 |
 |
Sign in/joinLanguage: English [ others ]
Over forty million books on members' bookshelves.
|
Loading... Double or Nothing: How Two Friends Risked It All to Buy One of Las Vegas'…by Tom Breitling
LibraryThing recommendationsMember recommendationsLoading...
won't like
will probably not like
will probably like
will like
will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. purplemoonstar | Sep 4, 2008 |  1   I was not really looking forward to reading this when I got it for the Early Reviewer program. Never been to a casino, and had never heard of the author. When I finally got around to reading, I was sucked in. It ended up being a fast paced, easy read. While it was by no means great, it was worth the couple hours that it took up. (  )mjsmoose | Jun 25, 2008 | The glitz of Vegas convergences with the adrenalin rush of entrepreneurism in a book that spins a remarkable story. Those of us who have stayed at Golden Nugget over the years will no doubt have a special fascination with Breitling's tale. But any reader with even a mild interest in casino 'biz or who enjoys hearing about young entreprenurs risking it all on a dream will find Double or Nothing both entertaining and enlightening. Toss in some insights about the dot.com boom (and bust), along with a handful of celebrity names, and you have a fast-paced book that is well worth the read. (  )brianinbuffalo | May 17, 2008 | A quick and interesting read about the wild ride of two guys who had the rare luck to emerge winners from the dot-com boom. This isn't for everyone--if reading about multimillion-dollar negotiations or the hectic life of business owners isn't your cup of tea, you'll probably find this dragging on at parts. The central part of the book, though, is the relationship between Breitling, the narrator/co-author, and Poster, his mad genius-esque best friend and business partner. Watching how the two become friends and stay friends while running one of the most historic casinos in Las Vegas is definitely worth the price of admission. A great choice, particularly, for anyone interested in memoirs, business or gambling. ( )KilroyWasHere | May 16, 2008 | Imagine building an Internet business during the dotcom boom/bust and selling it to Microsoft for millions. Now imagine buying the famous Golden Nugget casino in Las Vegas and selling it in less than a year and half for hundreds of millions. Now imagine you are barely in your 30s and you are doing all this with your very best friend. This is the story of one of Las Vegas' most dynamic duos, two young guys from different backgrounds coming together to own the world. The Book tells the story in autobiographical form of Tom, a simple hard working boy from Minnesota, and his friendship with Tim, a local Vegas boy who has gambling in his blood. The two formed a bond that has lasted throughout the last 20 years and will be around till one of them passes on to the big casino in the sky. The pages of the book offer the reader an insight to a world that most of us will never be in: a world of fast cars, movie stars, corporate jets and millions of dollars wrapped in cellophane being bet on one roll of the dice. I enjoyed this book and I would have loved to have been a part of the world written in this book. The authors tell this story at about an 8th grade reading level which allows the book to be finished in a few hours. The book is not just about Vegas, it is about a time in financial history that was exciting and may never be duplicated, I hope you enjoy this book. ( )awriterspen | May 14, 2008 | 0.040 seconds to build listing  no reviews | add a review
Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0060835834, Hardcover)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. 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 & Casino. Call them the Odds Couple. Breitling is the kid who lives next door if you grow up in Burnsville, Minnesota. He never saw a hundred dollar bill or The Godfather until he went to college. Poster comes from a family of oddsmakers who reach for the Doritos on football Sundays and scream for the point spread. He was whistling Sinatra and booking games at his Las Vegas high school. Their unlikely friendship began in college over an $8 veal parmigiana sandwich that led to a partnership in a hotel reservation business. Starting with a desk, a chair, a pillow, and a telephone, Tim and Tom grew a company that they sold during the dot.com boom for $105 million. This allows Tim to pursue his childhood dream of owning a casino and bringing back the glory days of Vegas. When Tim ups the odds and raises the limits to give gamblers the best game in town, a craps player nicknamed "Mr. Royalty," who's on one of the hottest winning streaks in history, heads for The Nugget. When he begins to take Tom and Tim for millions, the partnership is put to the test. But Tim refuses to back off on the odds or the high limits, telling his partner, "It's a ballsy proposition here. It's gonna be a roller coaster ride. But we don't have a public company to answer to. It's just you and me." When Mr. Royalty rolls twenty-two consecutive passes and rakes in a mountain of chips, he takes Tim and Tom to the brink. They must figure out a way to hold up The House. Just as they do, the roller coaster ride really gets rolling—and the ride becomes crazier than they'd ever imagined. (retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:11 -0400) The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details. |
Abebooks |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Breitling shows that there is a lot more behind the scenes than The Casino let on. Breitling takes us on a whirlwind tour through the ups and downs of chasing a dream then selling it then doing it all again. This book is a fun read that let the author’s personality shine through.
I did not know a lot about gambling when I started reading this book. It did not matter because whatever was needed to get the gist of the background was described beautifully.
The description that appeared in this book are such that the energy and the enthusiasm and sometimes the grief of the author shines through.
This book is an enjoyable book. Well worth the read.
http://purplemoonmyst.wordpress.com/2... (