{"product_id":"queen-of-spades-paperback","title":"Queen of Spades - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eMichael Shou-Yung Shum\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Michael Shou-Yung Shum's \u003ci\u003eQueen of Spades\u003c\/i\u003e is a remarkable debut by an enormously talented young writer who has produced a literary delight that circles the dead center of a very dangerous pleasure--casino gambling. \"--Frederick Barthelme, author of \u003ci\u003eBob the Gambler\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFront Jacket\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBased on the author's experience working as a poker dealer, \u003ci\u003eQueen of Spades\u003c\/i\u003e is a modern re-telling of the classic Pushkin fable of the same name, a highly stylized tale set in a Seattle-area casino that combines elements of a Hong Kong gambling movie with literary language and a lively cast of unforgettable characters.\u003cbr\u003e The three main narrative threads follow Barbara, a recovering gambler trapped in a cultish twelve-step program; Mannheim, a pit boss at the Royal Casino who discovers he has just six months to live; and Chan, a dealer obsessed with the playing style of a mysterious customer known as the Countess. \u003ci\u003eQueen of Spades\u003c\/i\u003e invites readers into the murky realm of taking chances not just as a recreational activity but as a way of life. The beauty and complexity of the novel lies in its unique portmanteau structure, its page-turning plot, and its insider view into the late-night card-dealer's world, where everyone yearns for more than what they have, and where luck plays a curious, fidgety role that may--given the right card at the right moment--change everything, for better or worse.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBorn and raised in Houston, Texas, Michael Shou-Yung Shum eventually found himself dealing poker in a dead-end casino in Lake Stevens, Washington. Two doctorates bookend this strange turn of events: the first in Psychology from Northwestern, and the second in English from University of Tennessee. Along the way, Michael spent a dozen years in Chicago, touring the country as a rave DJ. He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, with his spouse and three cats. \u003ci\u003eQueen of Spades\u003c\/i\u003e is his first novel.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 256\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.8 x 8.9 x 5.9 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 10, 2017\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51769844793632,"sku":"9781942436317","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0974\/9764\/5344\/files\/2aa6c3ec114248daa14f7fd38d177557.webp?v=1780358048","url":"https:\/\/ebocreations.com\/products\/queen-of-spades-paperback","provider":"The E-Book Oasis LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}