The Best of Bridge Nonfiction
By Alex J. Coyne © Great Bridge Links
Do you happen to be a keen bridge player and a bit of a bookworm at the same time? Well, then we’ve got the perfect article for you: Here’s the best of bridge nonfiction to fill your bookshelves (or your e-readers) with some fresh reading material. Here’s what’s in the cards, dear reader. Note: Some of the links will take you to our Amazon affiliate.
The Official ACBL Encyclopedia of Bridge
Brent Manley
The Official ACBL Encyclopedia of Bridge is a must-have for the bookshelf of any keen bridge enthusiast; it’s pretty comprehensive and covers every term, tournament and who’s who of bridge you might be looking to read more about. Almost needless to say, it’s one of the most comprehensive books on bridge history, past and present out there.
Laws of Duplicate Bridge
Always mind the rules; this is the duplicate bridge player’s clay tablets from the very top of the mountain. Thanks to the World Bridge Federation, you can download the Laws of Duplicate Bridge for free from their website – we’d recommend you always keep a copy nearby if anyone turns up to argue at the next bridge game.
The Bidding Dictionary
Alan F. Truscott
Alan F. Trustcott’s The Bidding Dictionary takes the reader through everything bidding-related: This is useful for people who need something to refer back to, even familiar players; especially geared to those who are looking for more than a teaching guide to bridge bidding, but a reference companion instead.
The Bridge Player’s Dictionary
Randall Baron
Compiled and edited by Randall Baron (co-founder of Baron Barclay Bridge Supplies) this book claims over 1400 terms associated with the ‘World’s Greatest Game.’ And guess what! The book is completely illustrated with our own Jude Goodwin’s cartoon illustrations.
The Strange Lives of One Man
Ely Culbertson
1940
While this book isn’t exclusively about bridge, players will be well-familiar with Ely Culbertson and his role in the history of contract bridge. The Strange Lives of One Man takes a closer look at the legend, who was fluent in at least a reported seven languages – oh, and semi-fluent in a couple more. If you’re a fan of biographical reading, here’s a great start.
Bridge My Way
Zia Mahmood
Zia Mahmood is a Bridge World Grand Master who was born in Pakistan; he has a colorful history before his win at the Bermuda Bowl, which includes qualifying as a chartered accountant (The Institute of England and Wales) and also spent three years in charge of his family’s newspaper franchise. Bridge My Way is Zia about bridge in his own words: Another must-have for biography fans.
World Class: Conversations with the Bridge Masters
Marc Smith
If you’ve ever wanted to find out more about what makes the bridge Masters of the world tick, Conversations with the Bridge Masters by Marc Smith is one for your bookshelf. It features twenty-six of the world’s most well-known bridge players talking about strategy and their game.
The Lone Wolff: Autobiography of a Bridge Maverick
Bobby Wolff
Bobby Wolff was inducted into the American Contract Bridge League’s Hall of Fame in 1995, and this is his story telling of how he got there; a must-have for biography fans and those who want to pick up some tips from a master player.
Omar Sharif Talks Bridge
David Bird and Omar Sharif
In addition to being an actor, Omar Sharif is arguably one of the world’s most recognizable bridge players – and lucky for others, he laid down some of his tips and strategies. Omar Sharif Talks Bridge (written with David Bird) and Play More Bridge with Omar Sharif are just two of the books to add to your collection.
The Bridge Bum
Alan Sontag
“The Bridge Bum is on everybody’s list of the top ten bridge books ever written, and it’s not hard to see why. It has everything, history, stories about the great players, Sontag’s own fascinating hands, cheating, hustling, gambling and the glamor and grind of the bridge professional’s life, and most of all the game itself, which Alan Sontag describes with such vigor and eloquence that it’s easy to understand why he loves it so much.” Amazon.
At the Table: The Autobiography of the World’s #1 Rated Bridge Player
Bob Hamman
Bob Hamman, twelve-time world champion, recalls his life and times in a fast-paced journey through four decades of his career. At the Table is chock full of candid discussion of friends and foes. Look inside the mind of a bridge superstar to see how he cultivates winning habits and gives his very best every time he sits down to play.
Coming soon!
My Life in Bridge
Michael Lawrence