Feeling Lucky Book

Denn, a teenager coping with the break-up of his parents marriage, in the throes of first love with a beautiful local girl, and getting to grips with the harsh realities of life, stumbles across a talent that he uses to its full advantage. Beginners luck drives him on to study poker in all its forms and Denn very quickly finds himself falling in love with the thrill of the win with a passion he has never before felt, and before long he realises that the money that comes with the winning hand gives him a way out of his otherwise mundane existence. Feeling Lucky does not so much dwell on the perils of gambling--for Denn is a spectacularly persistent winner, fighting with the big boys at the most advanced and dangerous levels and coming out on top--but more a study of a young man who is searching for something to fill a huge gap in his life, and who could have been anything he wanted if only he used his talent and application in other areas. There is a bitterness that underlies the tale, a constant, probing reminder that, despite the monetary success and the thrill of the chase, there is a broken and shallow young man desperately seeking attention and affection, but who is driving those he loves further and further away as his obsession, and indeed addiction, increases with every new dollar that lines his pocket. And as the story unfolds the reader begins to realise that beneath Denn's facade is a lost soul who may never quite be found. Feeling Lucky is an extraordinary, not to mention unique, book for older readers, and once read will almost certainly not be forgotten. (Age 11 and over) --Susan HarrisonRead More