Welcome readers! Today we will be exploring whether the phrase “the color of money” refers to a book. Stick with me as we investigate this topic further.
Introducing The Color of Money
The phrase “the color of money” rose to prominence thanks to the 1984 novel The Color of Money by American author Walter Tevis. This book tells the story of pool hustler Fast Eddie Felson, who was first introduced in Tevis’ earlier novel The Hustler from 1959. After a 25-year retirement, Eddie returns to the world of pool seeking to mentor a young up-and-comer player named Vincent Lauria.
The Color of Money explores themes of greed, control, and missed opportunities. It was well-received upon its publication and was later adapted into a 1986 film starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise. The movie version was directed by Martin Scorsese.
The Color of Money: Book Details
Now that we’ve covered a high-level overview of The Color of Money, let’s go through some key details about the book:
- Author: Walter Tevis
- Genre: Novel
- Published: 1984
- Pages: 218 pages
- Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Walter Tevis was an American novelist from San Francisco who wrote several famous works of fiction. Besides The Hustler and The Color of Money, he is also known for The Man Who Fell to Earth. Tragically, Tevis died from lung cancer in 1984 just months after The Color of Money was published.
The Color of Money Plot Summary
Here is a quick summary of the plot of The Color of Money:
25 years after his pool hall days, former hustler Fast Eddie Felson is bored managing a bar. He takes an interest in up-and-coming pool player Vincent Lauria and offers to bankroll him in exchange for tutoring him on hustling. Eddie brings Vincent along to pool halls, imparting his wisdom.
Vincent’s girlfriend Carmen proves a distraction, almost ruining Eddie’s plans. Vincent enters a big tournament in Atlantic City, but falters under the pressure. Eddie then steps in to compete, having sharpened his own pool skills over their time together. He bests one of Minnesota Fats’ proteges to take home the prize money.
Critical Reception
Overall, The Color of Money received positive reviews upon its release in 1984. Critics praised the book as an engaging return to the seedy billiards underworld that Walter Tevis first depicted 25 years prior in The Hustler. Here are some excerpts from major reviews:
“Mr. Tevis is masterly in conveying the texture, the smells, the very feel of the world of pool hustlers and their prey.” – The New York Times
“Tevis has a genius for the literal feel of things, the temporal spaces they inhabit.” – Chicago Tribune
“If you don’t know a lot about pool, that won’t detract from the fun of reading this glittering account of the world of hustlers.” – Playboy
Reviewers specifically praised the vivid characters, well-crafted dialogue, suspenseful narrative, and fun insider look into pool halls. Some felt the book relied too heavily on callbacks to The Hustler, but overall critics agreed it stood on its own as an engaging novel.
Adaptation into a Movie
The strong reviews and popularity of Tevis’ novel led to a film adaptation being released just two years after the book’s publication. The Color of Money hit theaters in 1986, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Paul Newman as Fast Eddie Felson alongside Tom Cruise as Vincent.
The film takes some liberties with the book’s plot. But overall, it succeeds in capturing the shady, competitive world of pool hustling. Paul Newman won the Academy Award for Best Actor reprising his role as Eddie 25 years after first playing the character in 1961’s The Hustler. The Color of Money grossed over $52 million at the box office.
Long-Lasting Cultural Impact
Although Tevis sadly did not live to see it, the success of both his novel The Color of Money and the subsequent film cemented his phrases “the color of money” and “the hustler” in popular culture. They came to epitomize seedy pool hall gambling and the flashy allure of money-making schemes.
In the decades since its release, The Color of Money has remained widely read and recommended. It is considered required reading for fans of billiards. Walter Tevis’ vivid portrait of pool sharks and hustlers of the 1960s still feels resonant today. His novel gave us the iconic characters Fast Eddie Felson and Minnesota Fats while introducing “the color of money” into the lexicon.
Other Books by Walter Tevis
Although The Color of Money was his most famous book, author Walter Tevis wrote several other well-known novels:
| Title | Publication Year |
|---|---|
| The Hustler | 1959 |
| The Man Who Fell to Earth | 1963 |
| Mockingbird | 1980 |
| The Steps of the Sun | 1983 |
| The Queen’s Gambit | 1983 |
Tevis was a master of 20th century American fiction. His books often focused on outsider protagonists like pool hustlers, alcoholics, and aliens. He was praised for his realistic first-person voice and ability to capture unique worlds like chess, billiards, and science fiction. Several of his novels were adapted into popular films.
Conclusion
In summary, the phrase “the color of money” originated from Walter Tevis’ 1984 novel of the same name. The book vividly captured the competitive, money-driven world of professional pool hustlers in the 1960s. Thanks to its engaging characters, suspenseful plot, and fun insider look into the billiards underworld, The Color of Money was a hit upon its publication in 1984.
The subsequent 1986 film adaptation starring Paul Newman cemented the popularity of Tevis’ novel and introduced his phrase “the color of money” into the cultural lexicon. Decades later, the book remains a widely read classic and is considered required reading for billiards enthusiasts. Walter Tevis may be gone, but his iconic novel The Color of Money lives on.
So in answer to our initial question – yes, “the color of money” is indeed a book! Hopefully this article provided some enlightening context about Walter Tevis’ famous hustler novel that introduced this well-known phrase.