Book recomendations for Christmas

There's a new book out by Robert Dyer, who wrote Hustler Days. That was a GREAT read! This one deals more with Minnesota Fats, I believe. I just saw it at my friend, Randyg's house last week. The name escapes me at the moment but someone here will post it. I'm sure you can get it at amazon.com.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
Scott Lee said:
There's a new book out by Robert Dyer, who wrote Hustler Days. That was a GREAT read! This one deals more with Minnesota Fats, I believe. I just saw it at my friend, Randyg's house last week. The name escapes me at the moment but someone here will post it. I'm sure you can get it at amazon.com.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
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Scott,
It's entitled "The Hustler & The Champ". Both books by R.A. Dyer are A+.

I would also highly recommend both of Freddy Bentivegna's books, "Banking with the Beard" & "The GosPool". They both were super, although I personally liked "The GosPool" better for its many stories and character profiles. Here's a link for the books http://www.bankingwiththebeard.com/index.html
 
McGoorty: The Story of a Billiard Bum by Robert Byrne, Hustler Days by R. A. Dyer, Billiards: Hustlers and Heros, Legends and Lies, and the Search for Higher Truth on the Green Felt by John Grissim {out of print, a MUST HAVE}, Hustlers, Beats, and Others by Ned Polsky, Buddy Hall: Rags to Rifleman, What Next? by W. W. Woody {also out of print, first and second printings when found}, The Hustler and The Color of Money by Walter Tevis {both out of print, I think}, The Lions and the Lambs by Thomas Fensch {out of print}, The Hustler and the Champ by R. A. Dyer, The Bank Shot and Other Great Robberies by Minnesota Fats with Tom Fox, Playing off the Rail by David Mcumber, Byrne's Book of Great Pool Stories by Robert Byrne, Thirty Years of Billiards by Willie Hoppe, Willie's Game by Willie Mosconi {out of print}, Bet High and Kiss Low by Grady Mathews {WARNING: R if not X rated}, Running the Table: The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last Great American Pool Hustler by L. Jon Werthem, Banking With the Beard and The Gospool by Freddy the Beard, How to Get by Without Working by Peter "Peter Rabbit" Linhard.
The out of print stuff may be hard to find, but ABSOLUTELY worth having!
How to books, there's a bunch. Robert Byrne is probably the best of the bunch. Good luck!
 
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Pleasures of Small Motions and The Inner Game of Tennis. Great books, complement each other nicely too. Play Your Best Pool by Phil Capelle is another good read, most notably the parts on strategy. I have yet to read Banking With the Beard, but I think it will be my next order.
 
David Beck said:
Pleasures of Small Motions and The Inner Game of Tennis. Great books, complement each other nicely too.
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IMO-----Small Motions was not for me, 2 pages of info stretched into a small book of psycho babble. Would rather scrape my fingernails on a chalk board all day than wade thru it again.

I've given away maybe 6 copies of "The 99 Critical Shots of Pool". :)
 
Jigger said:
IMO-----Small Motions was not for me, 2 pages of info stretched into a small book of psycho babble. Would rather scrape my fingernails on a chalk board all day than wade thru it again.

I've given away maybe 6 copies of "The 99 Critical Shots of Pool". :)
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Yeah, I'd have to agree. It's probably the hardest book to read I've ever owned. However the underlying message is still very good. The Inner Game of Tennis pretty much covers the same things, but doesn't really go into the scientific aspects. I like to know the reasoning behind things, so that's why I say they complement each other.

99 Critical Shots in Pool is also a good book. Ray Martin will tell you the same.
 
Jigger said:
IMO-----Small Motions was not for me, 2 pages of info stretched into a small book of psycho babble. Would rather scrape my fingernails on a chalk board all day than wade thru it again.

I've given away maybe 6 copies of "The 99 Critical Shots of Pool". :)
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Ray Martin has the 30th Anniversary Edition of The 99 Critical Shots available. IMO, it is my personal favorite - in the straight pool forum Ray was offering to sign copies - his Az screen name is "ghostball"
 
"Road Player" by Danny Deliberto is a good read in addition to all of the rest already suggested. Basically you can't go wrong with any story about pool.
 
Here's a gem for beginners and advanced players alike: Essential Pool: A Complete Course From A World Champion by Arthur "Babe" Cranfield and Laurence S. Moy.
 
Thanks!!

Thanks for all your input...I shall have a good time with my time off this year!! I must take vacation "use it or Lose it" from the 20th to the Second!!
Bluey2King
 
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