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Liked It “Funny and fascinating. Real insight into the world of poker and I couldn't wait to see what happened to the author as he played his way into the Final Table.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “A good poker story. I liked the author's poker story, as well as Ted Binion's murder story. However, I felt like he could've let up on the details on Vegas history at some points and just get back to the real content. Overall a good read if you're into poker/gambling.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“Funny and fascinating. Real insight into the world of poker and I couldn't wait to see what happened to the author as he played his way into the Final Table.”
Nora R wrote this review Wednesday, July 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Ok. Do you dig playing Texas Hold 'em? Here's your book. McManus, a professional writer and amateur poker player (when he detailed his adventures), provides a thrilling account of his participation in the 2000 World Series of Poker. While detailing his exploits, McManus also weaves in tales of his own youth, family and the 2000 Ted Binion murder trial.”
Hoyt wrote this review Sunday, March 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“A good poker story. I liked the author's poker story, as well as Ted Binion's murder story. However, I felt like he could've let up on the details on Vegas history at some points and just get back to the real content. Overall a good read if you're into poker/gambling.”
Steven Sadoway wrote this review Sunday, February 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
0 of 1 members found this review helpful“This book sucked. The author made the book way more about him than I was expecting, making it pretty much impossible to enjoy unless you could accept him as a protagonist. But he came off almost laughably sexist (especially considering his original assignment was to write an article about women in poker) and even racist at a couple points. I don't understand why this book came so highly recommended.”
Casey K wrote this review Tuesday, September 23 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“An okay, but ultimately disappointing journalistic journey into the world of high-stakes, Vegas Texas-Hold-'Em Poker. There's also the story of casin0 owner Ted Binion's death at the hands of his ex-stripper girlfriend and her muscle-bound boyfriend, as well as the remnants of a Harper's Magazine piece on Women's role in Hold-'Em that are the impetus for the book -- but the real action is in the story of how the author who went to cover the World Series of Poker Tournament "became" the story by entering himself in the game through a satellite table and making it to the final six. McManus's prose is way too clever by half, and he honestly seems to think he's the hottest thing going wherever he goes, so I got real tired of his narrative style soon into the read (so, NO, I won't be reading any of his "groovy, edgy" Grove Press fiction novels anytime soon). The poker stuff IS great, though, once the competition is rolling and fierce, but the rest of it I could have easily done without. So, my advice, skip the b.s. filler about the trial and McManus's personal trials and go straight to the World Series coverage. That's where the real meat of this novel lay. (Read 8/04)
Justin M wrote this review Friday, January 4 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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“Very engrossing account of the author's improbable run to the final table in the no limit Texas Hold Em tournament at the World Series of Poker. A great account for those of us who are interested in the game but are bored by books of poker analysis.”
Bill H wrote this review Wednesday, January 2 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“The World Series of Poker AND a crazy ass toxicololgic murder/suicide seriously WHAT else can you ask for JERK? ”
patch406 wrote this review Tuesday, November 13 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I really enjoyed this book - the back and forth between true crime and the culture around and play of tournement poker was fun. The sections about women in poker were an odd juxtaposition to the stripper/sex work atmosphere from which the crime grew out of. Any fan of the WSOP on ESPN/Travel Channel would really enjoy this book.”
mark wrote this review Thursday, November 1 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I had a difficult time getting through this book. Mainly because McMannus's writing style jumps around from topic to topic and some things are presented fast with a lot of street slang thrown in. Had it been written better I would have given it a full 5 stars because the material in the book is great.
Katamaster wrote this review Thursday, September 20 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
There is an awful lot of fascinating information about the big poker tournament and playing poker in general. Additionally, you can better understand the lure and excitement that drives people to mostly throw away their money almost on a whim at some of these tournaments.
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“Review originally posted on my website at www.duskbeforethedawn.net.
lketchersid wrote this review Sunday, June 3 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
5 stars: Well written trip through the 2000 WSOP and the Vegas trial of the century. And, yes, I filed it under Philosophy…cause it’s Poker!
James McManus (fiction author, sports journalist and sometime poker player) went to Vegas to cover the trial of the murder of Ted Binion (whose father started the World Series of Poker (WSOP)) and to cover the rise of women at the WSOP. He ends up taking part of the advance money, winning a play-in satellite tourney, and getting a seat at the 2000 WSOP.
He made it to the final table and fifth place.
He intertwines his own story (an amatuer amongst some of pokers greatest names) with stories of the trial (where Ted’s girlfriend and best friend are accused of murdering him), Jim’s own personal history, the history of poker and the WSOP and the parallels he sees between them all.
The insights into the game, the hands, the mannerisms, and particularly what Jim is thinking at the time (fold? call? raise? who’s that beautiful dealer named Red?) dividing the voices in his head (see? not just me!) into Good Jim and Bad Jim, make the writing of the actual WSOP satellite and tournament the best part of the book. But the other stories are woven in intricately and smoothly (with only a few abstract jumps), mixing in Dante and Dostoyevsky to prove his point.
Since the book has been written, the number of players entered into the big Texas Hold-em WSOP tourney has climbed in from the $1.5 million Chris “Jesus” Ferguson won (and 512 entrants) in 2000 to 2006’s $12million Jamie Gold won amongst the 8,773 entrants (and around 12,000 are expected this year).
Read it before the big one this July 6, and it will help you imagine the action.”
