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Cowboys Full: The Story Of Poker (2009)

by James McManus(Favorite Author)

3.54 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0374299242 (ISBN13: 9780374299248)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

review 1: Had to give this one up about half way through. I play poker every day and totally relate to the poker-as-a-mirror-for-everyday-life premise. Poker has taught me a lot about my own character. I did not realize until trying to read this book that I just don't care about the history of the game, its prominence in influential circles, or the seemingly endless anecdotes and stories that the author theorizes are the bedrock of American culture, politics and society. This overestimation of the game's importance was just too much for me. As far as writing style, it is clear to me that the author is head over heels into poker lore, however insignificant, and stretches every little factoid into half a chapter. Good reading material before a nice sound sleep.
review 2:... more The problem I had with this book is that it could be divided into two parts. In large sections he is making grand pronouncements about how people in America have a poker mentality when dealing with non-poker issues. I find this to be a bit of a stretch and really kind of distracting. On the other hand, the sections where he is actually dealing with the history of poker or the current state of poker were great and entertaining. They were informative but engaging and made me think of the writing he did in "Positively Fifth Street" that I liked so much. less

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