I've had/owned/borrowed a bunch. IMO you are WAY better off just playing and watching videos of great players. 99 Critical Shots and Bankin' with The Beard have some good info but a lot of them are confusing and a waste of time. I actually liked Pleasures of Small Motions. Nothing groundbreaking but to me it was good. To be brutally honest i've never met one good player that learned a damn thing from a pool book. They all took the game up, practiced, gambled, etc. On the job training is the best in this game.
Good Books to Learn From
- Thread starter hclopez13
- Start date
SeniorTom
Well-known member
Yes, I believe you are accurate, for the most part. Probably what would be even better is having an instructor you could work with to hash out stroke problems or how to work the cue ball around, and maybe a book would be good to add onto what you already know or have questions about. I don't think books are a complete waste of time, but I wonder if some people read them to obtain a quick fix to problems they might have. Pool is a challenging sport when competing against experience players, there isn't really a quick fix too much of anything at that level.
I'm only referring to top players i've known/met. I will confidently state that very few, if any, of them learned anything pool related from a book. Hell, a few of them would have been hard-pressed to spell 'dog'.
Paul_#_
Well-known member
The title to that book suggests its just a description of shots. It is presented as a way of learning pool and is more than just how to do 99 shots. Anyone proficient in pool has learned these shots although they may have stumbled upon them over many years and discussions. This is superior to learning by happenstance.
I’ve heard many pool players in the past recommend “The Inner Game of Tennis” for the mental side of the game. I wonder if the author got the idea from that book.
I have two of his print books. Reasonably well done, nothing remarkable. There are some errors and some things I don't agree with.
I have "The Inner Game of Tennis", "A Mind for Pool", "The Pleasures of Small Motions" "I Came to Win" by the Monk and others. I never got a lot out of any of them. Psychobabble. The best way to focus is to gamble at slightly above whatever your comfort level is or play tournaments against good opponents. And know your limits. Or simply accept this pastime as a game and don't give it a thought. After 50 plus years of pool, I know where I am on the pecking order. And it is on the lower end. Not interested in sleeping in my car like some I have known over the years.
Obviously finding a great stroke mechanic instructor is the number one way to
Improve that part of anyone’s game. Few of those people exist here in America. If you can afford one and find one for sure the fastest way to improve.
35 years ago I took lessons from some of the highest ball runners in this country. None of those three great players addressed what I now know to have been a really poor stroke. They just had no awareness of stroke mechanics from a teaching standpoint.
They used words like “ let the stick do the work” Perhaps today some are more in tune as to how to verbally explain proper mechanics - like Mark Wilson does in his book.
Improve that part of anyone’s game. Few of those people exist here in America. If you can afford one and find one for sure the fastest way to improve.
35 years ago I took lessons from some of the highest ball runners in this country. None of those three great players addressed what I now know to have been a really poor stroke. They just had no awareness of stroke mechanics from a teaching standpoint.
They used words like “ let the stick do the work” Perhaps today some are more in tune as to how to verbally explain proper mechanics - like Mark Wilson does in his book.
I liked it also, but I've had a top instructor years ago say there's some errors in it. I haven't read it in over 20 years so I just might have to read it again.
“Pool is a game of stances and bridges.” Lou Butera
I’ve always recommended watching good players in person. Try to find one that has a style you like and try to copy him/her.
Jerry Breisath!
So your “opinion” boils down to: these books are worthless, and after 50 years you’ve settled for the bottom of the pecking order. That’s a confession - nothing wrong with where you’re at, but giving up on improving is not the kind of roadmap others are looking for when it comes to “Good Books to Learn From“
So what is your advice? I’m not sure I want to know.
Paul_#_
Well-known member
Mark Wilson' Play Great Pool is not available now according to Amazon and BookFinder.Com :
VTEC John
Active member
It appears that Wilson's book is available at his website playgreatpool.com. That's where I got it a while back.
Paul_#_
Well-known member
You don't want to know LOL. I am not "advising" anyone. My opinion on these mental side books is just my opinion. I play good players sometimes approaching 700 Fargo. If I lose it is not because I got the yips. It is because they are good or I missed shots. And I don't worry about a hobby which is not paying my bills. I seriously doubt there are any top players that are hunched over studying books about anything. Especially mental aspect. They are playing and competing. I like books that deal with learning shots, games I have not played extensively, pattern play and stories. But you are probably right. I am long past getting worried about getting dramatically better and for sure not from a book. I should not have posted on this thread as you imply. Your point is well taken. Have a good one.
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
No, but as a cheapskate myself, this is the most valuable pool book I own. It's easily the best bang for your buck.
Sometimes copies come up on eBay or the For Sale forum here.