The AZB New Book List
- Thread starter TX Poolnut
- Start date
I agree, one of best Billiard stories.
I had heard they took the “bum” out of the title to give a better impression of pool players. Then it looks like they put a naked woman on the cover. What’s up with that ?
I had heard they took the “bum” out of the title to give a better impression of pool players. Then it looks like they put a naked woman on the cover. What’s up with that ?
Monk’s. Best
Thomas Fensch -- The Lions and the Lambs
It's not a new book since it was published in the 1970s, but it is expensive and/or hard to find. It has been republished in paperback. Expect to pay about $25.
Thomas Fensch -- The Lions and the Lambs
Here's some info including the table of contents:
https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=480476
In case anyone wants to have the hardback, you could probably talk me down from the prices listed there. :groucho:
It's not a new book since it was published in the 1970s, but it is expensive and/or hard to find. It has been republished in paperback. Expect to pay about $25.
Thomas Fensch -- The Lions and the Lambs
Here's some info including the table of contents:
https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=480476
In case anyone wants to have the hardback, you could probably talk me down from the prices listed there. :groucho:
You should read the book.
Mcgoorty was a world class 3 cushion player but lived like a drunken sailor.
Women and booze were always on his mind when 3 cusion wasn't.
is that bad???:grin:
I did read the book.
For me it was a good story and a good read.
Not sure what your getting at.
For me it was a good story and a good read.
Not sure what your getting at.
Who would you rather see? A naked woman or a bum...
Personally I liked the naked woman's bum.
Hey Bob. Where can I find a copy of Peter Rabbit's book How to Get by Without Working. A Hustler's Memoirs?
Another recently republished book is Andrew Ponzi's autobiography from 1948. It was reprinted by his daughter.
Last edited:
eBay, Amazon, abebooks? Somewhat expensive. And there are a couple of download sites like https://downloads2020.com/v7/?pid=6&offer_id=26&ref_id=81b6df3a6e01e6df8d5d738tYWK4vE3o_d20b5a63_2fb574ac&sub1=84708&keyword=How%20to%20Get%20by%20Without%20Working:%20A%20Hustler&sub8=How%20to%20Get%20by%20Without%20Working:%20A%20Hustler&m={$extra_data1
I don't know how legal or safe they are, though ...
The book is still under copyright, so almost certainly not legal. I have some copies.
Last edited:
Grady Mathews' "Bet High, Kiss Low"
I know it's not a new book, but I just ran across this review of an old book and thought you all might like to see it. It was originally posted in rec.sport.billiard (RIP RSB) by Anthony DeAngelo. (Some typos corrected)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anthony DeAngelo
Apr 24, 2001, 12:09:41 PM
I just finished reading Grady Mathews' book "Bet High, Kiss Low" and
thought maybe one person out in cyberspace would be interested in my
review. First, I think it's noteworthy that I sent a check to Grady on
a monday and the book arrived maybe ten minutes later. More on that
later.
I'll forego any suspense by telling you straight out that I liked the
book and recommend it to anyone interested in pool subculture and the
road life in particular. Still, my "thumbs up" is not without
reservation, but first let's look at the good stuff. Anyone who has
ever listened to Grady on Accu-Stats and liked him (and anybody who has
disliked him is not the sort of person I want to have reading this)
will, I believe, like this book. Grady names names and pulls few, if
any punches. There's a lot to like. There are a lot of pictures and
the one of "Bucktooth" alone is worth the price of the book (readers of
"Playing off the Rail" will remember Tooth).
The image of Grady driving along blindly in the rain, looking for his
disgruntled girlfriend, only to turn on his windshield wipers and see
his bankroll fly out from under the blades is one that will stay with
you. Similarly, a number of Grady's big wins are recorded, complete
with figures. For most of us (I'll bet) it is a vicarious thrill.
Grady emerges as a likable, stand-up guy. I can't imagine him not
keeping his word, and the swiftness of this books arrival is, I am sure,
no coincidence. He said if I sent him a check he'd send me a book and
by God as soon as he got that check the book went out. As most of you
know, not everyone works this way. Still, although Grady shares some
emotion with us (especially the bawdy kind) there is a lot that is left
unsaid that could have been explored. I'm thinking specifically about
the moments that changed his life's direction. They sort of just
happened "boom" all at once in the book.
Technically, this book is quite flawed and not anywhere near the level
of read from a McCumber or Byrne (moment of silence for one of my
favorite writers please). There are many misspelled words and names
(i.e. Johnson City, Effren Reyes, Benzinger's pool room, Robert Burns,
etc.). So much so that it actually becomes somewhat distracting. The
book begins in the third person and abruptly switches. If this was to
be a literary device, I submit it failed. The chief shortcoming of this
book though is the use of the first person. We see Grady's view of
himself, and as we all know we don't view ourselves the way others see
us. There were times in the narrative when I really wished I could have
listened to someone else's take on the story. Times when, by reading
between the lines, things didn't quite square, or seemed to be even more
dramatic or interesting than they were depicted.
By the end of the book I was really wishing that Grady had collaborated
with Robert Byrne on this, and then Grady drops a bombshell-he almost
did! At one point his story was supposed to be told by a real writer
(no offense meant to Grady-after all I'm sure he could spot Byrne the 7
ball, and probably play McCumber one-handed) and Grady narrowed it to 2
guys-the guy who screwed it up and lost the job, and "Robert Burns"
(sic). Get this: Grady decided against Byrne BECAUSE of McGoorty! (I'd
review McGoorty but I'd sound like Robert Byrne's PR man). Basically
Grady felt that he didn't want to be lumped together with a drunken bum
like Danny McGoorty. What a pity, IMO. I think Grady missed the point
(of McGoorty). Had Danny McGoorty told his own story we would have
thought he was a despicable loser, devoid of any redeeming qualities
whatsoever. By having Robert Byrne tell his story we get a completely
different picture of the man.
