BYRNE'S BOOK OF GREAT POOL STORIES

Masters of the written word chalk up their cues.

As George Plimpton once suggested, when it comes to writing about sports, the
smaller the ball the better the writing. That would explain why there's so much
good writing about golf and baseball, so little about football and basketball. And
since pool and billiard balls fall somewhere in size between golf balls and base-
balls, it only follows that writing about cue games is terrific.
Robert Byrne provides ample confirmation of Plimpton's theory in this first-ever
collection of short stories about pool, billiards, and snooker. From Leo Tolstoy to
Andrew Vachss, writers have been attracted to "the green island of high serious-
ness" because of the colorful characters, the skill of the players, the mystique of
sharks and gamblers, and the addictive nature of the game. Short story writers
have made especially good use of the material, approaching it-like a pool
table-from every angle: the ego clashes, the posturing, the desperate scams,
the joy of being "hot." With its drama, humor, and constant surprises (including
a science fiction selection), this book will delight fans of lively writing, especially
those who have tried to bank the eight in the side.