Doyle Brunson Autobiography To Hit Book Shelves November 11th
November 4, 2009 9:13 amNext week will see the release of the much anticipated Doyle Brunson autobiography entitled “The Godfather of Poker.” This 372 page book is priced at $26.95 US dollars and is a fascinating journey through the life of a true savant of the poker world.
In “The Godfather of Poker,” 10-time WSOP bracelet-winner Doyle explains that his father was a talented player and “had played poker for years and years and helped support us with his winnings, but coming from a Baptist-influenced town, he never talked about it.”
The family’s favourite pastime also spilled out onto Doyle’s University campus such that, as he explains “Hardin-Simmons disapproved of my poker playing, and I eventually wound up in front of the disciplinary board five times for gambling.”
In 1958 Doyle discovered Hold’em and took to it right away but also suffered several tragic losses in his family that year including his father, brother, grandmother, and two aunts. He says, “It was a tragic merry-go-round that year, going back and forth to Longworth and all the family funerals.”
The association of gambling with playing poker always hung over his head in those early days and whenever asked by family members what his profession was he would reply working for Convair, an aircraft manufacturer in Dallas. Such was the stigma of the game that while entering the 1972 WSOP and with the high level coverage of the tournament Doyle was anxious about any success he might achieve: “I was afraid of the publicity that winning this event would bring, and the terrible shame it would bring to my family.” Even to this day Doyle is amazed by the level of respect and legitimacy the game has now attained.
Doyle’s autobiography is an irresistible read full of incredible stories involving larger than life characters such as Amarillo Slim Preston, Sailor Roberts, Jack and Benny Binion, Chip Reese, Minnesota Fats, Titanic Thompson, Oscar Goodman and Johnny Moss. This is a must read poker book which charts the life and history of the game from its early days to modern times from the perspective of a true pioneer and legend of poker.