Running the Table

The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last Great American Pool Hustler

De: L. Jon Wertheim

Narrado por: L. Jon Wertheim

From a popular senior writer for Sports Illustrated comes this high-stakes, boys-on-the-road story about the most unlikely of phenoms: a heavyset, bipolar, and endlessly charming pool hustler named Kid Delicious.

In most sports the pinnacle is Wheaties-box notoriety. But in the world of pool, notoriety is the last thing a hustler desires. Such is the dilemma that faces one Danny Basavich, an affable, generously proportioned Jewish kid from Jersey, who flounders through high school until he discovers the one thing he excels at - the felt - and hits the road.

Running the Table spins the outrageous tale of Kid Delicious and his studly, if less talented, set-up man, Bristol Bob. Never was there a more entertaining or mismatched pair of sidekicks, as together they go underground into the flavorfully seamy world of pool to learn the art of the hustle and experience the highs and lows of life on the road. Their four-year odyssey takes them from Podunk pool halls to slick urban billiard rooms across America, as they manage one night to take down as much as $30,000 - only to lose so much the next night that they lack gas money to get home.

With every stop, the action gets hotter, the calls get closer, and Delicious' prowess with a cue stick becomes known more and more widely. Ultimately, Delicious sheds his cover once and for all and becomes professional pool's biggest sensation since Minnesota Fats.

In a book sure to appeal to fans of Bringing Down the House and Positively Fifth Street, Wertheim evokes a subculture full of nefarious but lovable characters and illuminates America's fascination with games and gambling. He also paints a lasting portrait of an insanely talented and magnetic hustler, who is literally larger than life.

©2007 L. Jon Wertheim (P)2007 Random House Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Wertheim's eloquent and vivid prose...perfectly captures the squalid, sepia-toned environs of America's billiard halls." ( Publishers Weekly)

Great Book

I really liked the book. It was quite a journey and story. I would love to shoot against him someday in a pool hall. .

Overall impressive.

It's hard to find anything about pool, with a story to it. I like how he brought it to life, and included actual pool halls I've played at. It was crazy to hear you're local pool hall mentioned in a book.

great listen

As a passionate fan of pool when scrolling for titles I had a good feeling about picking this title
And after listening to it I was not wrong. The narration was great. and listening to how Kid Delicious came to be was pretty inspiring.

Great story, even better delivery

Terrific story about a truly talented person weaving through the US amidst a collection of non-mainstream people and places. The voice in the audible version is terrific with a hint of a Northeast tough guy accent.

Fun book with great narration

I wasn’t sure what to expect but flew through this book. It was a fun listen. I was amazed at how descriptive the author was with describing shots and matches. If you’re into pool, then listen to this book.