Ah, the good old days of book reports. I’m pretty sure the last one I wrote was in sixth grade when I still had glasses the size of my fist (everyone, back away from the yearbook), so I may be a little rusty, but I’ll have a go at it anyways.

If you remember the commercials for the movie 21 a few months ago, you must have been at least a little interested in it. The original book, written by Ben Mezrich, is of course focused around the game of blackjack. As Mezrich explains early on in the novel, what makes blackjack unique from every other game at the casino is that, if played correctly, the player can consistently beat the dealer. In every other game, the odds are stacked in the casino’s favor so that the more hands you play, the more inevitable it becomes that you will leave the table in the red.

Enter MIT genius Kevin Lewis. Kevin is a more or less typical MIT student (think three times smarter than Eashwar) who is exceptional in almost every way academically, and worn down by the demanding grind of his lifestyle. What makes Kevin’s life so much more miserable is how it is juxtaposed against those of his two friends, one an MIT drop out, another a graduate, who are both without jobs, yet still hover around Kevin, maintaining carefree lifestyles.

One weekend, these two apparent bums invite Kevin to Vegas for a weekend, where the neon lights and showgirls transform them into flashy card sharks who take limos to 2,000 square foot hotel rooms and score front row seats to pay per view fights. And what does Kevin learn is the key that unlocks this lifestyle? Blackjack.

Following his first trip to Vegas, Kevin finds his way onto MIT’s underground blackjack team, and learns the art of counting cards: a system so sophisticated that it demands the player to keep the count even as the dealer shuffles six decks together. Once mastering this skill, Kevin participates in weekly trips to Vegas, and the action really begins. The reader follows Kevin as he passes through security with hundreds of thousands of dollars strapped to his body, dates an NFL cheerleader, and rapidly accumulates a fortune.

Do not be fooled by the early premise of the book, as the novel develops, several avenues develop as Kevin struggles to find his true identity and values amongst a wallet full of fake IDs and hundred dollar bills. 21 is a thriller at heart, and the fact that it is based on a true story makes it all the more enticing. Mezrich wrote the book exceedingly well, gripping the reader in such a way that it can completely distract a prospective senior from beginning his extended essay a couple of months later than he was supposed to. Yes, it is that good.

I would definitely recommend this novel, a quick read (a cool 264 pages) for those highly proficient, Ian Bachman-esque readers out there. And if you’re too lazy to read the book, the DVD of the movie comes out on July 22. I have not seen the movie, and therefore can not endorse it and would suggest reading the novel to maintain an aura of intellectualism.