Friday, March 07, 2008

100 Chess Book Reviews, Part 3

With a little Rage this time....

17 Comments:

Blogger katar said...

LOLZ... useful mini-reviews as always! we like it.

3/08/2008 04:59:00 AM  
Blogger takchess said...

I'll have to check out the Basman book. thnks

3/08/2008 07:59:00 AM  
Blogger Blue Devil Knight said...

Thanks katar. I think I got into a rhythm in this one.

Tak. That book is great. I suspect a bit basic for you, but just a fun read.

3/08/2008 11:53:00 AM  
Blogger transformation said...

nice go man. had never heard of the Basman book, but in researcing that now, see you have 30 book reviews at Amazon.

i was a bit surprised at your aplomb at Alburts chess openings for black, but it is a thorough book. i am much more of a fan of his pocket chess manual.

damn, your productivity is most impressive, not least of which, much else outside chess while having so rapidly having gone so deep in chess.

outside that, maybe i had better say nothing else :).

3/08/2008 03:08:00 PM  
Blogger Blue Devil Knight said...

DK: That will likely come up in one of these videos, though I may have cut it as I didn't like my review. I cut about 15 or so reviews from the full video, mostly of books that I hadn't read so my review was like "Haven't read it, have nothing to say, but I won't be reading it, so C." I left a couple of those but cut the majority.

Like with Tak, Basman may be too basic for you, but at the very least a very clear and fun review. I notice it is actually in print.

3/08/2008 03:24:00 PM  
Blogger BlunderProne said...

Ian Anderson's Visualization training book? I didn't know the front man and flutist of the reknowned Jethro Tull played chess AND wrote books on teh subject.

3/08/2008 05:38:00 PM  
Blogger Blue Devil Knight said...

BP: wow now I know who to use as a lifeline if I ever get a music question on a game show! How many people in the universe know the name of JT's floutist (amazing though he is)?

3/08/2008 06:22:00 PM  
Blogger katar said...

quite a lot of people know that b/c I.A. is also Jethro Tull's singer, frontman, and primary songwriter. JT is a great band!
(i made the same reference in your original post.)

3/08/2008 11:36:00 PM  
Blogger Blue Devil Knight said...

Katar: I think it went over my head at the time. I didn't realize he was such the jack of all trades.

3/08/2008 11:41:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with you on the steinitz book. where the hell is the annotation!

3/09/2008 06:38:00 AM  
Blogger transformation said...

"Music Writer Listens to His Past for 'Onion' Listen Now [2 min 59 sec [add to playlist]"

"[NPR] Weekend Edition Saturday, March 8, 2008 · Music writer Noel Murray is avoiding new music as he reviews his bulging record collection.

"He will chronicle his year-long efforts for the satirical newspaper The Onion. Murray tells Scott Simon what he's learned so far, having reached the "C" section of his collection in what is turning out to be an alphabetical pursuit of his past tastes.

3/09/2008 06:39:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

the video review is genius! great idea. well executed and I hope it catches on. Best, Bill

3/09/2008 08:18:00 PM  
Blogger Polly said...

The Basman book sounds interesting. I too have never heard of it.

I see you finally consigned a few pieces of #$%^ to the F pile. Pretty brutal there!

3/11/2008 04:57:00 PM  
Blogger Chessaholic said...

I own “Games of Willhelm Steinitz” as well, and I had the same reaction when I received it – wtf?? They call that annotations? It was a total waste of money. As opposed to Heisman’s book, which I agree has a bunch of good stuff in it.

It’s kinda entertaining to see that I’m not the only sucker handing over too much money to the chess publishing houses – you clearly have (or had) an addiction to chess books :)

3/11/2008 07:46:00 PM  
Blogger Blue Devil Knight said...

Bill: hey, thanks. It would be interesting to see other people do some videos. For a while a few bloggers (Patrick at C4B), J'adoube, Zenchess) were doing videos which were all very fun to watch, on their games.

Polly: I have no idea how I ran into that book, but it is a gem.

chessaholic: If I can stop one person from buying that freaking Steinitz book, I will consider this a successful enterprise! :)

3/12/2008 01:40:00 AM  
Blogger Frisco Del Rosario said...

I'll consider that a well-earned B.

Thanks for everything you've done for chess.

4/05/2008 06:35:00 AM  
Blogger Blue Devil Knight said...

Frisco: thanks a lot for the comment, and for writing us that great book.

4/05/2008 10:36:00 AM  

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