8 replies to this topic

[Metaphysician]

Nobody has mentioned "Positively Fifth Street" by James McManus. This is an EXCELLENT book. Ok, ok... it's not going to teach you how to play better, but it's about poker, and it's good.Has anyone else here read it?

[Mister Hand]

McManus is a good writer but a mediocre reporter. He admits as much when he discusses his failure to ask Becky Behnen the "obvious" follow-up question. The stuff about Ted Binion's trial has been covered elsewhere, and better. Good thing he made it to the final table or he wouldn't have had much to write about.That said, his descriptions of making it to the final table are vivid and engrossing. For (imo) a better writer's account of a year spent playing the pro tournament circuit, try Big Deal, by Anthony Holden.

[Metaphysician]

Hmm...Ok, I'll give that book a gander.Thank you.

[ivan]

What Mister Hand said.Without McManus's success at the big one there'd be no book, and no Harper's article, for that matter. I respect the work he does in Chicago, and we have mutual friends, McManus and me, but Mister Hand is right to mention Big Deal by Anthony Holden. I would add a few to the list:1. The Biggest Game in Town by A. Alvarez Called “the best book ever written on poker” by players and critics alike, The Biggest Game in Town is a sought-after classic that’s finally available in print again. Acclaimed author A. Alvarez delves into the seedy, obsessive world of high-stakes Vegas poker, where “the next best thing to playing and winning is playing and losing.” Uncovering an exotic underground rich in ambiance and eccentricity, The Biggest Game in Town is “a magnificent book ” (San Francisco Chronicle), a real one of a kind.2. Poker Nation: A High-Stakes, Low-Life Adventure into the Heart of a Gambling Country by Andy BellinJournalist and poker fanatic Andy Bellin takes readers on a raucous journey into the shut-up-and-deal world of professional poker. From basement games to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, you'll look over his shoulder as he learns to count cards, read a legendary player's body language, hang in there when the chips are down, and take his beatings like a man. Even if you don't know the difference between a flop and a river card, Bellin keeps you in the game with his portraits of the colorful players, dreamers, hustlers, and eccentrics who populate this strange subculture. Along with learning what goes on behind the scenes in illegal poker clubs, you'll get great advice on how to play Texas Hold'em, today's game of choice for big-money players.3. Poker: Bets, Bluffs, and Bad Beats by A. Alvarez, Kelly Duane A smoke-filled room. The clink of chips breaking the silence of furious concentration. The occasional muttering of "check," "raise," and "fold," as staggering amounts are wagered on a simple hand of five cards. In this fascinating book, acclaimed writer A. Alvarez narrates the history of poker--its most amazing stories, unforgettable players, and incredible hands. From the first great Las Vegas poker marathon, in which Nick the Greek played Johnny Moss for five months straight, to the more recent World Series of Poker, Alvarez captures a subculture rich with legend. His lively text is combined with a colorful array of poker-inspired art, advertisements, movie stills, and photos to create an entertaining ode to the pastime that is not so much a game of cards as a way of life.

[Metaphysician]

Thank you too.

[ivan]

You're welcome! If you've not yet read Alvarez I envy you!

[Metaphysician]

I have not.I don't take a lot of time to read anything but philosophical texts anymore. I keep a list of the books recommended to me. Eventually I'll get around to reading them.

[Doorknob]

Skip the chapters about the trial, and that will make for an awesome book.

[WillinNewHaven]

Metaphysician said:

Nobody has mentioned "Positively Fifth Street" by James McManus. This is an EXCELLENT book. Ok, ok... it's not going to teach you how to play better, but it's about poker, and it's good.Has anyone else here read it?

There have been mentions of some other very fine books that fit the same "non-textbook" mode as P5st but no one has mentioned Yardley's The Education of a Poker Player It is a very old book but it is still one of the greatest introductions to the game and the life that exists.