The excellent poker blogger Paul "Dr. Pauly" McGuire drew up a Top 10 list of books that have influenced him most as a poker player. Among the usual strategy books are some interesting picks that you wouldn't normally think have anything to do with poker.


Here is Dr. Pauly's list from Pokernews.com:

1. Super System

2. Harrington on Hold'em vol. 1 ja 2

3. The Poker Mindset - this book by Ian Taylor and Matthew Hilger is not about hand ranges or value bets on the river, but a look deep into the psychological side of the game. "Perfect for skilled players who are unable to control their emotional swings," Dr. Pauly states.

4. Barry Greenstein: Ace on the River - Greenstein's excellent book should be read by everyone thinking of taking up poker as a profession.

5. The Theory of Poker

6. Sun Tzu: The Art of War - This text by a 6th century Chinese general has influended a lot of big businessmen, bankers, sports coaches, and poker pros. Sun Tzu's primary focus is on a very common poker problem: how to adapt to changing battlefield conditions.

7. Bruce Lee: The Warrior Within - The Kung Fu master creates his own personal philosophy from Eastern and Western influences. "I could not think of a better book to help prepare you mentally for a street fight or a career in professional poker," Dr. Pauly says,

8. Robert Pirsig: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - a study on metaphysics in the form of a novel about a motorcycle trip from Minneapolis to San Francisco. The book sold more than 5 million copies when it finally came out in 1974. "I have only one disclaimer -- if you have a limited knowledge of Greek philosophy, you might want to brush up a bit before reading this book," Dr. Pauly warns.

9. Al Alvarez: The Biggest Game in Town - This is the book that got Paul McGuire interested in poker writing. "The most significant work of gambling literature," Dr. Pauly says. Alvarez's much acclaimed book describes the Las Vegas gambling scene and the WSOP in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

10. F.M. Dostoyevsky: The Gambler - This icon of world literature rushed his compelling novella about degenerate gambling for a very prosaic reason: he had to earn some money fast to cover his substantial gambling debts. "He’s the T.J. Cloutier of Russian existentialism," states Dr. Pauly, though Dostoyevsky's (pictured) vice was not craps but roulette.

Paul McGuire's Tao of Poker is one of the best poker blogs on the web.

Source: Pokernews.