Anyway, those are the pluses and minuses of Bet High, Kiss Low. It is
flawed to be sure, but on balance it is entertaining, and you're not
going to hear these stories anywhere else (and they're great stories,
most of them). It's seventeen bucks you cheap *****s, so what are you
waiting for?
---------------------------------
(I just noticed that the AZB potty mouth nanny starred out a word near the end. It is also a synonym for thorn or something a needle will do to your finger.)
I know it's not a new book, but I just ran across this review of an old book and thought you all might like to see it. It was originally posted in rec.sport.billiard (RIP RSB) by Anthony DeAngelo. (Some typos corrected)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anthony DeAngelo
Apr 24, 2001, 12:09:41 PM
I just finished reading Grady Mathews' book "Bet High, Kiss Low" and
thought maybe one person out in cyberspace would be interested in my
review. First, I think it's noteworthy that I sent a check to Grady on
a monday and the book arrived maybe ten minutes later. More on that
later.
I'll forego any suspense by telling you straight out that I liked the
book and recommend it to anyone interested in pool subculture and the
road life in particular. Still, my "thumbs up" is not without
reservation, but first let's look at the good stuff. Anyone who has
ever listened to Grady on Accu-Stats and liked him (and anybody who has
disliked him is not the sort of person I want to have reading this)
will, I believe, like this book. Grady names names and pulls few, if
any punches. There's a lot to like. There are a lot of pictures and
the one of "Bucktooth" alone is worth the price of the book (readers of
"Playing off the Rail" will remember Tooth).
The image of Grady driving along blindly in the rain, looking for his
disgruntled girlfriend, only to turn on his windshield wipers and see
his bankroll fly out from under the blades is one that will stay with
you. Similarly, a number of Grady's big wins are recorded, complete
with figures. For most of us (I'll bet) it is a vicarious thrill.
Grady emerges as a likable, stand-up guy. I can't imagine him not
keeping his word, and the swiftness of this books arrival is, I am sure,
no coincidence. He said if I sent him a check he'd send me a book and
by God as soon as he got that check the book went out. As most of you
know, not everyone works this way. Still, although Grady shares some
emotion with us (especially the bawdy kind) there is a lot that is left
unsaid that could have been explored. I'm thinking specifically about
the moments that changed his life's direction. They sort of just
happened "boom" all at once in the book.
Technically, this book is quite flawed and not anywhere near the level
of read from a McCumber or Byrne (moment of silence for one of my
favorite writers please). There are many misspelled words and names
(i.e. Johnson City, Effren Reyes, Benzinger's pool room, Robert Burns,
etc.). So much so that it actually becomes somewhat distracting. The
book begins in the third person and abruptly switches. If this was to
be a literary device, I submit it failed. The chief shortcoming of this
book though is the use of the first person. We see Grady's view of
himself, and as we all know we don't view ourselves the way others see
us. There were times in the narrative when I really wished I could have
listened to someone else's take on the story. Times when, by reading
between the lines, things didn't quite square, or seemed to be even more
dramatic or interesting than they were depicted.
By the end of the book I was really wishing that Grady had collaborated
with Robert Byrne on this, and then Grady drops a bombshell-he almost
did! At one point his story was supposed to be told by a real writer
(no offense meant to Grady-after all I'm sure he could spot Byrne the 7
ball, and probably play McCumber one-handed) and Grady narrowed it to 2
guys-the guy who screwed it up and lost the job, and "Robert Burns"
(sic). Get this: Grady decided against Byrne BECAUSE of McGoorty! (I'd
review McGoorty but I'd sound like Robert Byrne's PR man). Basically
Grady felt that he didn't want to be lumped together with a drunken bum
like Danny McGoorty. What a pity, IMO. I think Grady missed the point
(of McGoorty). Had Danny McGoorty told his own story we would have
thought he was a despicable loser, devoid of any redeeming qualities
whatsoever. By having Robert Byrne tell his story we get a completely
different picture of the man.
Anyway, those are the pluses and minuses of Bet High, Kiss Low. It is
flawed to be sure, but on balance it is entertaining, and you're not
going to hear these stories anywhere else (and they're great stories,
most of them). It's seventeen bucks you cheap *****s, so what are you
waiting for?
---------------------------------
(I just noticed that the AZB potty mouth nanny starred out a word near the end. It is also a synonym for thorn or something a needle will do to your finger.)
Last edited:
I just got a copy of this book which was published in June, 2020. My review is in the aiming forum. It was not positive.
![CropperCapture[221].jpg](https://forums.azbilliards.com/attachments/croppercapture-221-jpg.580043/ "CropperCapture[221].jpg")
JC
Coos Cues
Desmond Allen opened a pool hall in my little town here on the Oregon Coast 25 years or so ago and he became a BCA instructor while here. He convinced me and a buddy to take his clinic which he needed to complete his accreditation and gave me a copy of his book and I lost track of it.
Part of the clinic was some questions to fill out and one of the questions on it was how much time per week do you practice. I put down 4-5 hours and I glanced at my buddies paper who could barely hold a cue even though pool was his life and it said "40 hours" Earl lived with his mother even though he was ten years older than me. I always remember that when I start to get sloppy practicing to stop for the day.
Desmond made no money and went back to PA after a couple of years. He did put on some cool tournaments and tried to give it a real go. I always wondered what became of him. Super nice guy.
I was one of the instructors for his instructor training. Somewhere he has a fairly long story of his life online. He studied a lot of different things besides pool. He had degrees in at least two fields.
His book was published with two different titles -- or at least I think they are the same book.