  Today I read an article by ESPN Page 2's Jay Lovinger ( urlLink Find article here ). He listed his favorite poker books. I liked a lot of his suggestions. I haven't read them all. I figured I'd list my favorite Poker Books I've read this far. In no particular order.
Small Stakes Hold'em , by Ed Miller. This book is designed to teach you how to crush weak and loose poker games. Its definitely not a book for a beginning player. I'd suggest you read a few other poker books geared towards beginners. Make sure you are a winning player while playing their conservative style. Once you've got experience and are ready to try to transform your game, you should try this book.
I've only got about a month under my belt after reading this book. I'll be honest, a lot of the suggestions go against conventional wisdom and might make you uncomfortable. You'll be raising very frequently. However, the opportunity to crush a small stakes game is readily apparent in the pages of this text. Internet Texas Hold'em , by Matthew Hilger. This book is a must have for the beginning player, whether you're playing in a Brick and Mortar Casino, or an online poker room.
Hilgers text is deceptively advanced. He has the ability to teach the basics. Yet, a follow on read of the text reveals more advanced layers of poker strategy that will help out even an advanced player. The title is misleading, as the book can help out any poker player. However, it has a few chapters that help deal with some of the differences in the world of online poker. You can visit Matthew's website and get a free copy of his book by going urlLink here .
If you try to get a free copy of the book, make sure to let Matthew know I referred you. The Theory of Poker , by David Sklansky. I make fun of David Sklansky's books a lot. However, they are great books. The only thing that is bad about his books is the writing style. They are boring, and a lot of times get into details of statistics that would put a speed addict to sleep.
However, having an understanding of the advanced topics put forth by Sklansky in this text is a must for any serious poker player. If you can get through the dry writing, you'll be well on your way to beating any game you play. Play Poker Like the Pros , by Phil Hellmuth. Now, before you say it, I can't stand Phil's whining at every bad beat either. Now, we have that out of the way. This book is a great resource for a novice player.
What I like about it is that it has good information for the Hold'em player that is looking to branch out into Omaha and Stud. Phil teaches the basics for these games and others. He does brag about himself a bit too. Caro's Book of Poker Tells , by "Mad" Mike Caro. Lets face it, Mike Caro is one of the most eccentric characters in professional poker. But, he's a master at the game(s).
In this book, Mike deals with poker 'tells. ' Now, if you've been handcuffed to a chair and forced to watch Celebrity Poker Showdown, you hear Phil Gordon ramble on about tells the entire show. Well, Phil learned everything he knows about tells from this book. You'll learn what it means when a player exhibits a certain mannerism. You'll also learn how to use tells to trap your opponents. If you're serious about poker, and want to take advantage of your opponents, this is the book for you.
(Note, this won't work in Online games, if that wasn't obvious to you before reading this, you're an idiot. ) Zen and the Art of Poker , by Larry Phillips. I already wrote about this book in detail last week. This book is a great read. Especially if you are like me, and easily annoyed at your opponents poor play. Read this book, you'll learn how to deal with the emotional roller coaster that poker can become.
It'll help you remain focused and calm. Well, that's it for my list for now. I've read more books, but many I find aren't a great help in the long run. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments. John 
