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Searching for Bobby Fischer: The Father of a Prodigy Observes the World of Chess by Fred Waitzkin
suggoiai's review against another edition
5.0
Like many people, I had seen the film based on this book years ago. The book is different, truer to life, but the film captures the spirit of the book, even while bringing forward more minor characters, combining some others, and eliminating still more in the interest of time and comprehension. Still, the film took some great scenes directly from the text.
The book, like the film, takes a game that most people have only a passing knowledge of, and makes it exciting. Fred’s son, Josh, is as compassionate in this telling, and Fred’s criticism of himself is introspective and revealing.
I’ve rarely read a non-fiction book this gripping, and now want to watch the film again with this expanded view of the story in my head.
The reader was conversational and matter-of-fact, while still showing excitement and intensity at appropriate moments.
Well done.
The book, like the film, takes a game that most people have only a passing knowledge of, and makes it exciting. Fred’s son, Josh, is as compassionate in this telling, and Fred’s criticism of himself is introspective and revealing.
I’ve rarely read a non-fiction book this gripping, and now want to watch the film again with this expanded view of the story in my head.
The reader was conversational and matter-of-fact, while still showing excitement and intensity at appropriate moments.
Well done.
ericwelch's review
5.0
Chess has always been a particular passion of mine, which, much like other passions, rises and falls as the years go by. Most games and their inherent competitiveness are fun, but chess remains the most elegant. It has the physical beauty of the pieces, the simplest of rules, yet the potential for incredible complexity, and no dice. I hate dice. Chess requires pure intellect.
During the 70's, following the famous Fischer-Spassky match, the virtual embodiment of Russo-American war, practically every American mother wanted nothing more for her child than to grow up a chess master. Chess even had its cadre of groupies who worked their way up the ranking ladder.
Times have changed. Internationally ranked grand masters now must hustle games in New York's Washington Square Park, having no place to live or eat. Having devoted their lives to chess, they have no marketable skills. Meanwhile, the Russians coddle and nurture anyone showing the slightest hint of talent.
Fred Waitzkin's son Josh was found to be exceptionally talented at age six. By 11, he had fought the current world champion Garry Kasparov to a draw in an exhibition match. Waitzkin writes of his own passion for the game and his relationship with his son, and the impact such intense dedication can have on a child and his family, in a marvelous book entitled Searching for Bobby Fischer: The World of Chess, Observed by the Father of a Child Prodigy . The book is a fascinating account of the chess world, populated with eccentric characters. As one reviewer has said, "chess lives, or windmills its arms, on the outer rims of sanity." The "search" for Fischer becomes an allegory for families and values and the way we determine what is important in our lives. Fischer, even yet a recluse, even though probably "insane" (whatever that means), continues to dominate the American game. The Fischer-Spassky rematch in Yugoslavia may become the non-event of the century.
By the way, the movie was great, too
During the 70's, following the famous Fischer-Spassky match, the virtual embodiment of Russo-American war, practically every American mother wanted nothing more for her child than to grow up a chess master. Chess even had its cadre of groupies who worked their way up the ranking ladder.
Times have changed. Internationally ranked grand masters now must hustle games in New York's Washington Square Park, having no place to live or eat. Having devoted their lives to chess, they have no marketable skills. Meanwhile, the Russians coddle and nurture anyone showing the slightest hint of talent.
Fred Waitzkin's son Josh was found to be exceptionally talented at age six. By 11, he had fought the current world champion Garry Kasparov to a draw in an exhibition match. Waitzkin writes of his own passion for the game and his relationship with his son, and the impact such intense dedication can have on a child and his family, in a marvelous book entitled Searching for Bobby Fischer: The World of Chess, Observed by the Father of a Child Prodigy . The book is a fascinating account of the chess world, populated with eccentric characters. As one reviewer has said, "chess lives, or windmills its arms, on the outer rims of sanity." The "search" for Fischer becomes an allegory for families and values and the way we determine what is important in our lives. Fischer, even yet a recluse, even though probably "insane" (whatever that means), continues to dominate the American game. The Fischer-Spassky rematch in Yugoslavia may become the non-event of the century.
By the way, the movie was great, too
whitejamaica's review
4.0
+ Love titles with double-entendres
+ I get the impression that the author is being incredibly honest, which is not always easy to do in memoirs. His relationship with his son is complex (Is he living vicariously through his son's journey to Grandmaster? Should a father intervene with genius if it will ultimately be in the best interest of the kid? Is forcing opening and endgame theory on his son night after night ethical or, perhaps, necessary? Is he being a good father?). Josh's relationship with chess is complex (Is it irresponsible of him to not do everything in his power to capture his chess potential? Does he truly love the game or is it just a routine he was forced into?)
+ "I took a deep breath and asked the question whose answer I dreaded: did he sometimes think about giving up the game entirely?
Joshua's eyes became misty. 'How could I do that?' he said in a trembling voice. 'Chess is my life.'"
- I feel like this was two premises combined into one book: (1) the difficulties of fathering a prodigy, (2) observing the World Chess Championship in Moscow (1984) as an American outsider. When reading, these two threads kept interrupting one another and slowing down the pace of the "true" narrative, whatever that may be. It read as if the book was originally going to be on the Moscow championship. Waitzkin attended and drew up pages of material, before realizing that the story that needed to be told concerned him and his son, not Karpov and Kasparov.
- The 3rd quarter of the book flagged a bit. What are we building towards? I'm not sure that Waitzkin knew.
+ I get the impression that the author is being incredibly honest, which is not always easy to do in memoirs. His relationship with his son is complex (Is he living vicariously through his son's journey to Grandmaster? Should a father intervene with genius if it will ultimately be in the best interest of the kid? Is forcing opening and endgame theory on his son night after night ethical or, perhaps, necessary? Is he being a good father?). Josh's relationship with chess is complex (Is it irresponsible of him to not do everything in his power to capture his chess potential? Does he truly love the game or is it just a routine he was forced into?)
+ "I took a deep breath and asked the question whose answer I dreaded: did he sometimes think about giving up the game entirely?
Joshua's eyes became misty. 'How could I do that?' he said in a trembling voice. 'Chess is my life.'"
- I feel like this was two premises combined into one book: (1) the difficulties of fathering a prodigy, (2) observing the World Chess Championship in Moscow (1984) as an American outsider. When reading, these two threads kept interrupting one another and slowing down the pace of the "true" narrative, whatever that may be. It read as if the book was originally going to be on the Moscow championship. Waitzkin attended and drew up pages of material, before realizing that the story that needed to be told concerned him and his son, not Karpov and Kasparov.
- The 3rd quarter of the book flagged a bit. What are we building towards? I'm not sure that Waitzkin knew.
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