What Book Is This?

October 31, 2007 8:02 AM

(Asking for a friend) What Book is this? I remember reading a book back in High School.....

I remember reading a book back in High School. The plot centers around a man who is a compulsive gambler. He is not very good at it and loses quite frequently. Some how he gets the ability to see the opposing player's card hands. He can see what number is going to come up on the Roulette Wheel before the spin is complete or the way the dice are going to land on a craps game. Eventually he becomes rich beyond his wildest dreams. Eventually he grows tired of winning all the time and the money starts to be meaningless to him. He sets out to use his powers for good and donates all of his money to worthy causes and becomes a great philanthropist. At the end of the book, sensing something may not be quite right with him health-wide, he uses his special ability to look at his reflection in the mirror. He is able to see a cancerous tumor growing within him. I don't remember how it ends.

Anyone know what this book is and who the the author is?

posted by KevinSkomsvold to media & arts (6 comments total)

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More by Roald Dahl ?
posted by jozxyqk at 8:08 AM on October 31, 2007

That certainly looks to be correct jozxygk. Nice work! I'll find out from him. Thanks.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 8:13 AM on October 31, 2007

That's definitely it.
posted by hermitosis at 8:22 AM on October 31, 2007

Definately. The ending is great :-)
posted by phrontist at 8:56 AM on October 31, 2007

that's definitely it. fantastic short.
posted by fishfucker at 12:29 PM on October 31, 2007

This why love the green. I had forgotten this story and reading the description tickled a long-dusty memory in deep storage. Something about eye sockets stuffed with collodion and covered with bandages...

Then jozxyqk drove it home.
posted by codswallop at 11:46 PM on October 31, 2007