This look at the game of snooker begins with the author"s own experiences as a teenage pool-room hustler in Montreal and his addiction to the game ever since, leading into a history of the game from its beginnings in the 19th century. He explores the "bad boys" of snooker, from Alex Higgins to Ronnie O"Sullivan, as well as fellow-countrymen CLiff Thorburn and Kirk Stevens, but the central figure of the book is Stephen Hendry. In addition, Richler visits the craftsmen who make the champions" cues, the agents who control the sport and the groupies who follow the circuit to try and get close to the millionaire players.