10 sd from the mean

By my calculations, the average Stanford Wong book has 0.00 jokes, with a standard deviation of .10 jokes (and yes, some of his work is so dry that it is rightfully considered to have a negative number of jokes).

In light of these facts, I was shocked to find 1.00 joke in Wong's Optimal Strategy for Pai Gow Poker: "...I can spend my time doing things I enjoy doing, and that it pays enough to keep rice on the table." This "joke" probably had a practical use in furthering Wong's anonymity, and it is hardly laugh-worthy, but my standards for finding entertainment in Wong's books had been lowered so much that it stopped me in my tracks.

I wouldn't be so familiar with the dry tone of Wong's books if I didn't own nearly every one of them. I, too, much prefer accuracy and completeness to humor in a gambling guide.

My post wasn't meant as a serious criticism in any way--just poking a little good-natured fun at someone for whom I have the utmost respect.

using a phony Asian accent.

Now THAT does add some humor to Wong's books. Maybe that was his intention all along, and my previous failure to find humor was really my own inability to recognize the true significance of his pen name :-)

There has been a tall Caucasian occassionally representing himself as the real Stanford Wong. This was necessitated by the increased scrutiny applied to big money players of Oriental extraction. Do not allow yourself to be deceived.

All of the Wong writings, stemming back to his original brief monographs distributed by John Luckman's Gamblers' Book Club, have been coldly scientific works. Any perceived humor results from cultural disaffinity. Trust me.