Books

The first true billiards books appeared in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries and are too scarce to be regarded as true collectible pieces. The mid- and late nineteenth century saw a parade of billiards books issued, some still obtainable through auctions or rare book specialists (try AddALL and Advanced Book Exchange for a start). Most of these early works were instructional texts, but a few were biographies or yearbook-style summaries of the year’s events. Among the first books to include snooker in the title and contents were How to Play Snooker Pool (Wallace Ritchie, 1911), How to Play Snooker and Other Pool Games (Willie Smith, 1924), Snooker: How to Improve Your Play (The "Bos’un," 1926) and Billiards and Snooker (Arthur Peall, 1928).

These "how to pot" tomes were followed in later years by autobiographies, annuals, exposés, trick shot compilations, humour books, histories, many more instruction books and even the odd novel. For further information you may view or download my attempt to compile a list of every book about snooker and English billiards ever published, and view my collection of snooker (and a few billiards) books.

Programmes

Billiards and snooker tournament programmes are fascinating historical documents. From the player biographies one can get a taste of the combatants’ reputations at the time ("The first successor to Joe Davis as Champion, Walter has the ideal ice-cold temperament for big match play" . . . "Essentially an attacking player, Fred Davis is devastating when he gets in amongst the pyramid with the Black and Pink balls at his command . . .") and even passing statements give insight into the mood of the period (". . . for the first time for many years these three Matches, paramount in importance to all Billiards and Snooker enthusiasts, are to be played in our capital, still bearing the scars of war.").