Tuesday, November 24, 2009

James McManus on Americans and Poker

"Ever since the Mayflower carried separatist Puritans to Plymouth in 1620, what is often called the American Experiment has lavishly rewarded and punished those who take risks. From Washington's attack on Trenton after crossing the Delaware in a Christmas night hailstorm, Alexander Hamilton's revolutionary banking and credit systems, to the nine-figure compensation packages for CEOs and hedge fund managers, our military, political, and economic systems have all been tipped in favor of people who bet big and won-as opposed to Old Europe, where nearly every advantage went to those who were lucky enough to be born aristocrats."

From McManus' lovely new book, "Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker"

No comments:

Post a Comment

I apologize for making you sign in, but I'm trying to cut down on spam.