American Gambler

American Gambler

What book should we read next?

A book club poll

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David Hill
Sep 23, 2025
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In case you missed out on our first book, Laughing in the Hills by Bill Barich, here are links to the guides I wrote:

Some dark and barbarous time

Some dark and barbarous time

David Hill
·
Aug 22
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All yield to its violence

All yield to its violence

David Hill
·
Aug 29
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Nothing abides; no cause for alarm

Nothing abides; no cause for alarm

David Hill
·
Sep 5
Read full story

I’d like to start on the next book as soon as possible, so I can have a little bit more lead time to plan out what I’ll write and prepare for each week this time around. Depending on the book you all choose, I may be able to do more fun stuff each week, from inviting the author to talk to us to providing some multimedia to watch or listen to.

Double Down by Frederick and Steven Barthelme - an accomplished novelist and professor of writing reflects on losing over $300,000 in Mississippi casinos and getting arrested for cheating.

Playing off the Rail by David McCumber - the author and reporter decides to quit his job and stake his local poolroom hero on a cross country roadtrip.

24/7: Living it up and doubling down in the new Las Vegas by Andres Martinez - former Los Angeles Times editor takes his book advance and blows it all during a whirlwind hedonistic spree through Las Vegas.

Positively Fifth Street by James McManus - Harper’s magazine article about women in poker turns into the author winning six figures at the WSOP main event and a book with the murder of Ted Binion as a backdrop.

The Vig: Confessions of an Ivy League Bookie by Peter Alson - struggling novelist turns to bookmaking to make ends meet, ends up taking a pinch, decides to write a book about that instead.

Guys and Dolls and other writings by Damon Runyon - hey we gotta read this stuff at some point, right?

The link to vote on which book we will read is below:

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