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Running the Table: The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last Great American Pool Hustler
From a popular senior writer for Sports Illustrated comes this high-stakes, boys-on-the-road story about the most unlikely of phenoms--a heavyset, bipolar, and endlessly charming pool hustler named Kid DeliciousIn most sports the pinnacle is Wheaties-box notoriety. But in the world of pool, notoriety is the last thing a hustler desires. Such is the dilemma that faces one D...more
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
October 9th 2007
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
(first published October 2nd 2007)
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I have had the good fortune to meet Danny Basavich at the Ocean State 9-Ball Championship in Providence, RI about 3 years ago. He really is a nice guy, who takes time to chat with us regular people while not playing world class pool. I did not have the opportunity to watch him hustle, although watching him beat top-class pros was almost as good.
I play some pool myself, and am somewhat immersed in the subculture. For me, the book was a lot of fun, very accurate in its portrayal of poo...more
I play some pool myself, and am somewhat immersed in the subculture. For me, the book was a lot of fun, very accurate in its portrayal of poo...more
This story fascinated me from the moment I heard the main character interviewed on NPR. Now that I've read the book, I can't believe I'd never heard of the pool subculture -- which is an industry unto itself. Then again, after reading about the characters in this world, it's clear that ain't my scene.
Random thoughts:
- The story centers on Kid Delicious, a lovable and sympathetic character whose life is a struggle on so many levels that when he has success you feel great f...more
Random thoughts:
- The story centers on Kid Delicious, a lovable and sympathetic character whose life is a struggle on so many levels that when he has success you feel great f...more
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Following the death of Paul Newman, potentially anti-American controversy surrounding the Nobel Prize in Literature, and the eventual prize going to a Frenchman, it’s time for aspiring American writers to turn their focus to pool hustling.
I don’t know why you’d pick up Running the Table by L. Jon Wertheim unless you’re a pool aficionado such as myself.
Which is too bad because the world of pool is a fascinating one. More of a cultish hobby than a sport sadly; pool is as in...more
I don’t know why you’d pick up Running the Table by L. Jon Wertheim unless you’re a pool aficionado such as myself.
Which is too bad because the world of pool is a fascinating one. More of a cultish hobby than a sport sadly; pool is as in...more
I heard this interview with Kid Delicious on NPR and was intrigued. He was very open about being Bi-Polar as well as Pool Hustling skills. I believe, though, it was just his tone and affability that made me want to read this book.
I am not disappointed. Not only does the book talk about Kid Delicious and his life, but it goes into the history/details of pool hustling. It's a life that one knew vaguely existed but never to this extent. I also did not realize that it's a dying sport, wh...more
I am not disappointed. Not only does the book talk about Kid Delicious and his life, but it goes into the history/details of pool hustling. It's a life that one knew vaguely existed but never to this extent. I also did not realize that it's a dying sport, wh...more
This is a really great read. If you like pool or the gambling scene, it really is a great look into how the idea of a traveling "hustler" has come to end. The book follows the life of Danny "Kid Delicious" Basavich. His run as a traveling player in the early 90's is considering one of the last great runs. The traveling players have since become to easily recognizable in the age of social networking sites and the internet. They become too well known too fast. I found it ...more
I got this book for Christmas and, once I started reading it, I could hardly put it down. More than a sports biography, this book gave me an excellent look at the world of pool hustling circa the turn of the current century. There was much to like: the descriptions of the pool halls; details regarding how hustlers move from locale to locale, looking for action; the incredible wagers these guys make over various billiards games AND props like coin flips; the dedication many of these hustlers ha...more
It's hard to believe that a tale about a local kid from NJ about pool would be so compelling but, as I learned from Strokes of Genius, Wertheim really knows how to tell a story. I blew threw this book in a few days because Wertheim really keeps the story going. By the end, I really cared about Kid Delicious and hope that he has found his way.
Wertheim is turning out to be one of my very favorite authors.
Wertheim is turning out to be one of my very favorite authors.
This is a great non fiction book for someone who takes an avid interest in pool. If you are not a self proclaimed addict of pool, this is not the story for you. It is very repetitive, but the tales... my oh my. I gota pratice more! It truely awakens the hustler in you!
A well-written account of Kid Delicious, possibly the last, great pool hustler. Internet has really killed the ability of a hustler to drift from state to state taking mark's money.
Fantastic. So much better than McCumber's Playing Off The Rail it's not even funny. Up there with Hustlers, Beats and Other as the best pool book I've read.
Gary Blum
added it
An enjoyable read about the life of a pool hustler that happened to originate from the town over from where I grew up.
Drew
added it
Running the Table: The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last Great American Pool Hustler by L. Jon Wertheim (2007)
As an avid player myself I really enjoyed this account. Quite the character that kid.
Why I like stories about Pool, I don't know. But I do. This is a story similar to that told in the movie The Hustler, but this is real and actually more compelling than the movie. And just like life, this book ends without any sense of completion, which is due to the fact that Kid Delicious is very young and still alive. I don't believe that the title is completely accurate, as I fully expect that there will always be Pool Hustlers, they will just have to maintain a lower profile than Dave d...more
Better then Positively Fifth Street and Bringing Down the House. Really interesting look at the seedy underground world of a road hustler. It takes all the glitz and glamour out of that Newman/Cruise movie The Color of Money and restores it to its proper place and context. A must read for anyone who loves gambling( for lack of a better word) literature.
Totally fascinating--especially for a boring, straight-laced librarian. I'm rooting for a pro tour not run by Kevin Trudeau so Kid Delicious can make money doing what he loves.
Aerials
added it
Well written overview of the United States pool culture in the recent past. Told in a very readable style as the true story of "Kid Delicious" a road hustler and tournament player.
Quick entertaining read that takes you to pool halls all over the country...rooting for a real life hustler and enjoying the ride.
An interesting story but a pretty superficial report on the man's life. Overall a big pile of meh.
A friggin enthralling story. I'll be amazed if this isn't a movie opening by 2009.
Bringing Down the House for Pool. Loads of fun, unique people
Pool sharks, gambling, hustling ... and a trip to Fargo.
Pool hustling in the internet world. A good read.
Boring book
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