Jim, I thought you were a "poker snob" on WSOP, but I have heard so many pros complain about the heavy TV editing, and hearing your side of the story, I now want to read your book! Unfortunately, they made you look bad on tv, but it did make for good ratings. Maybe you can write a book on how tv distorts the poker world. Good luck in 2005 and beyond.

Jim, It may be redundant I know but after just finishing your book I have to tell you how much I loved it. I can't help but feel compelled to write. With all the exposure poker is getting now it just seems like sky's the limit as far as just how popular it's going to get. After seeing you on T.V. again I began to wonder just how your life has changed since WSOP. Do people recognize you everywhere? and do you find you have MORE or LESS family time as a pro? I lived the WSOP through your book and one day wouldn't mind taking a shot myself...thanks for being an inspiration.P.S. A PFS movie does sound like a great idea to me.-poker canuck

Mr. McManus, I just watched the wpt event that you just called ellix powers and you were right when you said ellix got to you. Wpt only shows the part where you say he disrespects the game. At first, I thought you were rude and I figured you were out of line by saying that when he betted in the dark but since now I read on, disrespecting David Chiu is a no no. Even disrepecting you is a no no also, both of you are well rounded and respected players, the difference with Ellix is that he didn't care if he came in 6th but that is him, I would definately be upset with winning 40,000 if I had a chance to win a lot more than that. Hope you get more success and hope to read your next book. Enticing!

Dear Jim,I hope to play Ellix Powers someday and steal a large portion of his bankroll. This would allow me the opportunity to offer him a stake so he can play US in a WSOP event of OUR choice and tear himdown again! (The money would be well worth it!) This guy is a punk who thinks he's right up there with Doyle, Howard and Slim. He's NOT. I only wish that YOU had a better set of hole cards to have taken him out yourself! If you ask ME, I think the years he spent on the street left him starving for ATTENTION more than anything else...

Mr.Manus that was a brilliant read on TJ and a bold call by you with just a jack kicker. Also your book filled a gap that needed to be filled in the poker world keep up the good work and good luck.

Dear Mr. McManus,You probably cringe everytime someone reads PFS and tells you the book inspired him or her to take up poker or gambling. While I am not entering tournaments or casinos, the book has more eye-opening in understanding people in general, their motivations and various philosophies. As a spine physician, understanding people as it relates to their joys and pains are critical to caring for symptoms. Thanks for the insights. I would like to thank the person that first mentioned your book to me with an autographed hardcopy. I am in the Chicago area. Please email me with instructions. Thanks. Good Luck with more books and tournaments. Mark

i don't like your book. it's pretty boring and has nothing with the "meat and potatoes" of poker. I guess I am use to reading poker books of higher caliber and not books about the binions, etc. I think before someone creates a book they should really know what the **** they are talking about. I mean I could have written a similar book when I cracked my first home game at the age of 19. Seriously, if someone is going to write a book on poker, please don't go on a jack high tilt. If you truly cardplayer (not just play cards), please analyze that hand over and over again before you even touch a pen.

Hello Mr. Mcmanus,i Understand You Have Connections With The Wpt Or Any Other World Poker Association.i Ellix Powers Say To You Or Them That Talk Is Cheap.i Think Your Like Jerry Quarry.any Black Man That Can Walk The Walk And Make The Walk,you Want To See Fail,but In This Day And Age You Have To Cover Yourself By Apologizing To Me By Patronizing Me.i Wish You Would Contact Me With Any Association That You Have In Poker And If They Will Put Up A Purse I Will Play You Any Time Anywhere,and I Will Give The World A Show Better Than "the Thrilla In Manilla".now Go Ahead And Call That Bluff !!

