Byrne's Book of Great Pool Stories [Paperback]

Robert Byrne (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 10, 1995

Robert Byrne provides drama, humor, and constant surprises in this first-ever collection of short stories about pool, billiards, and snooker. The writers have made excellent use of the short story form, approaching it - like a pool table - from every angle.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

George Plimpton, who knows a few things about sports writing, once observed that the smaller the ball, the better the writing, which tucks pool in there neatly between baseball and golf. With an anthology that racks up short stories by writers including Aleksandr Pushkin, Leo Tolstoy, Saki, John O'Hara, Wallace Stegner, and A. A. Milne (he was evidently as familiar with the corner pocket as he was with Pooh Corner), Byrne, a top pool player and prolific writer himself, runs the table with that small-ball theory. His compilation is consistently compelling; these 31 stories--some dark, some comic--all take their aim at the human condition, and hardly miscue.

From Library Journal

Starting with an 1829 short story by James Hall, Byrne covers 163 years of pool and billiards literature. There are tragic stories, comic tales, and even a Damon Runyanesque pastiche in an sf setting (Bill Pronzini's "The Hungarian Cinch"). As in most anthologies, the quality of the writing is variable. There are minor works by major literary figures (Leo Tolstoy, Alexander Pushkin) and famous works by lesser talents (Walter Tevis's classic "The Hustler"). Wallace Stegner's portrait of a dysfunctional father/son relationship ("The Blue-Winged Teal") and an Andrew Vachss tale of a hustler's revenge on his gambler boss ("Exit") are particularly outstanding. A solid addition for any library that collects short fiction or has an interest in sports fiction.?Terry Madden, Boise State Univ. Lib., Id.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books; 1 edition (November 10, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 015600223X
• ISBN-13: 978-0156002233
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #718,299 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting collection, May 28, 2008

By 

Michael J. Bauers - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Byrne's Book of Great Pool Stories (Paperback)

Perhaps the first thing to consider with this work is that the number of total pool related stories is low. So don't expect every story to be excellent or to be totally about pool. I am impressed Byrne found this many stories.

This is a great book for people who collect books on pool (such as myself.) There is nothing else like it.

I think there's enough stories in here, that most people would enjoy at least some of them. I was surprised at one negative review which dismissed the whole book. I thought the story "The crossroader" was almost worth the price of the book alone. Throw in the Walter Tevis stories (I seem to recall there being two,) and you should have little to complain about. I also loved the "sci-fi" story about the pool playing alien.

If you don't expect every story to be a classic story about high stakes pool matches or hustling, you should enjoy this.

Of course, it also helps to appreciate the short story as an art form unto itself.

If you don't have any pool stories, I suggest first buying Playing of the Rail as it's the best pool story I have ever read.

I have rated it 4 stars due to it's unique nature, and R. Byrne's hard work in actually finding enough pool stories to fill a book.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great Stories, But Forgot the POOL!!, August 31, 2005

By 

Brent Lantrip - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Byrne's Book of Great Pool Stories (Paperback)

I have read several books latley Hustler Days and Playing off the Rail to name a few. This book doesn't even belong in the same name as Pool. The Stories made no sense what so even. This book is made up of very short stories. The first one only mentioned pool because the background story took play by it. no ON IT!!

If someone offers you this Book to read RUN!!!

3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book of stories sure to amuse pool players everywhere, January 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Byrne's Book of Great Pool Stories (Paperback)

Being an avid pool player, I often look for books on the subject to take up the time when I can't play. Most of the stories in this book were well written and were very enjoyable. Granted, there were some stories that were not as good, but in any book of short stories, that is bound to be the case. Overall, the book was humorous, and I enjoyed reading it.