Destined to become “the new poker classic, a must-read” (Mike Sexton, top poker player and promoter), Ghosts at the Table is the game’s first definitive history. With verve and wit, internationally renowned poker personality Des Wilson traces poker’s Wild West origins in Deadwood, South Dakota-where “Wild” Bill Hickok was said to have been shot holding aces and eights-to the annual World Series of Poker and amazing high-stakes games of modern-day Las Vegas. It’s a story full of unforgettable characters-riverboat gamblers, Texas rounders, roadside hucksters, and living legends-who have helped make poker the world’s most popular game.

"Show[s] how these players and the game both gained legitimacy so that today poker is a spectator sport with a worldwide television and Internet audience. The penultimate portion, mostly capsule biographies of modern players, will be of greatest interest to real aficionados Fun for avid followers."—Library Journal

“[Wilson] scoured the archives and crisscrossed the country exploring the places where poker legends plied their trade Wilson identifies poker's special characters and dispels some of the more fanciful fabrications.—New York Post

“[Wilson] debunks a few myths along the way serving as an affable tour guide to the game's biggest stories and personalities.—Playboy.com

“[An] absolute must-read…Run, don't walk to your nearest bookstore. Beg, borrow, or steal—do whatever it takes—and pay the $26 cover price for Des Wilson's new book…as magnificent a gambling text as I have ever read…both entertaining and provocative. But making him far more worthy of critical praise, Wilson actually breaks much new ground here. The book contains an enormous amount of buried treasure. In fact, most poker fans will be surprised and perhaps even shocked by many of Wilson's discoveries…[Wilson] not only shatters some of poker's most widely propagated myths, he blows them away with a double-barrel shotgun…You will never quite look at some of poker's legends quite the same way after reading this book…This is a book that certainly appeals to a mainstream audience, more than just poker fans…One of the best poker chronicles ever written.”—PokerListings.com, 5/26/08

“Fans will enjoy the witty, incisive portraits of the game’s star players…Detailing the emergence of female stars and the internationalization of the game, this history offers much for aficionados and casual fans alike.”—PublishersWeekly.com 4/28/08 starred review

“I found the book to be spellbinding. It was difficult to put it aside to attend to other matters, and while I was away I found myself trying to come up with excuses to pick it up again as soon as possible. It would be hard for me to believe that anyone who would consider reading a poker book wouldn’t be enchanted by Ghosts at the Table. It’s both informative and highly entertaining, and the only real fault I have with it is that we reach the end too quickly.”—Poker Player

“This comprehensive history of the game is a great read for any poker player or history buff.”—Poker Pro

“A colorful classic…A remarkably thorough history of the game of poker…A must-read history-biography book…A book to relish and enjoy for the facts compiled, the questions answered, and as a resource to help you enjoy the game more than ever, as a player or observer.”—CasinoGaming.com, 5/14/08

“A long look at the history of one of the most popular card games of present day…For those whose eyes have ever stayed glued to a cable poker tourney, this book’s a sure bet.”—Bookgasm.com, 5/15/08

“Wilson makes an elegant and entertaining case for the idea that poker’s current popularity can be directly linked to its long and colorful history…Every time you sit down to play, you sit down with the ‘ghosts at the table.’ This book will teach you their names and their roles in the ongoing, endlessly fascinating history of poker.”—Card Player 5/21/08

“An engaging narrative that occasionally resembles a "whodunit"-styled detective novel, with Wilson himself taking on the role of lead investigator…Wilson doesn't shy away from difficult or controversial subjects.”—PokerNews.com 5/23/08

“From the dusty roads of Tombstone and Deadwood to the early Vegas playing parlors to today's internet whiz kids, Des Wilson takes us on a colorful, interesting and well researched journey. His writing style—direct, no nonsense—is perfect for the history of a game—a high stakes game, indeed—where nonsense is clearly not tolerated.”—Blogcritics.org 5/19/08
 

“The saga of poker from its Wild West origins to today’s show-biz scene in Las Vegas…Wilson concerns himself with contemporary as well as departed guests of the game…Wilson’s time machine conveys him from the days of riverboat gambling to the age of cyber poker and all stops between.”—Magill Book Reviews

The American Interest, November/December 2008
“Not just a history of poker. Wilson’s travels throughout America are as much a part of the book as the actual history of poker he relates…His autobiographical detours work…Wilson is a sympathetic character, as well—a legitimately nice guy, and it comes through.”

Des Wilson, a former political activist and businessman, is today a journalist, well-known poker personality, and author of the highly acclaimed Swimming With the Devilfish. He lives in London.

Imprint: Da Capo Press
Distributor: Perseus Books Group
Publication Date: 04-21-2008
Pages: 368
Measurements: 9.00in X 6.00in