Color of Money: the Book!!!

[cuechick]

I woke up at 5am and had to finish it...this book was astounding to me. Even better than "The Hustler", which I loved as well. The author Walter Tevis knows his pool but is also a great writer. He paints a compelling portrait of the man we all know as Fast Eddie, Eddie Felson.
And in this sequel, written 20 years after the original, you get into the head of man, once a young talent, now an aging legend.
His struggle with regret and years lost is gripping. As a pool player it is just like candy, so good you can not stop.
The most interesting thing is how little the movie version used of this story...actually not a thing other than the main character. There is no Tom Cruise or his girlfriend. It is a completely different story. I loved it and feel if you love this game you owe it to yourself to read both these books.

xox,
Cuechick

 

[smittie1984]

I don't know if I could read "The Color of Money". Even if there is no Tom Cruise the last thought I need for the day is Tom Cruise spinning that Joss around.

Also I think I would never sleep because I would get up and go to a pool hall.

But I might have to check it out someday.

 

[penguin]

Color of Money: the Book?

The most interesting thing is how little the movie version used of this story...actually not a thing other than the main character. There is no Tom Cruise or his girlfriend. It is a completely different story. I loved it and feel if you love this game you owe it to yourself to read both these books.

I've seen the movie, The Color of Money, but haven't read the book yet. I saw this on eBay but from the cover it looks like this book is based on the movie... or are there 2 versions out?

I'd like to make sure I get the version without Tom Cruise.

 

[ironman]

I've seen the movie, The Color of Money, but haven't read the book yet. I saw this on eBay but from the cover it looks like this book is based on the movie... or are there 2 versions out?

I'd like to make sure I get the version without Tom Cruise.

The book, gives the movie, the 7, 8, and the break!

 

[cuesmith]

The book, gives the movie, the 7, 8, and the break!

maybe the 6 too!

I read the book before the movie came out and was disappointed that the movie did not follow the story line of the book at all! It was a completely different story! I'm not saying that the movie didn't have some good points, but it wasn't even close to the story told in the book. Read the book, it's very good and it's not like you'll already know how it ends, just because you saw the movie! They're not even similar!


Just more hot air!


Sherm

 

[toomanybugs]

Read the book for the story and imagery. See the movie for the photography and the music. You can't always get it right? But maybe you can? Only you can be the judge. They both have to be judged on there own merit. Only one can be the classic, the other is just art.

 

[ironman]

maybe the 6 too!

I read the book before the movie came out and was disappointed that the movie did not follow the story line of the book at all! It was a completely different story! I'm not saying that the movie didn't have some good points, but it wasn't even close to the story told in the book. Read the book, it's very good and it's not like you'll already know how it ends, just because you saw the movie! They're not even similar!


Just more hot air!


Sherm

You are so correct.
Having met Walter Tevis and knowing what the book meant to him, the Movie was one of the biggest disappointments as far as things like this go. Mr Tevis would have been unhappy with the end result as well.
As they say though, That's Hollywood. The dollar is often the end result.

 

[jay helfert]

The Color Of Money

First of all, the book came first. Martin Scorcese bought the rights to the book and brought Richard Price in to write the script. When he was done, Paul Newman didn't like it and convinced Scorcese to have a completely new story made using only the title, which they both liked.
Newman worked closely with Price creating the story line which was used in the movie. He probably could have gotten a co-writing credit for the screenplay.
I was disappointed in the movie because, like so many others, i felt Tevis' story was so compelling. Newman and Price's version of The Color Of Money was more like a remake of The Hustler with Newman playing the George C. Scott character (the role Newman savored and won an Oscar for). But it paled in comparison to the original which remains one of the all time movie classics. The character studies in The Hustler remain among the best ever put on the big screen.
i highly recommend this book as it is one more example of the tremendous writing talent of Walter Tevis. Few people know that Tevis also wrote "The Man Who Fell To Earth", another great work of fiction. His total body of work includes only seven novels, of which five became bestsellers.

 

[cuechick]

I've seen the movie, The Color of Money, but haven't read the book yet. I saw this on eBay but from the cover it looks like this book is based on the movie... or are there 2 versions out?

I'd like to make sure I get the version without Tom Cruise.

As long as it is by Walter Tevis than it should be the same book I just read, they just did that cover to sell copies. I also have a different version with a pic from the movie on the cover...

 

[cuechick]

i highly recommend this book as it is one more example of the tremendous writing talent of Walter Tevis. Few people know that Tevis also wrote "The Man Who Fell To Earth", another great work of fiction. His total body of work includes only seven novels, of which five became bestsellers.

I just started another of his books, The Queen's Gambit, I am only a few pages in but he has me hooked. He is a great writer, and even you do not like pool I think you would like The Color of Money.
That is very interesting about Newman's influence? He was also 11 years older than the character in the book. Oddly enough I caught the last half of it on TV Sunday and I think there are some great moments in the film and it is beautifully photographed but the book is like a whole nother animal.

 

[Str8PoolMan]

I just started another of his books, The Queen's Gambit, I am only a few pages in but he has me hooked. He is a great writer, and even you do not like pool I think you would like The Color of Money.
That is very interesting about Newman's influence? He was also 11 years older than the character in the book. Oddly enough I caught the last half of it on TV Sunday and I think there are some great moments in the film and it is beautifully photographed but the book is like a whole nother animal.

The Queen's Gambit is fine piece of literature. Even if you are not a chess fan, or don't know how to play the game, I think you will enjoy it. Tevis' character development is first rate. He weaves a compelling tale of tribulation and triumph.

 

[vader93490]

I've seen the movie, The Color of Money, but haven't read the book yet. I saw this on eBay but from the cover it looks like this book is based on the movie... or are there 2 versions out?

I'd like to make sure I get the version without Tom Cruise.

I don't think that there are two versions of the book. The paperback printing that I have of the book has Tom Cruise on the cover & it was the original story with "Fast Eddie" & "Minnesota Fats".

It's a shame in my opinion that the book's plotline wasn't used at all in making the film. Perhaps Hollywood will use a good portion of the book's timeline & use some professional players again if the film is re-made in the future.

 

[cuesmith]

I don't think that there are two versions of the book. The paperback printing that I have of the book has Tom Cruise on the cover & it was the original story with "Fast Eddie" & "Minnesota Fats".

.

There were not different versions of the inside of the book, just the cover. The later editions had pictures, from the movie, on the cover, that were not in any way related to the printed matter within! I think I have three different cover designs in my pool library. Same story within, completely different from the movie version!


just more hot air!


Sherm