As someone who spends way too much time at the pool hall, this book instantly became my new obsession. The first night I got it, I stayed up way past midnight trying to recreate the 'Flying Carom' shot—failed miserably, but laughed my head off.

The diagrams are lifesavers. Unlike some instructional books that leave you guessing, Byrne's clear illustrations make even the craziest shots feel achievable. My personal favorite? The 'Around the World' sequence—it’s like solving a puzzle while showing off.

What surprised me most was how these tricks improved my regular game. That 'hop shot' technique? Total game-changer for escaping tight spots. Though fair warning: your friends might get annoyed when you keep pausing real matches to attempt 'just one quick trick'.

The difficulty organization is genius. Started with the 1-star 'warm-up shots' and now proudly (if inconsistently) land 3-star moves. Still working up courage to try the infamous 5-star 'Impossible Shot' in public though.

Pro tip: Keep sticky notes handy—you'll want to bookmark favorites. Mine’s already bristling with tabs like a porcupine.