poker story books

Mr. Flibble

Does anyone know of any decent poker books with poker stories - not how to play?

Waylander

Poker Nation by Andy Bellin, and Big Deal, can't remeber the authors name.

Doc Farrell

Big Deal by Anthony Holden

Education of a Poker Player - the first and greatest written by Herbert O. Yardley, preface by Ian Fleming.

Bobby Baldwin's Winning Poker Secrets, edited by Mike Caro, actually a bio

Poker Wisdom of a Champion by Doyle Brunson, actually his autobio but he's bringing out another in a few months

Sucker's Progress by Herbert Asbury who wrote Gangs of New York, more about con artists than poker, but they're the same thing really

The Cinncinnati Kid by Richard Jessup

Positively Fifth Street by James McManus

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming, i'm stretching here

Guys and Dolls by Damon Runyon, a work of genius, published by penguin, not too much poker in it....

The Biggest Game in Town by Al Alvarez

ok, i'm spent.

Congrats to JD who knew the correct answer on the locked post.

speaking of locked..... what time is it?

pokertroll

Waylander wrote:

Poker Nation by Andy Bellin, and Big Deal, can't remeber the authors name.

My favourites would be:
Positively Fifth Street, McManus
Stu Ungar - man behind the shades
The Professor, the Banker & the Suicide King - Michael Craig
Big Deal - Anthony Holden

I met anythony Holden and Michael Craig in Vegas.
Holden was a grumpy git, craig was a very nice guy and gave me a signed copy of his book.
Also sat for dinner on the same table as Benny Binion, Doyle & Tod Brunson and Mike Caro about an hour after I finished reading Positively Fifth Street on the plane to vegas which was a bit of a weird experience considering they are all mentioned in the book

Mr. Flibble

Cool. Thanks lads.
Amazon here I come.

Lafortezza

pokertroll wrote:

Positively Fifth Street, McManus

Big Deal - Anthony Holden

These two are brilliant books, especially PFS.

mewso

Yeah fifth street is a great and amazing story from an amateur's point of view and well told.

kincsem

I've read most of those listed above. Just adding some comments.

Big Deal by Anthony Holden. I've read this twice (9/10)

Education of a Poker Player I thought it a bit patchy (5/10)

Positively Fifth Street by James McManus (7/10) bought a signed copy in Binion's Horseshoe. Gave it to Derry Harney last year to read and pass around. Must ask him if he read it.

The Biggest Game in Town by Al Alvarez (8/10) A very nice little book. He is a mate of Anthony Holden. It covers one year of the WSOP in the 1970's

The Little Book of Poker by the late David Spanier was a nice read. (7/10). Chapters - Personal; Women; World Championship; Tournaments; Faces; Places; Bluffers; Technicians; ..... and so on.
The Hand I Played by the late David Spanier (5/10) looks like it was rushed together before he passed away. He played in a weekly home game with Holden and Alvarez and the group voted to ban him as his play was too tight.

Fast Company by Jon Bradshaw has five chapters: Pug Pearson; Minnesota Fats; Tim Holland; Johnny Moss; Titanic Thompson. (4/10)

Johnny Moss by Don Jenkins is a slim book on 3 times WSOP champ. (5/10).

The Man Behind The Shades. I had this 2005 book on legendary player Stu Ungar on order from Amazon for six months. (6/10) but I might give it more if I read it again (read in 3 days).

The Championship Table at the World Series of Poker 1970-2002 (6/10) describes the plays that won the WSOP each year "How It Happened" and has some comments from the champions.

Just read a bit as I am writing this. Johnny Chan was 2nd to Phil Hellmuth in 1989. Chan won in 1987 and 1988 and needed A, Q, J, or T on the river in 1989 to take a 2:1 lead and possibly his third title in a row.

Kelly101

Big Deal by Anthony Holdem, In my opinion is the best Poker read out there. It takes you through a detailed description of the ups and downs of a poker professional. Great read , I highly reccomend (9/10)