Playing Off the Rail: A Pool Hustler's Journey

In late 1992, McCumber (X-Rated) became the ``stakehorse'' for his friend Tony Annigoni, owner of a San Francisco poolroom and a player of championship caliber. In that role, McCumber put up the money whenever Annigoni played and they split the winnings. This account of their cross-country odyssey will be appreciated by pool fanatics, but even those unfamiliar with the game will enjoy it if they can get past the heavy jargon. The world of the pool hustler is sui generis, McCumber shows, and it's primarily a gambler's world because, for most, money, not pool, is the name of the game. But like players in any other sport, these men (and, recently, women) must have the ability to bounce back from crushing defeat and start another contest with the right mental set (McCumber terms it ``reinventing the self''), so the book offers some psychological insights as well. Author tour. (Jan.)