A few words to James:We'll begin with the good. I received "Positively Fifth Street" as a Xmas gift from my sister. The portions of the book about your experiences at the table were riveting. You did your job as author, perfectly--you bled on the page. Thank you for allowing me to feel every emotion within you. Now we move on to the bad. Normally, I never would have read enough of your book to reach the "good." The only reason I did is because I knew my sister would grill me on the gift, so I kept reading. It wasn't the writing that put me off--you know you can write. It was characters. I know that Binion, Murphy, and Tabish were real, but to the serious readers of the world, they weren't. How could anyone identify with such oddities? Without an anchor to the heart, the staid reader closes the book. They aren't interested in freak shows. Finally, it's time for the ugly. I came upon this site on a search to find out if Good Jim had written anything of substance lately. I decided to write this micro-tome after I found out that you were the gonzo numbskull who talked on the sanctity of the game. I'm sorry James, but when I heard you in that infamous TV episode, I laughed until my bladder let go. What you were you thinking? "Sanctity" and "Poker" in the same sentence? How many people have in history have lied, cheated, and died over a poker game. How many children have gone hungry because some parent decided to plunge their paycheck into the sanctity of the game. So, I guess there's Good Jim, Bad Jim, and Pluto Jim. Please James, come back to earth. We both are comfortably into our fifties, and our genes aren't that good. Make that u-turn and come back to earth and find your dreams again. What happened to that need to reach the pinnacle--the one that ends with a Pulitizer or a Nobel? Especially at this time in your life, don't be seduced by that game. Do you really want to be rich, famous, and alone?Thanks for the opportunity to speak to you. There's no need to reply. I won't be back. All the best. R.

To jack high. I cannot believe you would insult Jim McManus' playing ability and question that he knows what he's talking about. Have you made it to the final table of the Main Event. Also, don't tell me it was a fluke, he made at least one other WSOP final table that i know of. Possibly more. Besides, finishing 5th in a field of hundreds of the best players alive requires a lot more then luck. So go back to playing your 10 buy in games and talk trash when you finish high in the money in the WSOP. Jim is a great writer and a great player. That's all.

Great book, looking forward to your next look into the world of poker.

Mr. McManus--Loved Positively 5th Street and the article that preceeded it. I made sure to give it to all of my poker buddies. Would you be so kind as to post the reading list from your literature of poker class?

Hi Sachs74: thanks for your very kind words about PFS. The reading list is Alvarez's Poker and his Biggest Game in Town, Harrington on Hold'em, Super System 2, Read Em and Weep anthology, American Buffalo by David Mamet, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennesee Williams, "Full House" by David Sedaris, Theory of Poker by Sklansky

Hey Jim. Just finished PFS. Excellent work, my man; I loved how the whole book read like a Hold' em board-- intriguing flop (opening chapters), thrilling turn (the tournament itself), and shattering river (your honesty in the wrap up chapters). I just wanted to tell you, as a novelist myself, I thought the last line of the book was brilliant on multiple levels, but in particular this one: it comes off exactly like the river. You know it's over, you know where you stand, and you're absolutely blown away by the beauty of the game. Nice hand! (btw, I just found out about the film, that's awesome--been racking my brain who will play the lead-- Tom Hanks? A slightly grizzled Tom Hanks? Any thoughts? td

to canadian bacon: just so you know, i finished 7 out of 1300 @ the commerce. 135,000.

Aloha Mr. McManus. Let me begin by stating that your book is my all time favorite piece of poker literature. I read a lot....with that said....I've only read two books twice in my life...PFS and "on the road" by Kerouac. PFS will probably be the first I read three times thru. I gave your book out to many friends as a Xmas gift as my "book of the year". I grew up in Montana, which made some many of the characters and stories that much more interesting. Any thought of adding "poker nation" by Andy Bellin to your reading list? I love watching the limit hold 'em final table this year on ESPN. I have it permanently on my Tivo. It had to feel amazing to crush ole Powers and his mediocre 7's when you showed him the "number of the beast".Finally, I'm a huge fan of Sedaris and Ira Glass...what are the odds that we'll see either one of them at a Final Table at this year's World Series?pH.

