On Snooker: The Game and the Characters who Play itFrom his first days as a poolroom hustler playing truant from Baron Byng High School at the Rachel Pool Hall, Mordecai Richler has remained a snooker devotee. In his inimitable style, he delves into the fascinating world of snooker with pith and perception. But "On Snooker" is not just a lifelong fan's memoir. It is a brilliantly entertaining history of the game and an account of snooker's bad boy champions, including Alex (The Hurricane) Higgins, Cliff (The Grinder) Thorburn both Canadian and interviewed for this book with a chapter devoted to their special exploits and drug escapades. There are other colourful types: Ronnie (The Rocket) O'Sullivan, whose dad ("Ron's the name, porn's the game") is serving a life sentence for murder. Finally there is Stephen Hendry, the greatest player ever, who has won the world championship a record seven times. Mordecai Richler also makes clear why many great writers have been fascinated by sports and why snooker and literary readers go together, including Hemingway, Shulberg, Mailer, Roth, Plimpton, Martin Amis, and others. Very funny, passionate, and thoroughly researched on snooker tables from Montreal's The Main to Dublin, "On Snooker" is a book lovers of Richler and of great sports writing will cherish." |
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afternoon Alex Higgins audience baseball beat beer Benson & Hedges billiard balls Bingham boxing Canadian Championship Tournament circuit Cliff Thorburn Clive Everton club Crucible Theatre cue ball drug earned Embassy World Championship fans Fergal O'Brien final football frames game's Goffs going golf green baize guys Hedges Masters Hendry's hockey Ian Doyle Irish Masters Jewish Jimmy White John Higgins John Parrott kids Kirk Stevens later Laurier London Mandy Mark Williams match Matthew Stevens Maxie Middleton Montreal never night novel once opening opponent Phil Yates pocket pool poolroom qualifying quarter-final referee Richler Robidoux Ronnie O'Sullivan round season semifinal session Sheffield shot snooker players Snooker Scene snooker table Stephen Hendry Steve Davis Taylor told took Toronto venues watch Wembley Werbeniuk Willie Thorne winner world champion WPBSA wrote