And My Life at the Gold & Silver - License to Pawn

Really great story of how determination and hard work can get where you want to go. I love the show and found the book highly entertaining with laugh out loud moments. They achieved success on their terms in their way; what is not to love? Fast read but you will enjoy!

Very entertaining and very informative about the family behind the counter. I liked that a few chapters were written by The Old Man, Corey and Chumley not just Rick's perspective. However, there was nothing wrong with Rick's writing either. I read this every chance I could until it was finished.

The book provides some interesting history of Las Vegas and the cast behind the show. The parts I enjoyed the least, and there are MANY, are Rick's portrayal of himself as something of a genius in all matters of life. From the first couple of pages he describes himself as a misunderstood math whiz as a child and this theme is carried throughout the book. He even claims to have found the secret behind cold fusion in his garage after reading numerous chemistry and physics books. While successful in business, he seems to have been a whole lot less successful in his personal life so it would have been nice to see a little more humility. The guy must be unbearable to work for.

Love reading how the store got started. The Old Man was in service and making money to starting a store after he got out. Rick growing up with medical problems and a don't give a shit of life. Pill popping. How Corey and Chum grew up with wrong crowd. All came out to do great and keep the store going into a good business.

Bought this book and really likes learning about the pawn
family. It was enlightening and surprising to say the least.
Worth the money and there a chapter for each person. You learn
more about the people and how they got to where they are at.

I read this book in a few hours. The stories around the night
time of the pawn shop was the most interesting. Buy the book,
worth the money.

Pawn Stars is a very entertaining show and the book is just as interesting. Would have never figured Rick for some type of math genuis since he's so goofy on the show. As Rick states in his book, you can't judge someone by how he/she looks.

Its always interesting reading about someone like rick. To go through as much as he has and not be some of the people he talks about (and you really feel that some of these people are needed after reading this). This is a great book with great stories and great people. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Sometimes it helps not to know too much about people on TV. There was more information about the characters on the show than I cared to know. For fans that want to know every minute detail of the background and upbringing of the characters - it probably fills a need. For the rest of us who just wanted to know more about the behind the scenes of the show and pawn shop, there is a lot less detail. The book also needs to be edited, in some of the chapters I was not sure if a story was being repeated, or even who was involved.

Denver Mullican

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Public service announcement before I begin review. Toonami is back!!! Airs on Saturday Midnight, well technically Sunday, from 12:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m., with an encore beginning at 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. Tune in and support it. Now on to my review.
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I just finished reading this last night at work, (slow night). This did not take me long at all. I see that as of right now the Bargain Price Edition that I bought is not available anymore. I paid roughly 9.60 for this title. It is going right now for apx 15.00 bucks. In my opinion that is a little too much for this. Shop around or wait, or rent it from your local library.

Content wise this is NOT a guide to running a pawn shop or making money. I doubt there are many who would think this, but to just clarify, this is an autobiography.

This book encompases the tellings of Rick Harrison, "Old Man" Harrison, Corey Harrison, and Austin "Chumlee" Russell. All had seperate chapters that they wrote and revealed much about themselves. Rick has the most chapters in this title.

**Some Minor Spoilers Ahead**

In this book Rick discusses his childhood, and how he was racked with epilopsy. He had VIOLENT seizures that bed-fasted him for weeks. During these frequent down times he read, read, read. This is how he got so smart. Rick has had a hard life, but as the book brings out, has managed to rise above it all.

There is a chapter written by the "Old Man", in it he discusses his thoughts on some things, but in all honestly it is very short and not very memorable.

Corey's and Chumlee's chapters are the most moving ones. Both were at one time meth addicts and both have had hard lives. Granted Corey's hard times were of his own making. He makes no excuses and just tells everything without any dillusions. He does break free of drugs eventually and is now the manager of Gold & Silver. Chumlee's chapter is similer to Corey's. Chumlee discusses his childhood, how his dad fought alcholism and was the leader of his local AA chapter for years. You can't help but like Chumlee, and reading his chapter makes you like him even more, even though he is the "Village Idiot". He's a rich "Village Idiot" though, selling more Chumlee t-shirts than he can keep track of.

Rick goes further into his business, discussing how crazes and fads can make some serious scratch for a man who knows how to capitalize on them. I.e., furbies, beanie babies, zippo lighters and bomber jackets, etc. He shares some stories of the shop and how they are visited by pimps, drug addicts and other shady AND unshady people of all walks of life, at all hours of the day.

In all honestly this book feels at times like a large promotional pamplet for the tv show. Rick says about 5 times through-out the book "...you never know what is going to come through that door". We know Rick, we know...

In the end this is a book that is a little light on content. I would have liked it more if he had included a lot of business tips for aspiring entrepaneurs. How to make money off gold and silver, ways he makes money that are unconventional, how to identify fake rolexs, etc. In the end this is just an autobiography, one that all of the main cast members contribute to. Oh...there is some pictures in the middle of the book, not to many though, most are things you have seen in the show.

--In Conclusion--

Good read for fans of the hit tv show (like me). A good read, once. Don't pay a lot for this, wait for a sale.

Well that's my thoughts, check out my review for Alan Moore's 'Swamp Thing' vol. 2 coming up next...

Before reading this book, I never understood why pimps wear so much gaudy jewelry. Now I know (hint: there's a practical reason for it). If you love "Pawn Stars" you'll love this book.

My only complaint (and it's a minor one) is that it should be longer. I'm sure the Harrisons have a million great stories to tell and we only get to hear a handful of them. Perhaps there will be a second book.

All in all, it's a good book. It's an easy and entertaining read. Rick Harrison narrates most of the book, but there are chapters told by the Old Man, Corey and Chumlee.

Really like the show, just happened to come across this book. I did not even know Rick had written a book. I read it in two days. It was a great book. It was nice to get to know more about Rick, Old Man, Cory and Chumlee. Rick's story was inspiring. It was nice to hear about how the shop works without the cameras. I would highly recommend this book. Very quick and enjoyable read...hard to put down!

This book was totally awesome. Anybody should read this book. This book held your interest all the way. This was the best book I have ever read. I would recommend this book to everyone in the U.S of America

The cast of characters on Pawn Stars is obviously ridiculous and much of the show is contrived... It's television, for goodness sake. But, the back story of Rick, how the family met Chumlee, the struggles with addiction, and the overall inside track on the pawn business is very interesting.

An easy read, written on a pretty simple reading level, so don't expect War and Peace. But, if you are a fan of the show, a must read for sure.

i love pawn stars,and this book does everything to be a great book,including a chapter each for corey,chum and the old man,its just not very well written,if you love pawn stars you will enjoy this book !

Wonderful read, have followed the show from the beginning, I now see the guys differently knowing their past history. Rick you are brave for putting this together, and whoever did the putting together they should get a special hug for their part . It is a "can't put it down book"

Awesome read. Fast moving and very informative. But more tha that an epic look at people that should have never made a blip on the life chart making a success of themselves against all odds. Real people that worked like hell to achieve what they got. A very enjoyable and informative book.