Hello Mr. McManus. Almost finished PFS....50 pages to go. Just wondering what kind of reactions/comments you've gotten from professionals about the book and your strategy you used. Thanks for your time. Surly

Dear Mr McMaus, I was able to meet Chris "Jesus" Ferguson and all my other heros (with the exception of you) at NBC's taping of the heads up event at the nugget in Vegas this month. The one thing I like about Chris, yourself, and anyone else that respects the game and has class... is that it is still a game of chance and there is never any reason to be dis-respectful of the game or most importantly another human being. I found all the pros I met to be kind and professional. I have rounded for over 20years NL hold'em for the past year. I want to do what you did and have read all the books and play every night. The one thing that I hope I never lose touch with is human decency and respect. My parents taught me to walk across the tee-ball diamond and shake hands win or lose. Chris understands and I know you do also. I just wish everyone could remember what it is like to lose... especially when you see how someone acts when they win. Thank you for your book it is fantastic and congrats on all your wins and the money. But all that aside it is what you stand for and represent (values) that makes you a winner in any situation. Thanks, KentP.S. I notices you memorialize your son in the front of your book, however, there is no information about what happened... is there anything you can share? If not... I respect that.

I am enjoying my first reading of your book. I have recently developed an interest in Texas Holdem (Who Has Not), which led me to your book, having rmembered past references to it. I have just read the chapter in which you mention Benet Acad related to a dream. I graduated from St Procopius in 1966 and my sister graduated from Benet about 8 yrs later. She is a realtor in Colorado and has been trying to write the GAN for many years. She is active in writers circles in her area. I was just curious if you were at Benet around the time she was. She knows a lot of writers and a lot about writers. Maybe she knows you. Though this book is not likely to be on her radar, other than she likes mysteries. If I get an Email back from you that you were at Benet around the time she was, I know she would enjoy the information. We grew up in Naperville.Thanks for a good read, and have a great day.

Hello James,I read your book recently, and I enjoyed it. It reminded me a bit of Hunter without the long tangents.two questions:What's your usual routine for early tournament play?What's the most common tell you notice from novice players?If there's anyway you can CC your reply to my email, it would be greatly appreciated.take care,

Reading your book for the second time is even more enjoyable then the first. PFS will be read decades hence. The pompous donkey, the self righteous "staid reader" above, should be sent a copy to shove up his ample, arrogant, behind then, perhaps he will have "an anchor of the heart." To "serious readers" certain people are not "real", what a big feeling moron. Oddities and freaks make the world interesting. Make it go round. Being one myself I feel like challenging that man to a duel to restore the honor of freaks/oddities everywhere. Anyways eagerly await your next venture. The Jerry Quarry, of all people, comparsion is just to strange and bizarre to even comment on. Screw the critics let 'em bitch bout what their sis gives 'em for xmas next year while they lose their bowels laughing at the tele, how enjoyable it must be to hang with that crazy cowboy. Good luck, good cards, good/bad fun, and happy trails. dkn.

Hola James, I just finised your book, Positively Fifth Street, though I am only 17. I loved it, plain and simple. Great story, even better that I didnt read the back cover first so until you had actually made the final table I did not know what was coming. I think your reaction to Ellix Powers was certainly not a bad one, when you get steamed at a card table, its hard to hold back all emotion. I think how he reacted, telling all of his friends outside and cackling over the fact that you went on tilt and called him with what was actually a queen high, was much more unprofessional than what you had done. You are a class act, and a great writer. Hope you publish another book, I'm anxious for more.

I have the same name as u, woo hoo!

wow you got a bunch of goofy fans...my advice to them is...quit reading and start playin..live, in as many casino tournaments they can afford.

Guy embarrassed himself on espn. First by going after Powers (none of the other players seemed to mind Power's play). And second with his incredibly sexist opinion on women at poker tables. Newsflash: there are NO differences between men and women at a poker table. Seems like a strong poker player though

Come on Jim... I loved yopur book and am a fellow New Yorker (West Coast Towers on Horatio street) But as my mom always tokld me and she wasn't a religious person "there for the grace of god go I...........) When was the last time you or I were homeless and made it to the final table? No criticism but would love to hear your retort to this post.peace

not to beat a dead horse...but i saw Ellix Powers as a character from the street. Im sure he sees people for what they are..not what others percieve them to be or they percieve themselves to be. Why should he care who T.J. Cloutier is. He was playin poker against poker players, his way...and man he did pretty good.

