Customer Reviews

How to Cheat at Everything: A Con Man Reveals the Secrets of the Esoteric Trade of Cheating, Scams, and Hustles

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Covers a HUGE array of cons/cheats...from bar bets that are a sure thing (for you) to cheating at cards to criminal scams going on today. Detailed descriptions with occasional illustrations to help you understand. I'm giving it 5 stars because I loved it, and to help balance the one-star review from the guy below who didn't even read the book.

I've made it about 70% through, and I'm very pleased. It's a broader study than The Big Con, and doesn't go into as much depth, but it hits the kind of thing the average person is more likely to see. One thing lacking is the pictures on such things as the false shuffles. I suppose you'd truly need high-speed video to really see what's happening, but more than one picture per shuffle would be a good start.

This is a well written entertaining piece of work that can be pursued in small pieces. It covers human nature and the mechanics of some of the more popular cons and how to use them.
The sections on bar bets is worth the price of the book alone. I purchased a second copy and sent it to my son-in-law as a Christmas present after I conned him with one of the bar bets.
Aside from this, the conman character takes one on a great Elmore Leonard path.

If you are seeking a way to con your neighbor, you can find it here. Also possible to realize a few broken bones in this day and age. Suggest using caution when pulling some of the tricks in this book.
In society today, it may be best to be in great physical condition before you pull some of these stunts.
Most are just fun things to do and would certainly produce some good laughs.
Worthwhile reading, if for nothing more than learning what to be on the lookout for in life. A character that has the nerve to pull these stunts, would be a very interesting person to meet.

Who wouldn't want to gain the oohs and aahs of friends at dinner or a bar?

This book is loaded with some fantastic tricks. It's not teaching readers about ripping people off, though those stories are mixed in throughout.

If you want a very unusual gift book, this is it.

My son the entrepreneur wanted this book just to see if it had any valuable information in it so I bought it as a Christmas present for him. From what he has relayed to me, there are many interesting tidbits of information and some insights as to how people did these things, but the real key will be learning how to apply this information in the current, digital age.

In any case, to make a long story short, he likes the book.

Lovell creates an interesting story, weaving facts and anecdotes in along with practical advice. His ability to make some of he more dry subjects, namely cards and dice, interesting was a skill which is needed when writing this kind of book. Perhaps the best part of the book, besides the bar cons, was Lovell's ability to make the reader care about the leading con man through which Lovell teaches about the various scams, Freddy the Fox. The book culminates in an somewhat ironic ruse, this time played upon the reader. If you are remotely interested in the mind of a con man as well as the ingenious scams in their arsenal I would definitely recommend this book.

A somewhat interesting book but uneven writing and odd digressions make for a tough read. It contains an interesting inside look at carnival games but not so much how to win at them, more how you will be cheated if you decide to play. I read the Kindle version and found that the page layout was off at times.

This book claims it will teach you how to cheat at everything. Everything is a bold claim, and this book doesnt come close.
Surprisingly it doesnt even cover how to cheat at Cat Shows. Debbie always wins with her perfect little Siamese cats. I hate Debbie so much! Jibber Jabber should win! He's the best. So I bought this book thinking Jibber Jabber and I would finally take home the blue ribbon, and when I got the book it didnt cover cats at all. No cat boxing, no cat throwing, they didnt even have cat shows.
So much for everything. Only lying cheats and hacks would buy this book because they lack the real spine it takes to earn thing for themselves. God punishes cheaters by making their children red-haired or Mormon. So for the sake of your children don't buy this book.

Any book on con men reveals how easily smart people can be lead to do strange things. This book is no exception. The book is quite thorough in the topics it covers.

If you're interested in how the mind works and tricks, magic and acts of guile it's a great book.

Dantalion Jones - author of many books