Playing Off the Rail

A beautiful story, v well told with a quite exquisite dialog between the pool hustler and his backer.Just a joy .. if u like pool/gambling, read it.Highly recommended.

softback, 366 pages,good size print.18 chapters.Author David McCumber brings to life the world of the pool hustler.An absolutely rivetting read.It goes on the shelf next to 'Hustler Days' 'The Hustler' and 'The Color of Money'.Highly Recommended.

Gift for xmas

Incredible story. Loved it .

Having found this book in a WSJ review on the top 5 gambling books, I elected to order. I had spent two high school years in "small town america" in the 60's, where one of the major local activities was "Drew's pool hall". Looking back, I see alot of similarities in McCumber's book. The "stale cigar smoke, the stale aspirations of old men,the rebellious 8th graders slouched eating slim jims"....and the 9 ball table at the front near the bar where all the real action was.What other game gives you colorfull names like Bucktooth (the "Tooth"), Kamikazie Bob, Waterdog, among many others?McCumber takes us on a whirlwind tour of the U.S. and Canada with one pool player (hustler?) and one money staker, McCumber himself. The locations and pool games are timeless and one has to wonder if this tradition continues today.