Top 10 Favorite Poker Books

[Peter McDermott]

I've read hoards of theory books, but truth be told for my reading pleasure, I prefer books about poker culture. As a change of pace, I'll offer you my favourites in that sub-genre:

1. Big Deal by Anthony Sampson - this was the book that first got me interested in poker.
2. Positively Fifth Street by McManus - this was the book that, ten years later, made me decide I was going to learn to play.
3. The Biggest Game in Town by Al Alvarez
4. The Education of a Poker Player by Yardley
5. Fast Company by Jon Bradshaw
6. Easy Money by David Spanier. (IIRC, there's a better Spanier book, but I can't recall the title off-hand.)
7. Aces and Kings by Kaplan and Reagan (Really an updating of Fast Company.)
8. Amarillo Slim in a World full of Fat People. (Yes, I know he's a terrible self-promoter, not as good a player as he thinks he is, and has recently been accused of child molestation, but I'm a real sucker for those old timey gambling stories, and he has a wonderful turn of phrase.)
9. Suckers Progress by Herbert Asbury. The author of Gangs of New York does a history of Gambling
10. Doubling Down by Donald and Steven Barthelme. (OK, I cheated slightly here in that this one is about blackjack, but it's a really poignant true life story about compulsive gambling from a couple of guys who write like a dream.)

Unlike Mason, I didn't hate Andy Bellin's Poker Nation. Personally, I quite *like* the idea that gambling circles are full of work-shy, low-life types. I don't think it's completely true, but wander a little way off the beaten track in Vegas and you'll soon see where people get that idea from...