Favorite books

When I posted photos of my poker bookshelves, somebody requested in the comments that I list my top five. I started to put it together, but found that I couldn't. So I decided on a top ten list instead. That was too hard, too. I did finally manage to narrow it down to a top 15.

Note that these aren't necessarily the best books I have. Instead, my criterion was this: If I had read all of the poker books I already own (I haven't--not by a long shot), which ones woud I most look forward to reading again? Take, for example, David Sklansky's Theory of Poker. It's one of the most educational books you can read on the subject of poker. But it's hard work and deadly dull. It's like eating your vegetables--good for you, but not enjoyable. If anybody has ever actually enjoyed reading it, I'd wonder what was wrong with him. Not all of those listed here are fun, but those that couldn't be called fun at least were so informative, so full of new insights, that I lapped them up eagerly.

These are in no particular order. What's more, if you asked me in, say, a month to make this list again, it might turn out different. This is a fairly arbitrary choice based on today's mood.


Read 'Em and Weep, John Stravinsky

Aces and Kings: Inside Stories and Million-Dollar Strategies from Poker's Greatest Players, Michael Kaplan and Bran Reagan

The Professional Poker Dealer's Handbook, Dan Paymar, Donna Harris, and Mason Malmuth

The Best Hand I Ever Played: 52 Winning Poker Lessons from the World's Greatest Players, Steve Rosenbloom

Professional Poker: The Essential Guide to Playing for a Living, Mark Blade

Caro's Most Profitable Hold'em Advice, Mike Caro (This was AWOL from my photos, which I noticed only when searching for this list. I thought I had gathered them all in, but this one was hiding under a pile of papers. Oops.)

Phil Gordon's Little Green Book, Phil Gordon

Fighting Fuzzy Thinking in Poker, Gaming & Life, David Sklansky

Positively Fifth Street, James McManus

The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King: Inside the Richest Poker Game of All Time, Michael Craig

Cooke's Rules of Real Poker, Roy Cooke and John Bond (I'm afraid this really exposes what a sicko I am, to put a rule book on my favorites list.)

The Tao of Poker: 285 Rules to Transform Your Game and Your Life, Larry W. Phillips

The Making of a Poker Player: How an Ivy League Math Geek Learned to Play Championship Poker, Matt Matros

The Book of Bluffs: How to Bluff and Win at Poker, Matt Lessinger

Ace on the River: An Advanced Poker Guide, Barry Greenstein (This, too, was AWOL from the photos. It's oversized and doesn't fit on those shelves.)