Tips for new books to read

[Derek in NYC]

By David Hayano. Very difficult to find, but fascinating. I've been meaning to post a review for a while. For anybody even remotely considering going pro, you should read this book. In a nutshell, Poker Faces is an academic study from an ethnologist/sociologist's perspective, of the gambling culture and habitants of Gardena poker rooms in the 1970s. The game played is different than today (5 card draw vs. holdem), but Hayano does a fascinating job of analyzing the various types of "regulars" who work the card room for a living. I'd be surprised if, in this regard, Poker Faces wasn't as accurate today as it was then. From the busted out railbirds, to the low limit grinders, to the retirees, to the occasional young rising star, Hayano studies the habits and thinking patterns of cardroom regulars. One particularly interesting aspect of the book is Hayano's classification of "gambler" or "poker player" as a deviant occupation (e.g., prostitute, drug dealer, etc.). The lack of laterally applicable skills, social status, job security, and upward mobility tends to characterize such deviant occupations. Poker Faces would be particularly valuable for showing young players considering a pro career, what they have to look forward to. This book won't help your game, but it is absolutely fascinating reading. The only downside is that it is out of print. I paid around $90 on Amazon for my paperback copy.