Famous Gamblers & Poker History: Texas Hold'em Legends, Stories & Strategies | Casino Nights & Poker Tournaments

Some books are dull, overly-long, and a chore to read. Some books are so interesting and fun that one cannot wait to turn the page to see what else the author has in store for the dazzled reader. "Famous Gamblers, Poker History, and Texas Stories" by Johnny Hughes is both interesting and fun to read. Mr. Hughes has lived in several exotic worlds during his eclectic lifetime: He has been a professional gambler, been in the music business at the highest levels, is a fine historian, has a Ph.D, has been a college professor, and is a fine writer. The book starts out with some very fine contemporary poker history. Mr. Hughes was there to see it all firsthand. He writes of Benny Binion, Amarillo Slim, and Johnny Moss, among a host of others. He has been "throwed in the poky" a number of times during his gambling career. His words have the ring of truth to them. He then moves on to some of the legends from the past: Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and Bat Masterson, just to name a few. He is a well-researched historian and those old stories are a pleasure to read. The last part of his excellent book deals with his music interests and general themes. Elvis, Buddy Holly, Joe Ely, and the infamous Cotton Club in Lubbock, Texas are but a few of his subjects. Once again, he was there in person to add veracity and an "on-the-scene" spirit to the story-telling. Mr. Hughes has written for a wide variety of magazines and reviews. One of my favorite chapters is entitled "The Passing of Texas Culture," a bitter-sweet encomium to the older ways of living that can probably never be achieved ever again. All in all, if a reader wants a fun book with many varied aspects to the lively writing, Johnny Hughes gets a solid recommendation from this reader. (The reviewer is a former book reviewer for The Dallas Morning News)