Good Fiction Poker Books

[Swedebubba]

Well I have read Positively Fifth Street which was OK but what ones have u guys read that you would recommend for some leisure poker reading?

[stillbr]

The professor, the banker, and the suicide king was great. I just finished reading it.

[cwsiggy]

Ditto that. Great look at the lives of the high stake players and Andy Beal.

Another book I recommend is Poker Nation by Andy Bellin. Very quick read about the lives of poker players as told Andy who played in the NY clubs and perhaps still does.

None of these are fiction though. Not sure there are any "fiction" poker books.

[VoraciousReader]

It's not fiction, but I really enjoyed Big Deal . It was better than Positively Fifth Street, I thought.

[Hcullimore]

In my opinion, in order of quality, there are two ficitonal books where poker plays a central part that are worth reading.

The best is "King of a Small World" by Rick Bennet. This book looked at the life of a poker player playing in the charity casinos in Maryland prior to their demise. The author was a profesional player himself and captures well the life of a brick and mortar player. Well written with good charcters and a sensible plot. Good book.

Another is "Shut Up and Deal," by Jesse May. This is somewhat difficult to read because it is written in a stream of consciousness style (ala James Joyce) but does a good job capturing the feel of playing for a living in the casinos of Atlantic City. Not much plot but good atmosphere. Worth taking a look at if only for May's sharp eye in describing the gambler's world and his occasional witty barbs.

[gila]

Also, The Biggest Game In Town, A. Alveraz, and, The Making of A Poker Player, M. Matros are good reads...though not fiction.

[GrandmaStabone]

By far the best ive read was "one of a kind" (the stu ungar novel), not exactly fiction, but neither is the professor, the banker and the suicide king.

[bilyin]

The Perfect Play by Louis Wener. This is definitely fiction and a very good read.

[Photoc]

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Well I have read Positively Fifth Street which was OK but what ones have u guys read that you would recommend for some leisure poker reading?

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Actually, Possitively Fifth Street was non fiction. Most all books you are going to find are of the non fiction variety.

Real Deal, Shut up and Deal, Biggest Game in Town, Telling Lies and Getting Paid, and Poker Nation are the most known ones.

I'm working on Read Deal by Anthony Holden, pretty good read so far.

[pastabatman]

Last Call by Tim Powers. What a ride. From the back cover:
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Set in the gritty, dazzling otherworld known as Las Vegas, LAST CALL tells the story of a one-eyed professional gambler who discovers that he was not the big winner in a long-ago poker game...and now must play for the highest stakes ever as he searches for a way to win back his soul.

[/ QUOTE ]

Modern day fantasy rooted in real history of Las Vegas, Bugsy Siegal, and The Fisher King.

Pasta