Books for the Pool Player: Novels

Sticks

by: Joan Bauer

Amazon Price: $1.85 (as of 06/03/2012)

This is a story about a fifth grader named Mickey Vernon, who is awesome at pool. However, his arch-nemesis, a seventh grader, is determined to beat him in the annual youth tournament. Read about Mickey's best friends, including a math genius and magician, help him find a way to compete. But then, Mickey sprains his wrist....

Stroke: A Novel

by: Carlos Ledson Miller

Amazon Price: $3.55 (as of 06/03/2012)

From the website, "Set on the Texas Gulf Coast, Stroke is the story of a young woman's quest to compete in the male-dominated world of professional pool. Sedonia Forbes was raised by a single-parent father, who fostered her athletic skills and encouraged her competitive nature. After graduating from college, she won the U.S. Women's Amateur Golf Championship and was heralded as an up-and-coming, female Tiger Woods."

Something Rising (Light and Swift) : A Novel

by: Haven Kimmel

Amazon Price: $8.45 (as of 06/03/2012)

This book is about Cassie Claiborne, who decides to pick up pool hustling when her father abandons her. As a result, her childhood was rather dark and left her living with her mother until she was 30. Upon her mother's death, however, she decides to head to New Orleans to discover her family's past. Publishers Weekly says, "Kimmel's characters are sympathetic and believable, and the author proves herself equally deft at conveying smalltown desolation and the physics of pool."

Rent this book from Booksfree.com. (What's Booksfree.com?)

The Pool Room

by: Sid Ragland

Amazon Price: $8.39 (as of 06/03/2012)

Take look inside high-stakes pool. You'll meet a variety of characters while they do what they do best. Can't give it away, but there's a surprise ending where you'll read about two strange occurrences. Enjoy!

The Color of Money

by: Walter Tevis

Amazon Price: $3.71 (as of 06/03/2012)

Who hasn't watched the movie adaption?

"Fast Eddie" Felson returns to the world of competitive pool after disappearing for 20 years to run a pool hall. When he gets back, however, he finds that lots of things have changed. 9-ball, straight pool, he needs to regain his skills in order to compete. This book is the sequel to The Huster. It's a pool hall classic.

Rent this book from Booksfree.com. (What's Booksfree.com?)

Runout: A Novel

by: Richard Koff

Amazon Price: $16.70 (as of 06/03/2012)

This book combines the excitement and intrigue of high roller pool with murder. A pool tournament is interrupted as a murder is discovered during it. When the police investigate, however, they find that the victim had enemies everywhere and everyone had a motive to kill him. Who murdered him? And who wins the tournament? The book has been favorably compared with The Huster.

The Hustler

by: Walter Tevis

Amazon Price: $8.29 (as of 06/03/2012)

Who hasn't seen this book's movie adaption?

This book introduces us to "Fast Eddie," a pool room hustler who goes from town to town taking money. He never loses a game until one day, when he meets Minnesota Fats. A dramatic book about a man losing and regaining his soul and self-esteem, this book is arguably the best billiards book ever written.

Rent this book from Booksfree.com. (What's Booksfree.com?)

Do It for the Game

by: Robert Campbell

Amazon Price: $39.95 (as of 06/03/2012)

From Amazon: "Brian Dwyer was living the good life with a beautiful family, a big house in the suburbs and a nice corporate job. Then, one by one, he lost everything. When he returns to his hometown to bury his father, he visits the pool hall and discovers some long forgotten lessons.

Meet the regulars at The Cue, an old time neighborhood pool hall. Join Weasel, Snake, Zig Zag, Al and the other colorful characters as they try to out hustle each other. Tag along to the tournaments and sweat the money games.

Come into The Cue, have a cold beer, watch some football and play a game of pool."

An Even Break

by: Sid Hite

Amazon Price: $3.50 (as of 06/03/2012)

Frisk Tilden is fatherless and poor, but he managed to get a job at the local pool hall. All the kids in the neighborhood envy this 12-year-old because one of the perks of the job is learning to play pool from the best player around. Follow along as Frisk goes from just any other kid to personable hero.

This book is recommended for ages 9-12.

Byrne's Book of Great Pool Stories

Amazon Price: $9.49 (as of 06/03/2012)

This book is a compilation of 31 short stories about billiards written by greats such as Aleksandr Pushkin, Leo Tolstoy, Saki, John O'Hara, Wallace Stegner, and A. A. Milne. In the 163 years of pool and billiards literature that is covered in this book, some stories are tragic and dark while others are light an humorous. This book would be a great addition to any short story collection.