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Jonny Magic and the Card Shark Kids: How a Gang of Geeks Beat the Odds and Stormed Las Vegas Audiobook
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(3.16) - 109 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
If you think a gang of real-life geeks can’t take on the world and win big...think again. And whatever you do, don’t sit down across a gaming table from Jon Finkel, better known as Jonny Magic. Jonny Magic and the Card Shark Kids is his amazing true story: the jaw-dropping, zero-to-hero chronicle of a fat, friendless boy from New Jersey who found his edge in a game of cards–and turned it into a fortune!
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"Jonny Magic and the Card Shark Kids was a GREAT read. It hooked me in right from the first chapter. It is written very well and had constant references to real events. I also really enjoyed that whenever the book mentioned a card, you could actually look the card up and see what it did. Through using the same method, you could actually see when those events in the book actually took place (for example, in the middle of the book, a card known as Lava Burst was mentioned. Looking up the card, you can see what set and what year the card came out, Ice Age - 1995). I would thoroughly recommend this book to any Magic: the Gathering player who likes a good read."
— Scarfy (5 out of 5 stars)
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“[Kushner’s] tour through the colorful subcultures of fantasy gaming and casino gambling makes for a lively…picaresque.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Reads like a thriller.”
— AudioFile -
“A compelling and impressive story…Everybody loves an underdog, and listeners will find themselves rooting for ‘Finkeltron.’”
— Booklist (audio review) -
“Kushner’s account of Finkel’s triumphs transforms gambling into the stuff of a terrific underdog story in which lovable nerds conquer the universe.”
— Booklist
Jonny Magic and the Card Shark Kids Listener Reviews
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" Good book, i read it during a period of poker obsession. "
— Sean, 3/21/2013 -
" An easy read and a unique look into the world of Magic, blackjack, and poker "
— Heather, 9/6/2012 -
" So some might say I'm little bit biased, since I am the subject of the book and all. But to be honest, I found the subject fascinating, and the protagonist is a modern hero in the truest sense of the word. "
— Jon, 11/11/2011 -
" This would be my biography if I was a) good at Magic: The Gathering b) good at enough and c) ballsy enough to become a card counter in Vegas. "
— John, 7/3/2011 -
" A fun read if you're already familiar with the names in the book and know the games - good for nostalgic stories. For someone not familiar with either, it's probably far less interesting. "
— Daniel, 2/18/2011 -
" This book is what pushed me to play Magic: The Gathering. "
— Darth, 11/29/2010 -
" Great book for the layman about Magic the Gathering, Blackjack card counting, and the early days of the poker boom. If you're eye glaze over when most people try to explain Magic, this is book to read. Also, a great story about a misfit finding his place in the world through gaming. "
— Greg, 11/19/2010 -
" An easy read and a unique look into the world of Magic, blackjack, and poker "
— Heather, 8/15/2010 -
" A fun read if you're already familiar with the names in the book and know the games - good for nostalgic stories. For someone not familiar with either, it's probably far less interesting. "
— Daniel, 2/20/2010 -
" This would be my biography if I was a) good at Magic: The Gathering b) good at enough and c) ballsy enough to become a card counter in Vegas. "
— John, 1/17/2010 -
" Good book, i read it during a period of poker obsession. "
— Sean, 9/29/2009 -
" What a great book. "
— Ann, 2/7/2009 -
" So some might say I'm little bit biased, since I am the subject of the book and all. But to be honest, I found the subject fascinating, and the protagonist is a modern hero in the truest sense of the word. "
— Jon, 11/15/2007 -
" This book is what pushed me to play Magic: The Gathering. "
— Darth, 9/14/2007
About David Kushner
David Kushner is an award-winning journalist and author. A contributing editor of Rolling Stone, he has written for publications including Wired, New York Times Magazine, New York, GQ, and Details. He served as the digital-culture commentator for National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition Sunday. He has been included in The Best American Crime Reporting and The Best Music Writing and is an adjunct professor of journalism at New York University.