“Another ambitious work of nonfiction that seeks to use poker as a window into matters of history and philosophy” —The Rumpus
“He puts his poetry skills to excellent use, spinning out language that is often beautiful and evocative. The book is not just about his son’s competitive gambling career; it’s also a poetic memorial to the poignant moments in his life, his son’s life and their shared life.” —Kirkus
“Haxton delivers a thoughtful and gripping memoir… Haxton weaves the events leading to his son’s poker winnings with heartfelt accounts of various earlier times… Haxton nicely touches on the mathematics and psychology of poker playing…. [H}is gift for the poetic and lyrical shines, as he presents highly sympathetic descriptions of the denizens of casinos around the world where the various tournaments he describes are located.” —Publishers Weekly
“… this tale is not just for gamblers. It is for anyone who likes to think about ‘how to make luck happen’.” —Booklist
“Loved the book—gave a sad groan when I saw I was out of pages—hugely compelling, kind, witty—an utterly charming & frank voice.” —George Saunders
“I was knocked out by the narrative power and polymath brilliance, the elliptical beauty and elegance of thought inside a story with great momentum. It’s a book about child rearing, money in absentia and in abundance, poker, the nature of chance, the psychology of deception … I can see this being a cult hit.” —Mary Karr
Praise for Brooks Haxton’s work:
“A poetic voice very much his own: laconic yet intense, sceptical yet devout, rich in plangency and in praise.” —Harold Bloom
“Extraordinary … strikingly original, rich, comic, and beautiful in the use of language.” —Walker Percy
“The best translations from Greek poetry we have seen yet. Such juice, splendor, gall and melancholy, sweeping over the centuries to, simply enough, engulf and drown us in beauty.” —Jim Harrison
QUICK VIEW
