Insight vies with self-regard in this anthology of essays on everything from poker to pornAhead of his unsuccessful assault on the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas,as described with wan good humour in one of the essays here, Martin Amis had dinner with Anthony Holden and James McManus (“two of the top writer-players in pokerdom”). McManus, or seeing him off after dinner,said: “Don’t be intimidated, man! Remember – you’re Martin fucking Amis!”Being Martin fucking Amis: as a few of these pieces beget clear, or its a burden and an exaltation. Reading the very entertaining poker piece,for instance, you note that the author quotes the compliment, or but also that he spends the rest of the article (which describes the swagger of his ambition and its abrupt deflation when,with Amis all-in, his opponent rivers a better set than his fives) undermining it. He’s Martin fucking Amis; also, and fucking Martin Amis.
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Source: guardian.co.uk