21 ratings | 3 reviews | avg rating:4.14

Ted’s Year In Books

Ted’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Ted’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Ted’s 2025 Year in Books

Ted Heller’s Followers (40)

Ted’s Bookshelves

to-read (3)
currently-reading (2)
read (18)

Ted’s Friends (24)

Frank

1,182 books | 986 friends

Donald

1,093 books | 648 friends

Lesley

2,124 books | 75 friends

Peter Landau

1,243 books | 1,033 friends

Sarah Irvin

1,211 books | 63 friends

Boxcar Shorty

2,925 books | 285 friends

John

244 books | 291 friends

Blue Montakhab

1,210 books | 675 friends

More friends…

Ted Heller

Goodreads Author

Born

in NYC, NY, The United States

Twitter

TedHeller

Genre

Fiction

Influences

Everything and everyone.

Member Since

January 2012

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/tedhell

edit data

Hello, Reader.

I am the author of three—no, make that FOUR—novels. They are, in order of appearance: Slab Rat, Funnymen, Pocket Kings, and West of Babylon.

Slab Rat was a dark novel about office politics in the magazine business and how one man (the book's narrator) would sink to any level to succeed. The Washington Post named it one of the year's 10 best books.

Funnymen was a slightly less dark, fictitious "oral biography" about a Martin-and-Lewis-type comedy team. It followed them from cradle to grave. If there's a better novel out there about comedians, I don't know about it.

Pocket Kings, which came out in 2012, was a very, very dark novel about a failed writer who achieves playing online poker the success and glory he sought in the litera ...more

10 posts
Ted Heller's Blog

Nice review for Pocket Kings

http://www.identitytheory.com/review-...

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on September 13, 2013 12:46 • Tags: humor-novels-poker-funny-fiction

View all 10 posts »

Combine Editions
Ted Heller’s books

Average rating: 3.43 · 673 ratings · 121 reviews · 6 distinct works • Similar authors

	Pocket Kings 3.34 avg rating — 319 ratings — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Slab Rat 3.22 avg rating — 213 ratings — published 2000 — 16 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Funnymen 3.82 avg rating — 97 ratings — published 2002 — 16 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	West of Babylon 4.25 avg rating — 44 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Slab Rat: A Novel by Ted Heller (2001-02-13) by Ted Heller (Goodreads Author), Unknown Author 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Slab Rat [First Printing] 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Ted Heller…

Ted is Currently Reading

Ted is currently reading

Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York

by Kenneth D. Ackerman (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jun 20, 2013 01:35PM

Ted is currently reading

The Westies: Inside New York's Irish Mob

by T.J. English (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

May 29, 2013 04:33PM

rss
Ted’s Recent Updates

Ted rated a book really liked it The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza (Bernie Rhodenbarr #4) by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 09, 2025 04:00PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza by Lawrence Block. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza by Lawrence Block <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ted rated a book really liked it The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling (Bernie Rhodenbarr, #3) by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 03, 2025 11:35AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling by Lawrence Block. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling by Lawrence Block <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ted rated a book really liked it The Burglar in the Closet (Rhodenbarr, #2) by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 25, 2025 04:52PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Burglar in the Closet by Lawrence Block. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Burglar in the Closet by Lawrence Block <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ted rated a book it was amazing A Drop of the Hard Stuff (Matthew Scudder #17) by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 11, 2025 01:19PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Drop of the Hard Stuff by Lawrence Block. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Drop of the Hard Stuff by Lawrence Block <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ted rated a book really liked it All the Flowers Are Dying (Matthew Scudder, #16) by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 07, 2025 12:54PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of All the Flowers Are Dying by Lawrence Block. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — All the Flowers Are Dying by Lawrence Block <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ted rated a book really liked it Hope to Die (Matthew Scudder, #15) by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 05, 2025 06:05AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Hope to Die by Lawrence Block. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Hope to Die by Lawrence Block <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ted rated a book really liked it Everybody Dies (Matthew Scudder, #14) by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 02, 2025 05:51AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Everybody Dies by Lawrence Block. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Everybody Dies by Lawrence Block <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ted rated a book really liked it Even the Wicked (Matthew Scudder, #13) by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 28, 2025 08:01AM · like
Ted rated a book really liked it A Stab in the Dark (Matthew Scudder #4) by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 02, 2025 03:05PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Stab in the Dark by Lawrence Block. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Stab in the Dark by Lawrence Block <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ted rated a book really liked it The Sins of the Fathers (Matthew Scudder, #1) by Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 28, 2025 03:35PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Sins of the Fathers by Lawrence Block. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Sins of the Fathers by Lawrence Block <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Ted's books…

Quotes by Ted Heller (?)

“It is a cold and harrowing morning in the life of a man the day he wakes up, looks at himself in the mirror, and finally realizes that he is not, never has been, nor will ever be George Clooney.”
― Ted Heller, Pocket Kings

4 likes

“I didn't sob, I didn't wail, I didn't whimper... because those are all things that dead people cannot do.”
― Ted Heller, Pocket Kings

1 likes

“I have to write in order to keep from playing. It's a simple formula. If I play I lose even if I win. If I write I win even if I lose.”
― Ted Heller, Pocket Kings

1 likes

See all Ted Heller's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
College Students! : * What Did You Finish Reading/What Are You Currently Reading?	3837	5295	Dec 26, 2017 03:05PM
What's the Name o...: ABANDONED. online gambling group	3	668	Jan 28, 2024 07:30PM
NonFiction Pulitzers: Teri's 2025 Reading Thread	5	13	Jan 05, 2025 04:03PM

More…

Ted’s Friend Comments

No comments have been added yet.

Ted Heller’s Followers (40)

Ted Heller

Goodreads Author

rssTed’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza by Lawrence Block

See a Problem?

Preview — The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling by Lawrence Block

See a Problem?

Preview — The Burglar in the Closet by Lawrence Block

See a Problem?

Preview — A Drop of the Hard Stuff by Lawrence Block

See a Problem?

Preview — All the Flowers Are Dying by Lawrence Block

See a Problem?

Preview — Hope to Die by Lawrence Block

See a Problem?

Preview — Everybody Dies by Lawrence Block

See a Problem?

Preview — A Stab in the Dark by Lawrence Block

See a Problem?

Preview — The Sins of the Fathers by Lawrence Block

Topics Mentioning This Author

rss
Ted’s Recent Updates