by Michael Konik
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| List Price: | $14.95 |
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| Lowest New Price: | $3.62 |
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Product Description
Behind the scenes in the fascinating world of risk and reward. (SEE QUOTE.)
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Average Customer Review:
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
 The Greatest Gamble, 2007-05-29
I thought, when I began reading Michael Konik's books, that I would discover gambling stories: descriptions of cons, cheats, old and new games, great losses and winnings, and wily stratagems between the house and the man with a fake beard and a card counter in his boot. And all such stories are certainly there in clear and compelling form. But what I've come to find in book after book is that Konik is, at heart, a biographer. He's more interested in the man holding the hole card than the hole card itself. He wants to know why his subject is sitting at a green table rather than lecturing at a blackboard or curing pancreatic cancer. And although he presents these subjects with respect and even reverence, he presents them in the round, with beauty marks and warts, perfume and halitosis. They step from his pages alive and breathing. Surely, some of them distribute copies of his books inscribed with their own autographs, so proud they are of the portrait. Konik makes the mute sing and the paralytic dance, and his subjects must, as his editors must, love it.
Beyond all that, Konik presents himself as a flawed human being, as indeed we all are, however loathe we are to admit it. He imparts a great truth: "Lie in poker, but not in love." And he explains the penalties of ignoring such an admonition, as he experienced them personally. If this doesn't sound like any book you've ever read about gambling, be assured it certainly is not. Yes, it is about the rules of hold `em and the bizarre casinos of Macau, China, but it is also about life itself as the greatest gamble, and the odds of traversing it with soul intact.
0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
 Boring and usless, 2007-04-08
Sorry to say, but this book was a major dissapointment. The author tries to be too cute with his writing style. He uses all kinds of big words like 'quarom', quixotically', 'effete', 'de rigueur', etc. If I want a vocabulary lesson I'll buy a dictionary.
But worst of all, he gives so much usless information. One chapter guides you on setting up your own home poker game. (do I need help doing that?) He gives advice on how much to play for: "play for an amount that quickens your breath, but doesn't leave you breahless". No kidding! What useless info. Much of the book is like that. Big thumbs down for this book.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
A Great Writer, 2006-07-13
Been seeing Mr. Konik on TV for some time now commentating on the poker shows and was curious if his poker books are as knowlegdeable as he sounds when he's talking on TV. Well, to be blunt I'm not sure he's as much of an expert about the game as some of the other players out there with books and dvds etc. Meaning he never won any major tournaments that I can tell and I don't know if he has any great insight that you couldn't find in the average instructional book -- but there's a big difference in "Telling Lies and Getting Paid." Mr. Konik is a truly great writer, I would say the best by a long mile over anybody else trying to write about poker. I enjoyed his "Man With $100,000..." very much so I wasn't completely surprised by this sequel. The writing is even better I think.
Mr. Konik has a way of making you feel like you're right there in the middle of the action and you're feeling the emotions the author is experiencing. I was very moved by his account of playing in the World Series of Poker with a broken heart, which is something I don't reccommend doing! This book is not always easy to read. It's very honest and sometimes very moving. Sometimes it's funny. All the time it is a book to read over like you put on a favorite record. If you want truly great writing about gambling, this is the book.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Strong Stuff, 2006-06-29
No you won't learn how to play a small pair in early position from this book. This is all about the psychology and emotions of gambling. Konik is probably the best writer of all the gambling pundits when it comes to telling it like it is warts and all. A very honest book. You gotta feel for the guy even if he seems to get more women than the average poker player. He knows he's not that great of a player. He belongs on T.V. talking about the game not playing it.
The shorter stories about sports and blackjack are highly educational and amusing. Good chapter about "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."
This is the kind of book you can dip into a few chapters at a time in between watching Konik on T.V. acting like he knows what he's talking about. Mr. Konik, stick to writing. You're the best.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
One of the Best Books I've Ever Read, 2006-06-15
I was interested in this book after seeing the author on numerous television shows about gambling. Michael Konik has always been one of my favorite commentators about poker. He brings articulateness and humor to the game. I found these qualities in his writing. Some of his writing is laugh outloud funny and some of it is quite serious. He is more eloquent in print than he is on TV. "Telling Lies" is an incredible piece of writing. It's brutally honest almost painfully honest. I felt for the guy showing so much vulnerability. What's really great about this book is that it's about gambling and poker but it can be enjoyed by readers who don't have a lot of interest in those subjects. That's how good the writing is. A classic.
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