Rating: 
Summary: A Great look at tounament poker and life and death in L.V.
Review: MaManus has great style and insight and his take on tounament poker, sex and life and death in Las Vegas is excellent. His insights in to the death of Ted Binion are interresting but he may have been a little too close to Ted's family to have a completely clear perspective. The prosecution never proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt. The death of a heroin junkie is almost always due to the drug not foul play and it takes a lot of direct and circumstantial evidence to reach beyond a reasonable doubt and the proof against the accused was speculative at best and non existent at the worst. Sandy Murphy and her boyfriend were convicted on suspicious circumstances and other factors not evidence. The turkey baster and Burking theories were never more than the fantasy of the hired expert brought in from N.Y. The Supreme Court of Nevada has reversed the murder verdicts against Sandy Murphy and her lover and ordered a new trial not on lack of reasonable doubt but on other irregularities in the sensationalized trial which was unfair to the accused. Perhaps McManus will write a sequel dealing with the new trial. However this time he should stay out on the strip where his line of sight may be better. Also I would like to read his insghts as to life on the strip and tounament play at the Bellagio. Maybe his publisher will provide the seed money again.
Rating:
Summary: Lets play poker
Review: Lets follow along as the author James Mcmanus a writer for Harpers magazine goes to vegas to cover the 2000 world series of poker and the death of Ted Binion done in by a greedy stripper and her boyfriend.Mr. McMnaus convinces his wife that to get the true experience he will take his advance and get in the world series of poker where he eventually makes it to the final table and along the way tyes in the story and trial of ted binion.I really could have done with out the binion story but this was a excellent book and you root for the author all the way.If you like this book and you should especially with explosion of interest in holdem poker i would recommend also anthony holdens book big deal
Rating:
Summary: A Gambling Man's Book and a great story
Review: This is one of the greatest stories I've ever heard in the world of poker. I mean to take a risk like Jim did, study as much as he did, play as well as he did, then wind up having to face his "poker mentor" at the final table.... I mean WOW. The side story of Ted Binion will only be appreciated by those who enjoy the Binion family stories. If you like poker, its a must read. Though it's not a how to book by no means, you will learn about good poker playing if you pay attention. I would highly recommend this book and I look forward to reading more of Jim's works.
Rating: 
Summary: Positively Four Stars
Review: This year I really got into watching WSOP and other poker events on TV. I found the poker, the characters, and the stories fascinating. When I saw McManus's book, I was excited to read it. I did some review reading at Amazon.com and other places to see what it was like and bought it. I'm not sorry. It was great fun to read about some of the very same people I saw on TV. I also enjoyed the background of the Binion family--I didn't follow the murder/trial--which was fascinating as well. I don't know why some of the reviewers had trouble following more than one storyline in the book. I thought McManus did a good job of interweaving the Binions and other poker characters, the history of poker and the WSOP, and his own thoughts and foibles into an interesting, informative, and funny read. I absolutely loved Good Jim and Bad Jim! It's so real! I would definitely recommend this book even if you know nothing about poker. I don't say that lightly. This is my first online review--hopefully not my last--and I only recommend books to people I don't know if there is something about it that is special and that I think they will enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: The Good Jim and the Bad Jim
Review: I'd just finished watching The World Series of Poker on ESPN when one of my book club's featured POSITIVELY FIFTH STREET, so I couldn't resist.
Harper's Magazine hires McManus to cover the Ted Binion murder trial. For the uninformed, Benny Binion, Ted's father, originated the World Series of Poker; Ted Binion, his son, was murdered by his paramour, Sandy Murphy, and her lover Rick Tabish for the millions in silver he kept buried in the desert. McManus decides to use his advance to enter a satellite tournament, and when he wins he enters the WSP.
In No Limit Texas Hold'em, the main event at the WSP worth over a million dollars to the winner, each player is dealt two cards face down; the players then bet, quite often trying to drive the other players out by going "all in" or betting all of their chips. If someone calls, the players are dealt three common cards (called the flop); betting ensues and if players remain, they get another common card called the "turn" or fourth street; they bet again and if two players are still in the pot, another card the "river" or fifth street (hence the title) is dealt. They bet again and best hand wins.
McManus will remind you a lot of one of his heroes, Hunter Thompson, gonzo journalist who wrote FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS. McManus has the same rambling style and also takes a lot of drugs, although most of his are prescription. Other than poker and the murder trial, McManus alludes to his wife and two little girls, two older children from a previous marriage, his morning swims, his purchase of an expensive diamond ring for his wife (she never got one when they got married) as well as literary allusions by the ton (He's also a writing teacher at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago). He loves Dante so much he named one of his daughters Beatrice. McManus also has an annoying habit of whining about just about everything. Fifth place isn't good enough for him; he's got second place prize money, over $800,000, spent before he's eliminated. Apparently, during one of the rewrites, McManus realized he was complaining too much because he starts making fun of himself.
