Rating: 
Summary: Real
Review: Konik knows what he's talking about when it comes to gambling and poker. The stories in this collection are easier to believe than the first one (Man With Breasts) and they're a little more edgy and a little cynical, which you'd expect from someone whose been around the block a few times like the author, who I watch on the poker broadcasts. What can I say? The guy's a great writer with great material. A "must" for the gambling library.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing Like It Out There
Review: Many of the stories are very entertaining. His "The Man With the $100,000 Breasts" was fantastic and highly recommended. This book would be similarly recommended but for the fact that Mr. Konick spends too much time telling us about his forlorn love life (all seemingly with Swedish model-type women with PhD's)and how awfully he is treated by his girlfriends, his superiority at the poker table, how horrible Jim MacManus's writing and card skills are, etc. He should stick with stories about others instead of showing how full of himself he is.
Rating: 
Summary: More gambling stories...less personal woe-is-me
Review: Many of the stories are very entertaining. His "The Man With the $100,000 Breasts" was fantastic and highly recommended. This book would be similarly recommended but for the fact that Mr. Konick spends too much time telling us about his forlorn love life (all seemingly with Swedish model-type women with PhD's)and how awfully he is treated by his girlfriends, his superiority at the poker table, how horrible Jim MacManus's writing and card skills are, etc. He should stick with stories about others instead of showing how full of himself he is.
Rating:
Summary: All Time Favorite
Review: My all-time favorite collection of gambling stories used to be "the Man With the Breasts" until I found the author's second collection of amazing gambling stories. If you don't play poker, you might not "get" the long poker story at the end of this book but if you do play poker you'll be glad you discovred it. This is the kind of book you read three times and every time you find something new to make you go "hmmm, that's cool." Telling Lies is now my official All Time Favorite when it comes to gambling.
Rating:
Summary: Utterly Brilliant
Review: Normally I'm not one to post reviews on the Internet but this book is so good I had to write something. I noticed some other reviwer who is probably a failed author himself make some snide comment about Mr. Konik being a poor writer who would not impress people with a "New Yorker" sensibility. Well, people I've been a New Yorker reader since before the Internet was invented, and I can tell you the author Michael Konik is as elegant and incisive as they come. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've read his work in the New Yorker over the years. Anyhow, low-stakes gambling is one of my favorite pastime. I'm an amatuer but I play regularly in a Wednesday night card game that's been going on and off for about 30 years, so I feel uniquely qualified to say that this is the best POKER book I've ever read. I was less interested in the other gambling stories, although they are admittedly very well-written.If you're like me and enjoy both gambling and utterly brilliant writing, then I recommend this book with the highest praise.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: The topic of gambling has been written about very badly by many many writers. Those of us who like to play cards but get easily bored with starting position requirements for Hold 'em hands have been waiting for books like this one. Konik's first collection of gambling stories was extermely entertaining. This one takes it to a whole new level. There is an honesty here that is almost embarassing to read, but you can't make yourself stop. I've personally read the title story about the author's participation in the World Series three times and each time I find something new and eye-opening. I don't know if this is the best essay I've ever read or the best gambling story or what but I know this is some kind of masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't Put It Down
Review: This book has a number of short stories about sports gambling and blackjack, and so forth and then it has a long and detailed poker section about the World Series of Poker. I started it late in the afternoon. I was intending to just read a few of the shorter chapters. I'm telling you I couldn't put it down. Konik is the smoothest author I've read in the gambling arena. He has a way with words. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in casinos especially people who are fascinated by poker. Great book Mr. Konik.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing Like It Out There
Review: Warning. This book which is the second Konik collection of true gambling stories, is NOT a how-to-play textbook. The funny thing is I found myself learning more about how to gamble well the more I read the book which I have done twice now. The author gets deep into the psychology of gamblers but not in a dry sort of "what's wrong with these people" approach but with a expert reporters eye for details and characters. There are some fascinating characters in "Telling Lies and Getting Paid" although none of them quite matches the wierd guy in "Man With the $100,000 (...)" for craziness. The most fascinating "character" is the writer himself who plays in the World Series of Poker. This story, which is more like a short novel is worth buying the book alone. It's amazing. There's nothing like it out there at the moment.
Rating:
Summary: A Class By Itself
Review: When it comes to noninstructional books on poker I've read them all. This one is in a league of its own. I highly doubt the author Michael Konik is very good at poker, because he comes across as way to smart for such a simple game. If you're afraid of having to actually think when you read about gambling you should avoid this book. It's deep. The Telling Lies story should be required reading for anyone who thinks he understands the psychology of poker. Mind blowing.
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