Finishing the book in 2 sits is about what one can expect from a book written by Ben Mezrich. For those of you that watched "21" with Kevin Spacey, Mr. Mezrich is the author of the book "Bringing Down the House" from which the movie was adapted. "Rigged" was written in 2007 but I wasn't keen on its exsistence until I found myself and crew delayed for over 3 hours in the Allentown Pennsylvania Airport. Shopping around for something to do and read, I stumbled on the paperback edition and decided to pick it up so with that, here is my review.

Ben Mezrich's captivating and emotional ridden writing style is present immediately from the get go. Thoroughly delightful and pleasantly easy to read, "Rigged" follows the true story of David Russo's (D'Agostino is real life) forray into the New York Mercantile Exchange. Growing up in a traditional Italian family and educated at Harvard Businnes School, the story follows him through his surprise hiring and promotion at the young age of 26 on board with the NYMEX. Impressing his bosses and colleagues around, he ventures into an idea brought forth by a business man of the same age but from half way across the world in a city David knows nothing about, Dubai.

The books' chapters shuffle between the two story lines of David and Khaled until they ultimately intertwine having the two join forces in convincing the Western World that a an exchange in the religion-governed Middle East is a must in shaping the globalization of economies. Each chapter dropping off at a critical stream in one's character and picking up with the other is a style that has become the page turner is today's more fantastic novels and this story never falls short of just that.

Excitement and tension between the young and old are just a few of the emotions that Mezrich does a fine job of illustrating. Granted there are a few short comings such as the anticlimactic opening of the Dubai MEX and the rushed ending. The book in the beginning chapters does a great job of pulling you in, but the story just leaves you with too many questions.

Don't expect a 10 out of 10 but it's a good, entertaining read. Pick it up at the library or if you see me around, ask me and I'll shoot it your way.