Product Description

On his way to a master's in astrophysics, Andy Bellin made the mistake of falling in love with poker. Too many years down the line, he resurfaced from a life spent in high-rolling casinos and low-rent dives to tell us the tale. Part memoir, part expose, "Poker Nation" is a journey through the ups and downs of being a gambler, a trip to a world where the only thing "weirder than a poker player is the guy sitting next to him". This volume is a history of the world's most popular card game, a how-to-manual that can make readers better players and the story of one man's obsession.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #408316 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

About the Author
Andy Bellin is an editor at The Paris Review. He lives in New York City, where he can be found playing poker at least five nights a week.

Customer Reviews

Fun, interesting and informative
This book is a little difficult to categorise. It is not really an autobiography, it is not a poker 'how-to' manual although it does provide some interesting insights. So what is it? It seems to be a book about deciding to write a book.

Andy Bellin has a simple, easy to read prose style. The book proceeds at great pace mixing personal experiences and anecdotes very effectively, providing an interesting and illuminating insight into the world of poker and addiction. I was gripped from the first chapter and read the book very quickly. It is often funny, sometimes chilling and slightly scary but it always holds your interest. It is also thought provoking as it prompts readers to consider their own attitude to gambling and addiction in general.

Recommended.

Excellent read
Very good insider's view of the world of poker told by an apparently ordinary young man. We follow him through Vegas tournaments, speakeasy-type private clubs, and friends' kitchen table games as he attempts to keep control of his poker habit. Essentially an inside view of addiction. Funny. Sad. Slightly worrying. Many good anecdotes. Makes you reflect on your own attitude to gambling and other private addicitons.

Not just a great poker book -- a great book
Written for everybody from the card sharp to the total novice (like me). I could not get over how much I loved this book. Life lessons abound. It's like poker is the backdrop for Bellin's wit and charm. Buy it, read it, you'll love it.