Overview

Destined to become the new poker classic, a must-read (Mike Sexton, top poker player and promoter), Ghosts at the Table is the games first definitive history. With verve and wit, internationally renowned poker personality Des Wilson traces pokers Wild West origins in Deadwood, South Dakota-where Wild Bill Hickok was said to have been shot holding aces and eights-to the annual World Series of Poker and amazing high-stakes games of modern-day Las Vegas. Its a story full of unforgettable characters-riverboat gamblers, Texas rounders, roadside hucksters, and living legends-who have helped make poker the worlds most popular game.

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9780306816284

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Reviews

A colorful classic...A remarkably thorough history of the game of poker...A must-read history-biography book...A book to relish and enjoy for the facts compiled, the questions answered, and as a resource to help you enjoy the game more than ever, as a player or observer. --CasinoGaming.com, 5/14/08 A long look at the history of one of the most popular card games of present day...For those whose eyes have ever stayed glued to a cable poker tourney, this book's a sure bet. --Bookgasm.com, 5/15/08 Wilson makes an elegant and entertaining case for the idea that poker's current popularity can be directly linked to its long and colorful history...Every time you sit down to play, you sit down with the 'ghosts at the table.' This book will teach you their names and their roles in the ongoing, endlessly fascinating history of poker. -- Card Player 5/21/08 An engaging narrative that occasionally resembles a whodunit -styled detective novel, with Wilson himself taking on the role of lead investigator...Wilson doesn't shy away from difficult or controversial subjects. --PokerNews.com 5/23/08 From the dusty roads of Tombstone and Deadwood to the early Vegas playing parlors to today's internet whiz kids, Des Wilson takes us on a colorful, interesting and well researched journey. His writing style--direct, no nonsense--is perfect for the history of a game--a high stakes game, indeed--where nonsense is clearly not tolerated. --Blogcritics.org 5/19/08 The saga of poker from its Wild West origins to today's show-biz scene in Las Vegas...Wilson concerns himself with contemporary as well as departed guests of the game...Wilson's time machine conveys him from the days of riverboatgambling to the age of cyber poker and all stops between. -- Magill Book Reviews The American Interest, November/December 2008 Not just a history of poker. Wilson's travels throughout America are as much a part of the book as the actual history of poker he relates...His autobiographical detours work...Wilson is a sympathetic character, as well--a legitimately nice guy, and it comes through.

A Brit's-eye view of America's favorite card game.Until the World Series of Poker came to widespread prominence two decades ago, few thought of poker as anything other than a good excuse to smoke cigars with their pals. But once Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan became international celebrities, poker became hip - or at least part of the mainstream. That, combined with the popularity of narrative nonfiction, meant it was only a matter of time before somebody took a shot at putting together a definitive history of poker. Interesting, then, that it would be a British scribe who decided to write in-depth about a game that is so uniquely American. London-based journalist Wilson (Swimming with the Devil Fish, 2007) is an unabashed poker connoisseur, and his unforced excitement moves the narrative along at a brisk clip. Chronicling poker's roots in Deadwood, S.D., the meteoric rise of the aforementioned World Series, the current omnipresence of online gambling and the exciting atmosphere in modern-day Las Vegas, Wilson delivers plenty of facts, figures and insights, all the while imparting a healthy amount of historical and cultural context. He puts himself in the story, a technique that for the most part works nicely, most notably during the lengthy sections on Brunson and old-school poker hero Benny Binion. The inherent problem with a poker book, even one as enthusiastic and detailed as this one, is the same inherent problem with watching poker on television: Unless you're a hardcore aficionado, things get a tad repetitive.Will have card sharks chomping at the bit, but casual players may remain content with the Tuesday night game at their buddy's. (Kirkus Reviews)

A colorful classic...A remarkably thorough history of the game of poker...A must-read history-biography book...A book to relish and enjoy for the facts compiled, the questions answered, and as a resource to help you enjoy the game more than ever, as a player or observer. --CasinoGaming.com, 5/14/08 <p> A long look at the history of one of the most popular card games of present day...For those whose eyes have ever stayed glued to a cable poker tourney, this book's a sure bet. --Bookgasm.com, 5/15/08 <p> Wilson makes an elegant and entertaining case for the idea that poker's current popularity can be directly linked to its long and colorful history...Every time you sit down to play, you sit down with the 'ghosts at the table.' This book will teach you their names and their roles in the ongoing, endlessly fascinating history of poker. -- Card Player 5/21/08 <p> An engaging narrative that occasionally resembles a whodunit -styled detective novel, with Wilson himself taking on the role of lead investigator...Wilson doesn't shy away from difficult or controversial subjects. --PokerNews.com 5/23/08 <p> From the dusty roads of Tombstone and Deadwood to the early Vegas playing parlors to today's internet whiz kids, Des Wilson takes us on a colorful, interesting and well researched journey. His writing style--direct, no nonsense--is perfect for the history of a game--a high stakes game, indeed--where nonsense is clearly not tolerated. --Blogcritics.org 5/19/08<br> <p> The saga of poker from its Wild West origins to today's show-biz scene in Las Vegas...Wilson concerns himself with contemporary as well as departed guests of the game...Wilson's time machine conveys him from the days of riverboatgambling to the age of cyber poker and all stops between. -- Magill Book Reviews<br> <p> <br> The American Interest, November/December 2008<br> Not just a history of poker. Wilson's travels throughout America are as much a part of the book as the actual history of poker he relates...His autobiographical detours work...Wilson is a sympathetic character, as well--a legitimately nice guy, and it comes through.

Author Information

Des Wilson, a former political activist and businessman, is today a journalist, well-known poker personality, and author of the highly acclaimed Swimming With the Devilfish. He lives in London.

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