Playing Off the Rail: A Pool Hustler's Journey

Playing Off the Rail: A Pool Hustler's Journey
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Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
Average Customer Rating: Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5Average rating of 4.5/5

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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 794.72092
EAN: 9780380729234
ISBN: 0380729237
Label: Harper Paperbacks
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 384
Publication Date: 1997-04-01
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Release Date: 1997-04-01
Studio: Harper Paperbacks
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Editorial Reviews:

At the age of 17, David McCumber was stricken with "road fever" that irresistible call to the itinerant life of a professional gambler. Twenty-two years later, he got the chance to follow that dream-not as a player but as the "stakehorse" (financial backer) for Tony Annigoni, a non-smoking, macrobiotic-eating "Renaissance Pool Hustler," student of Eastern religion, and master of the pure green-felt poetry of the dead stroke." With $27,000 in David's pocket they took off together on an astonishing four-month odyssey across America-traveling from seedy, hole-in-the-wall billiard parlors to high-class snooker rooms to high-tension pro tourneys, from Seattle to Miami and back again-exploring a shady twilight subculture and uniquely American mythos, in search of serious money, local glory...and the perfect hustle.
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5
Summary: Gritty and Real
Comment: A fantastic insight into the sordid life of pool hustling. McCumber paints a fantastic picture of the dark and smoky, dangerous world of urban poolrooms, dive bars, and their clientele. He delves also into the subtleties of the modern game and the juxtaposition with historic people and places.

In the vein of "Gonzo Journalism" Mccumber has written a book that is certainly appreciated by anyone interested in the various games of pool and billiards, but uses enough imagery and verbiage to capture even those with a smattering of insight of the game.
Customer Rating: Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5
Summary: Takes one back to the "good old days"....
Comment: Having found this book in a WSJ review on the top 5 gambling books, I elected to order. I had spent two high school years in "small town america" in the 60's, where one of the major local activities was "Drew's pool hall". Looking back, I see alot of similarities in McCumber's book. The "stale cigar smoke, the stale aspirations of old men,the rebellious 8th graders slouched eating slim jims"....and the 9 ball table at the front near the bar where all the real action was.

What other game gives you colorfull names like Bucktooth (the "Tooth"), Kamikazie Bob, Waterdog, among many others?

McCumber takes us on a whirlwind tour of the U.S. and Canada with one pool player (hustler?) and one money staker, McCumber himself. The locations and pool games are timeless and one has to wonder if this tradition continues today.
Customer Rating: Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5
Summary: Fun...eye opening
Comment: A bit draggy at first but its well worth sticking with for all the action later. As hilarious as the betting is outragious its an eye opening experience for the non-gambler.
Customer Rating: Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5
Summary: Some fine shots
Comment: Very enjoyable read. Well-written, moves along, lots of good humor mixed with a longing for the glory days of the great pool rooms and the legendary hustlers, some of whom make appearances here.
Certainly one of the great pool books but not as amusing as Fat's autobiography, which is so funny it's in a league of its own.
Still, McCumber has some great moments, and this is well worth the time if you've ever thought you knew how to shoot some pool.
Customer Rating: Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5
Summary: a wonderful escape
Comment: This was a blast to read, very difficult to put down.
I laughed out loud, I felt I was traveling right there with them-- a very cool book I highly recommend.
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