Good "poker story" books

[Matt Flynn]

Hands down your next book should be Shut Up and Deal by Jesse May.

[PoorTom]

Amarillo Slim's autobiography, Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People, is a very good read. As is Big Deal.

[playersare]

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i wonder how "My 50 Most Memorable Hands" - Doyle Brunson is written

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in numerical order.

[jordiepop]

esfandiaris book has a lot of great stories in it. the strategy blooooows but the entertaiment value is def there.

[PokerGolfFiend]

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The Professor, The Banker, and The Suicide King.
What are the best "poker story" books out there?

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very good book

[jfk]

There's a book called "Read 'em and Weep" which is an anthology of excerpt from some of the better known poker lit. It was put together in 2004 so it predates some of the titles which have been mentioned. McManus writes the intro. Included are selections from authors such as James Thurber, David Mamet, Barbara Tuchman, Stephen Crane, John Updike, Clark Clifford and David Hayano. There are about 30 selections in all.

Another candidate is "God Wants You to Roll", which is about a car scam which finances one of the protaganist's pai gow habit. The SoCal card room scene is a recurring theme in the book. It isn't really a poker book and only barely a gambling book, but it is an unbelievable story and very much worth the read.

Google the title and you'll get hooked.

[Central Limit]

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I liked "Aces & Kings" it is short biographies of the TV poker players. I am not a TV poker Player Fan Boy but I found the book very interesting.

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Yeah, "Aces and Kings" is good. Which reminds me of two others

"Telling Lies and Getting Paid" and
"The Man with the $100,000 Breasts"

They're either by Michael Konik or Michael Kaplan. I get those two authors confused for obvious reasons.

Some other excllent gambling books that are not about poker:

"Bringing Down the House" by Mezrich
"Playing off the Rail" (don't remember the author)
"The Smart Money" by Konik

I loved all three of those.

[dave88]

"Cards" is a good read.
I enjoyed "Take me to the River" as well

[avatar77]

One book that hasn't been mentioned is Matt Matros "the Makings of a Poker Player".

I thought the book was quite entertaining.

[sethypooh21]

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I enjoyed "Take me to the River" as well

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Just finished this, thought it was quite good.