To the strangers he plays in darkened pool halls, at first "Fast" Eddie Felson seems like a sloppy pool player with bright eyes and an extraordinary grin. But when real money is on the line, they see that Eddie is a hustler of the first order. But Eddie's got ambitions and wants to quit his two-bit hustling for the big time. And when he sets his sights on Minnesota Fats, the best pool player in the country, he knows this match will be a true test of his skill--and he knows he can win. But what Eddie doesn't know is that the game of pool isn't all about skill. It's about guts and stamina, and, above all, character.

WALTER TEVIS is the author of The Hustler, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Mockingbird, The Steps of the Sun, The Queen’s Gambit, The Color of Money, and the short story collection Far from Home. The Man Who Fell to Earth was the basis for a major motion picture starring David Bowie. The Hustler and The Color of Money were also adapted for film, The Queen’s Gambit was the basis of the Emmy Award–winning Netflix series and The Man Who Fell to Earth is the basis of the Showtime series. Tevis died in 1984.