Poker Books Published in 2003

James McManus was sent to Las Vegas by Harper’s Magazine in the spring of 2000 to cover the World Series of Poker, focusing on two main stories: the progress of women in the $23 million event and the murder of the tournament’s prodigal host, Ted Binion, allegedly committed by a stripper and her boyfriend. Upon arriving, McManus finds himself drawn to the tables, compelled to risk his entire Harper’s advance in a long-shot attempt to participate in the tournament himself. In Positively Fifth Street, he provides a deliciously suspenseful account of the tournament, detailing the players, the intense hand-to-hand combat, and his own unlikely progress. McManus also captures the delightfully seedy carnival atmosphere that surrounds the event.

Poker is not just a widely loved game, it’s a universe filled with a variety of vibrant personalities, including professionals, amateurs, hustlers, and dreamers. This collection, akin to a royal flush, compiles short stories, essays, poems, and novel excerpts from a range of esteemed authors. These writers, from the Wild West era to the present day, have drawn from their personal encounters with the game. The compilation, titled ‘Read ‘Em and Weep’, is both entertaining and enlightening, making it a must-have. It features works by Nelson Algren, Andy Bellin, Anthony Holden, Katy Lederer, James Thurber, Barbara Tuchman, Billy Collins, Pete Dexter, Martin Amis, David Mamet, Herbert O. Yardley, A. and more.