The Science of Pocket Billiards

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The first pleasant suprise from this book came when I ordered the cheapest used copy, and it arrived, in like new condition, autographed by the author himself! I'm not sure how much value authographs add to books, but with such excellent condition I suppose whoever was selling it never bothered to look inside.

The second pleasant suprise, wasn't really a suprise, because I had very high expectations from the get go. Recommend to me by the very knowledgable Chip Klein (you can watch some of his matches on ProPoolVideo, I knew it had to be good.

And it was good, very good.

As stated by the author, this book provides all the knowledge necessary to go from a beginner to a professional pool player. But what I like most is how comprehensive and thorough he addresses every single aspect of billiards. Some books touch briefly on the equipment, but here you will go about learning everything you need to know for your self, which will aid you deeply when purchasing new equipment (such as cues and tables).

My favorite aspect of this book is that everything is based on scientific experimentation, with the facts and data to prove it. Often, people tell you what to do, and why to do it that way, but the why is completely lacking a sound foundation. After reading this book, you will be able to judge for yourself the myths and reality of pool.

Aside from the excellent applicable information given, the author briefly touches on practice, and performance related issues, along with general strategy. This information is valuable, and it is a nice touch, but this is not why you should buy this book. You should buy this book if you want to play smarter and independently.

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