James is a good player but come on, he called with a Jack high

How do you feel about the acquittal in the Binion murder trial?

Just started playing poker over in England in a town on the south coast. Any tips would be much appreciated? Cam to this sight simply cos I've heard alot of good things about James' book and as soon as pay day comes, I intend on buying a copy...

mr. mcmanus, can you give us any further details on the new yorker article (i.e. a publication date, etc.). as a reader of the new yorker and your own writing i am greatly looking forward to reading it. saw on negreanu's blog that he is doing an interview w/the new yorker, w/lindgren...I assume that would be w/you. and finally, :) , what about the book i saw you are working on, as mentioned in the n.y. times book review blurb when you reviewed ss2 & harrington on hold-em. thanks and keep the literary take on poker coming!

Mr. McManus, I just have began reading your book and can't put it down. I imagine you are very proud of your success. About the Ellix Powers incident, I also find his actions disrespectful to the game. His betting in the dark devaluing poker to a simple guessing game. I cannot see any strategetic value in putting ones tournament life on the line in such a manner. And while I am on the subject of things bad for poker..I find the program "TILT" abhorrent.I look forward to finshing you book and your future poker endeavours. :)

Dear Jim, my name is Greg Covotsos, i am the youger brother of Justin Covotsos, your former student and poker friend. I just wanted to tell you how i really enjoyed your book. I will be honest with ya, i have never read it, but i have listened to it on tape about 2 dozen times. I currently live in Las Vegas, and it is a tradition everytime I drive from Las Vegas to Chicago, or Chicago to Las Vegas, I listen to the tapes. The first time I listened to it was on my way out to Las Vegas for the first time. I really enjoyed it, but I really didnt get to appreciate the book as much until I lived a year in Vegas. I knew exactly what you were talking about at all times. For example, things like cheatas and the spirmanet rhino, pahrump, 3rd and carson, the bellagio poker room and much much more. Your narrating of the story is awesome. I loved how everything perfectly gets tied together. I always think if Hasan would have caught a diamond on the turn or river in the satelite how none of this would have ever even been possible. I could talk about PFS for hours and again I can;t stress enough how much I enjoyed it. I even like the tape version alot better because you tell it and narrarate it exactly how it is to be read. I look forward to taking your thoey of poker class one day as well. Right now i am a middle limit poker player in Las Vegas, working on my education at UNLV. Thanks for your time, I look forward from hearing from you back. Thanks again for a life chaging book, Greg Covotsos, [email]gcovoto@yahoo.com[/email]

Mr. McManus, I am reading Positively Fifth street and I Positively love it. well written and very informative. However, towards the end of the Chapter called "Family, Career, Even Life" you talk about the hand that Hasan Habib called you on that you won the satellite with. (You had a pair of queens --spades and clubs and he had a K and 10 of diamonds). After the flop--which is a 7-9-jack (7-9 being diamonds), you describe the number of outs Hasan has as being only 12. By my count, you had 15 You do not address thepossibility of any 8's appearing and if one did Hasan would have had a Jack high straight (the 7-9 and Jack on the board, and the 10 in his hand--clearly an 8 would give him the straight and the winning hand. Is my math wrong or am I missing something? Great book and Congratulations on your success in poker.

Did you ever write an article for Harpers? I've been trying to locate it, and unsuccessfully so far.

watched breaking vegas about your tournament in 2000. to me you opened the door a little for the little guy at the table

Good Jim/Bad Jim: Greetings from neighboring Deerfield, IL. I assume you still live in Chicagoland area? Loved Positively Fifth Street. Read if before I started playing Texas Hold 'Em. Read it again during play. I keep it close by, for inspiration. The Art Institute web page said you are on leave. Do you plan to return? Do you play any local boat/casino games? Cheers Good Jack/Bad Jack

you are the best poker author i have ever read

Mr McManus, big fan. I hear dthat you attended a local Rockford Charitable event last year, but unfortunately i was out of town. Will you be attending any other Rockford events this year? I'd love another opportunity to get my 5th Street autographed. All the best, Phil

You Called With Jack High Everyone He Called With Jack High