Books About Chess

[JonathanStrange]

Although I no longer study the game in any depth - I'll still do tactics drills with the computer or play through games by Capablanca or Alekhine or Kasparov (but I do it for fun) - I do enjoy books about chess, chess culture and chess players.

I thought I'd mention some of the more current ones here, there are many older books (surely you've all read Searching for Bobby Fischer, among others) and some newer, for those who might have missed them. I'm not endorsing them as "must own" but if you're a chess player with a nearby public libary, I'd recommend checking them out:

King's Gambit: A Son, A Father, and the World's Most Dangerous Game by Paul Hoffman

The Kings of New York: A Year Among the Geeks, Oddballs, and Geniuses Who Make Up America’sTop High School Chess Team by Michael Weinreb

The Chess Artist: Genius, Obsession and the World’s Oldest Game by J. C. Hallman

Bobby Fischer Goes To War by David Edmonds

King's Gambit is a memoir of a man's relationship to his father but there are plenty of good chess characters and anecdotes, Kings of NY a look at a high school chess team in NYC, The Chess Artist has another stereotypical "oddball" obsessed player, and Bobby Fischeris another Fischer book but it's an interesting read about the man we think we know.

There's several other books about players and chess culture but I can't remember them all - though I probably read them at some point! I've avoided the Grandmaster memoirs (though I've read a few), and of course, the ten thousand "Improve Your Game" books (though even in my separation from chess I've flipped through a few pages) but I wanted to list some books that didn't require us to get out our boards or pocket sets or laptops.

Anyone have some others to recommend?

 

[WhiteEagle22]

Thanks. I'll have to get my library card renewed so I can check them out.

 

[Narz]

I've only read two - Queen's Gambit about a young orphan girl who grows up to become World Champion. Good read!

And "Chess Story", a fairly short story about a man who's under Nazi (IIRC) house arrest with nothing to read or write or stimulate his mind with whatsoever who finds a chess book & once he exhausts it he starts playing against himself in his mind.

Later he meets the champion of the world on a cruise ship.

Also entertaining, a find use of two hours.

 

[col]

Not specifically about chess - but "Player of Games" by Iain M Banks is one of the best books around about the mindset of games players.

 

[Sofista]

Just about any Edward Winter collection.

Another good one was "It's only me", an anthology of late Tony Miles articles often showcasing his... unique personality.

Couple of samples of his style:

On Karpov.

On Keene (and Eric Schiller).

 

[JonathanStrange]

Not specifically about chess - but "Player of Games" by Iain M Banks is one of the best books around about the mindset of games players.

I enjoy Iain Banks' novels but I had missed this one; I will look for it. Thanks.

 

[WhiteEagle22]

I just got the following two books from Chapters in Red Deer: Play to Win: Chess and The Complete Idiot's Guide: Chess Openings. I'm hoping both will help out my game. The Play to Win: Chess book came with a chess board and all of the pieces. Talk about a great deal!

 

[col]

"Simple Chess" by Michael Stean is one of the best books for those wanting to make the leap from tactical play to strategic play.

 

[JonathanStrange]

And it's a fun read also! A slender volume worth twice its weight in pawns.

 

[WhiteEagle22]

I dound Chess For Dummies and The Mortal Game: A Host of Chess at the library yesterday. They look like good books to read.