran
- 07-16-08
Loved it!
Very absorbing tale of a unique character. Jonny is very engaging and many will find something of themselves in him and relate to his story. It gave me some insights into the mind of my own game loving teenage son.
Whether you know anything about the games or not this true story will keep you listening right through to the end nonstop.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overallout of 5 stars
- Roland
- 06-12-08
Extremely interesting
One of my favorites.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- B. Riddick
- 11-30-05
Liberal storytelling at it's worst
The book is okay as far as stories like this go. Some of the transitions and resolutions of events could have been better told, but if that is how it happened, then that history is probably the truth. What REALLY ANNOYED me about this book (and why it gets it's 1 star rating) is that Dave Williams was the winner of the $3.5 Million at the WSOP, and John Finkel had NOTHING to do with it.
John and Dave are both Magic: The Gathering players in 2000. That's the similarity and the connection, they didn't play together "for years" and Finkel didn't teach Williams to play Magic. It's like giving Jason Schmidt credit for Barry Bonds hitting 73 Home Runs in 2001, (both players were in the same sport "baseball" and on the same team that year)
I guess I just find it disappointing that this book was so misleading from the outset. I do not recommend it for the same reason I would not recommend only reading 1 side of any history....it's (at best) biased, and at worst, lying.
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5 people found this helpful