McManus refers to himself as "Good Jim", the Jim who keeps pictures of his family at the poker table for good luck and "Bad Jim", the Jim who buys lap dances with his winnings, then agonizes over telling his wife about it. Eventually we realize that McManus includes all of this personal information because he's comparing his own situation with that of Murphy, Tabish, and the Binions and what a fine line there is between them.
Rating: 
Summary: Better Stories Out There
Review: Loving the genre of Las Vegas non-fiction, I eagerly picked up this CD. However, after listening to it, I am abit disappointed. This book covers exactly what the title says. The beginning discusses the murder of Ted Binion in graphic detail. From there the author leads the reader through his adventure in the World Series of Poker. Oh, and along the way there are several stops of at some strip joints, Cheetahs being one of them. Where I really felt the book lacked was that it went in two directions in a haphazard manner. While I can see the relation between the WSoP and Ted Binion's murder, being that his father owned the casino where the WSoP occurs, I would have rathered had the story focus on one or the other. Personally, jumping from a homocide story to that of a guy from nowhere doing well in the WSoP story was unnatural. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a decent Las Vegas story, however if you are trully interested in hearing an account of a non-professional's journey through the WSoP there are other books worth your time.
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Summary: I held my breath at every turn of the cards. Great writing!
Review: This memoir by James McManus is a lot more than simple story about Las Vegas and gambling. He's a writer for Harper's magazine and, in the spring of 2000, was sent to Las Vegas to cover the annual World Series of Poker. Not only did he cover the story, but he also participated and managed to make it to the very last table in this very competitive game. While he was there, the trial of two people accused of murdering one of the heirs of the Binion family empire was going on, and he skillfully interweaves this story along with his experience of the tournament. In addition, he writes about his own background as well as his present life, including his relationship with his wife and two young daughters who are at home in Chicago. He's a fine writer and engaged me completely in his story. And, as the book moved along I was holding my breath as he described every turn of the cards. All the personal details about his life certainly enhanced the story. I got to know James McManus well as he struggled with the "good Jim" and the "bad Jim" in his personality. Not only did he share his background, but he also took me right with him into the clubs in Vegas where he indulged his curiosity as well as his libido in enjoying a lap dance. The reader also shared all his mixed feelings about how much he should tell his wife about this. The title refers to the card game itself. "Fifth Street" is the name of the final card that is turned up in this version of the game. The first two cards are dealt face down and then everybody at the table watches with anticipation as the dealer turns up the next five. This final card can make or break a hand. And for armchair travelers such as myself, reading this book was almost, but not quite, the next best thing to being there. It took me little while to get all the nuances and I found myself re-reading the details of some of the more complex hands. But once I got it, all I can say is WOW. I really enjoyed this book. And I learned a lot about poker too. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Great story, just skip some long passages
Review: This is a very interesting profile of the the various low-life characters in Vegas. I travel there on for conventions but can't wait to return now to see some of the places described in the book. It also helps you develop an understanding of the game you see them play on ESPN. I actually ordered some of the computer simulation games the author mentions to learn more about the game itself. The author did alot of great research but some of it is a bit long-winded. However, stay with the story and you'll enjoy the drama of the game and of the trial that is part of the story.
Rating:
Summary: Overplayed Hand
Review: Being a poker player, I had heard all the positive press on this book and was looking forward to it. Frankly, I was disappointed. Too much about the author, not enough about Ted Binion or the World Series of Poker. It was sort of like the author didn't know which book he wanted to write. It gets really draggy when he talks about himself. I think the positive press on this book is more a function of the time in which it came out rather than the book itself; poker is "the new black", and trendy right now. 5 years ago this book would have been completely ignored. There are better books on the subject.
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Summary: Not just for poker fans!
Review: This book is absolutely fantastic. I read it because I am a fan of poker and a long time follower of the World Series of Poker. Others have written about their own poker adventures, but Mr. McManus takes us beyond just poker. He writes of Benny Binion and the murder of his son, Ted. He shares with us intimate stories about his family and his own past. He delves into the history of poker and some of its more famous players. This book is far beyond just a "poker adventure" book. The stories are very informative, insightful, entertaining and at times touchingly personal. You do not have to be a fan of poker to enjoy this book. If you have ever thought of what it would be like to follow one of your dreams, then you will enjoy this book.
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