Books when playing?

I know a lot of us listen to music while playing poker but when I am just playing one MTT I sometimes like to get into a book (the kind without pictures).

When there is little to do a lot of the time I find it stops me playing marginal hands that would otherwise lead to bleeding chips away.

I know there is a lot to be said about watching the table dynamics and keeping an eye on who is doing what but sometimes not paying attention and just playing the cards you are dealt can work too. Especially online!

Currently I am reading and a series of books I discovered when I was about 17 and have have probably read them about 4 times.

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever by Stephen Donaldson. There are two trilogies, first chronicles and obviously the second chronicles. Antone into the Lord of the Rings styleee will probably enjoy these books. There is quite a bit which is adapted from Tolkein but it is much more readable than old JRR ever was.

Anyone got any good ones to recommend?

I've always read a lot, including whilst playing mtt's. In the days of laddies annual leaderboard i'd read pretty much all day, unless i went over say 5 or 6 tables.

At the mo I read about 3-4 books a week, so all suggestions welcome! I've read and own most poker books, but mainly read fiction, particular favourites include:

Humour - Robert Rankin, Terry Pratchett, Ben elton, christopher brookmyre, Jasper Fjorde, Malcolm Price

Fantasy - KJ Parker (Engineer trilogy is awesome), Terry Brooks, Scott lynch

Crime/horror/murder - Patricia cornwell, Tess geritsen, agatha christie, Peter James, Mark Billingham, simon kernick, karin slaughter, PJ Tracy

contemporary/other - Kevin Sampson - brilliant, Iann Banks, Martin Amis, Michael Crichton

Dont read much scifi these days, used to love isaac asimov tho as a kid, and John Courtenay Grimwood is excellent.

I love it when you read something good, and realise the author has written 10 other books, so youve got a whole new load of things to read

just finished rereading the Lee Child "Jack Reacher" series - theres about 12, i own 11, and it took 2 weeks lol - very easy reading, but great reads.

My favourite book ever is prob Money by martin amis, or "The book of ultimate truths" by Robert Rankin.

Favourite series would be the engineer trilogy by KJ Parker, or Pratchetts discworld.

Best book i've read this year is "The lies of Locke Lamora" by scott lynch

Fair few there for me to try out, cheers m8.

All time favourite has to be To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. I read it at school and have read it a few times since. I guess it was the first ever book I really got engrossed in and for that reason it will be tough to shift it from my top spot.

Must admit to enjoying the Harry Potter series and also the Northern Lights trilogy (The Golden Compass).

I don't read as many biographies but one I did read recently which was thoroughly enjoyable was Steve Martins. Highly recommended.

yup the Harry potter series is a must-read, the films are dire in comparison.

And yes the northern lights series was great, though It's always a disappointment when the first book of a series is the best one.

Really hate biographies in general, although the Stu Ungar one was good. Autobiographies are particularly irritating imo, especially the current habit of "writing" them (I use the term very lightly) before you're old. For instance, Fernando Torres' is out soon I believe, he must be what, 17? lol.

knew I'd forget hundred's of authors, but can't leave out Irvine Welsh - awesome.

wildrick wrote:yup the Harry potter series is a must-read, the films are dire in comparison.

And yes the northern lights series was great, though It's always a disappointment when the first book of a series is the best one.

Really hate biographies in general, although the Stu Ungar one was good. Autobiographies are particularly irritating imo, especially the current habit of "writing" them (I use the term very lightly) before you're old. For instance, Fernando Torres' is out soon I believe, he must be what, 17? lol.

I thought The Subtle Knife was best of the 3 in the Nothern Lights trilogy.

Although I enjoyed them overall I thought the last one was a huge let down.

It reminded me of It by Steven King. Not in the content at all but in the fact that I thought "It" was a sensational read right up to the end part where he seemed to run out of ideas and just made "It" a giant freakin spider! One of the worst endings to a book I have ever read.

2 of my fave authors are Harlan Coben and Karin Slaughter

May I humbly suggest -

"Generation Kill" by Evan Wright.

&

"One Bullet Away" by Nathaniel Fricke.

I just wish I could read at more than 1 page a minute. I started reading Prattchet about 2 years ago and I'm only up to "Eric".

MADV wrote:I just wish I could read at more than 1 page a minute. I started reading Prattchet about 2 years ago and I'm only up to "Eric".

Feck just wish I could read !

Feck just wish I could read !

khenny wrote:

Feck just wish I could read !

Indeed, lol.

D

Appreciate your point Decision but if I am playing maybe 2 tables and dipping in and out of a book would I be giving less attention to the tables I am playing than someone who multi tables 8, 9 or more tables in a session?

Can they really be giving their best attention to every table they are playing?

The whole point about playing good poker and getting your head right for a game hinges on how you feel when playing. Therefore we see pros at T.V. games with ipods and the like which helps them relax and make non hasty and hurried decisions.

While I doubt we will see guys on T.V. reading while playing if it helps them relax then why not?

D

Don't want to get to pedantic here m8 but if you're replying to me then at present you are playing about 6 or 7 MTT's according to Ladbrokes and I'm sure you said earlier that you shouldn't surf the internet etc when playing?

Kinda hard to believe that you carry out what you have written on this thread to the letter when you are multi tabling AND surfing the net AND replying to posts. Doesn't that take away from your A game m8?

Busted ! ! !

Bainn wrote:Busted ! ! !

Indeed.

He is not the first and certainly wont be the last who doesn't practice what he preaches, I also fall into that category.

Doesn't mean the advice is bad though.

some good points from deci and khenny...

imo, reading is a lot less distracting than TV, and it doesnt get in the way of your tables in the same way the surfing the internet does. While I agree that it will obviously mean you miss things, I also agree that it helps you to relax. I know myself that only playing 1 or 2 tables and doing nothing else, I find it much harder to be patient.

Having said that, I dont read whilst playing so much anymore, and I wouldnt really advise people to, much better to conc on the game, I just find it helps me a bit, especially when i used to play 14 hours a day every day lol.

I suppose I'd have to start playing a lot more to actual read anything significant whilst playing. I find that what helps me with e.g. decisions, bet sizes and the like is talking to the missus. It's revolutionary, I know (with the previous one that was the last thing on my mind); I guess it helps that my missus is a cracking little player, also.

Can anyone recommend any courses or books (oh the irony) that improve your reading speed? It really does affect my enjoyment when I can't finish a book for weeks.

Decision wrote:D

What's with all these by the way? Has someone upset John or something?

Didn't know what you were on about there Vad till I checked back to page 1.

Decision had written some words on the fact that no one should be doing anything except concentrating on playing while in a game and shouldn't read, watch tv, surf the net or basically anything that would detract from your "A" game.

I happened to notice that while he was writing this very informative stuff he was in fact playing 5 or6 MTT's on Ladbrokes!

All I did was point that out.

Can't believe he has deleted his posts.

It's all a bit of banter and as I pointed out earlier we are all guilty of not practising what we preach. Seriously thought he would just have a laugh about it. Ho hum.

I remember the concept of humour...

khenny wrote:[...]

It's all a bit of banter and as I pointed out earlier we are all guilty of not practising what we preach. [...]hum.

Isn't it just, and aren't we just? I've done it on this forum already in a post about something that turned into a grammar battle! But no-one's pulled me up on it . . . yet!

MADV wrote:

khenny wrote:[...]

It's all a bit of banter and as I pointed out earlier we are all guilty of not practising what we preach. [...]hum.

Isn't it just, and aren't we just? I've done it on this forum already in a post about something that turned into a grammar battle! But no-one's pulled me up on it . . . yet!

Did someone mention grammar ? ?