Snooker Books written by Professional players

[Terry Jackson]

Does anyone know of any good Snooker books written by any of the Professional players that covers practice, drills, technique etc?

I've started playing again after a long break, but other than the line up and playing frames I'm not doing anything else.

I prefer to use sources like books as generally they are solid with proven player history. If a Pro is giving advice, its usually right!

p.s. I'll ask the same question on TSF and a few other forums and share additional opinions so we might all find out something new!

[Terry Jackson]

Like this one for example:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snooker-Masterc ... 404&sr=1-9

Snooker Masterclass: How to Build Big Breaks and Win
by Stephen Hendry

Anyone think this is a good one?

[Bryan]

I've got that one - it's pretty good.

There's alot of them out there, not sure if they are all written personally by each player though or just narrated & photographed.

Joe Davis has one
Horace Lindrum one - not sure what it's called.
Jimmy White has one
Steve Davis has one
Eddie Charlton - 2 books (it's the one where he using tape to show the lines)
I have found this book by Richard Holt to be very good (he isn't a player)
if I remember any more I'll let you know...

[Terry Jackson]

Thanks Bryan.

[Dallas Hershell]

I have read them all, and the best book by far for a beginner is

"Improve your snooker" By Clive Everton

Which also has one of my all time favorite Snooker quotes.

"It is not good enough to adopt a purely negative approach -spoiling tactics designed just too keep your opponent from scoring. Snooker Is a game of initiative, and safety play should be viewed as a means of keeping or seizing the initiative"..

I still enjoy flipping through this book, very well written..

[Terry Jackson]

Lots of other suggestions here:
http://www.thesnookerforum.com/board/sh ... hp?t=22094

Time to start ordering from Amazon!

[MsCue]

The Everton one is brilliant - great advice and diagrams. Rarified coach type knowlege. Joe Davis''Complete Snooker' and 'Advanced Snooker for the Average Player' are both classics (one edition has them both in hardback), he also did 'How I Play Snooker,' which is pretty cool too. Reardon did one, as did Pulman and Karnehm. Charlton did a few, but they were XOXOXO. Horace did a cool one with heaps of history, down home advice and striking pictures. My favourite on the mental game is 'Pleasures of Small Motions' - seriously - look that one up. But then again, I've read them all - and i'm still a total hack. *sigh* No substitute for table time.

[Dallas Hershell]

All good books, but, I just find the game is played a lot different nowadays to how it was played when most those books were written. Still worth flipping through though..

Most books do very little on break building, which I think is sooooo important. I would love Ronnie or Hendry to bring out a whole book based just on that one subject.

[Grant Meadley]

My Favourite is "Improve your Snooker and people skills", By Dallas Hershell....

I have pretty much all those books mentioned Terry if you want a loan.

[Grant Meadley]

Come to think of it.. Spencer on snooker is proberly a good read....
pages 30 through to 135 are on
Positional Techniques
Positional Play
Safety play
Tips and Match Play
The anotomy of a century..which goes through the thoughts behind taking different shots on during the course of your break......

[Terry Jackson]

I have pretty much all those books mentioned Terry if you want a loan.

Sure, I was going to order next week but I'll take you up on that!
I'll buy my own copy of the one or few that I like thereafter.

Thanks MsCue, the everton one was getting a good wrap on TSF as well.

So Dallas, when is your book coming out?

[SeaNy.]

cant go past the Jimmy White book, the practice routines are gold!

[Dallas Hershell]

I have pretty much all those books mentioned Terry if you want a loan.

Sure, I was going to order next week but I'll take you up on that!
I'll buy my own copy of the one or few that I like thereafter.

Thanks MsCue, the everton one was getting a good wrap on TSF as well.

So Dallas, when is your book coming out?

Have to get some results 1st..

[roger leighton]

I personally like Hendrys book but to be honest none of them actually do what they write regarding techniques they all mention the perfect stance cueing etc but they all have flaws like everyone, i think the best way is watching videos or youtube of how the game is played everone has i think a good basic understanding of how to approach and get down to the shot but after all this you need to learn how to go about the job in the right way. I watched Clive Everton at Willie Thornes club in the mid 80s and everyone was laughing he wrote about snooker in snooker scene and was respected so we all stood around because he was suppose to be a pro but he had the worst technique ive ever seen his lips were rubbing the cue when he was cueing and it took him 3mins to get down to a black of the spot he was abit of joke. Snooker is common sense and absorbing what you see and trying to replicate, its not easy but there are no quick solutions.

[billy]

i have a bit of a collection of snooker books , but i just got one last week that i think is the best one ive ever read , purely and simply because it goes into DETAIL

learn to play snooker by rex williams
some great chapters in it are ....

playing with a margin of error
the nap
adjusting to different cushions
mental approach
and how billards helps snooker

but its not just general run of the mill rubbish that youve read a thousand times , the margin of error chapter instantly changed my outlook on alot of shots that i play

got it for 2 bucks at a book shop lol

[Nick Waymouth]

Billy, does it have reference to socks being an integral part of the attire of a snooker player in it?

[Adam Wyard]

Kyaw Oo, the player from Myanmar in the World Billiards on now does not wear socks.

But then, check out Devendra Joshi's shirt - Luke will love this!

[billy]

the only difference between that pic and luke is that guy can grow a moustache !!!!

[icart]

the only difference between that pic and luke is that guy can grow a moustache !!!!

Another difference is that he can probly play a bit too.

[billy]

he prob has an idea where the white is going