[.ca] The Immortal Game: A History of Chess, or How 32 Carved ... (ISBN 0385662262)

Disappointing:
Despite outstanding promotion, this book is a disappointment. It purports to bring the latest research to our understanding of the Royal game but is very limited in what it offers. Its only offering for chess afficionado's is the so-called "immortal game" which is poorly annotated. The point was driven home by an interview on an American national network which closed by Shenk, at the request of his interviewer, making the opening move on a chess board....with the Black pieces. There are much better books around, such as Richard Eales's "Chess: The History of a Game."

Chess is ultimately a game of human interaction and human drama:
The Immortal Game: A History of Chess, or How 32 Carved Pieces on a Board Illuminated Our Understanding of War, Art, Science and the Human Brain by David Shenk is more than just a book about 32 pices, it's an exceptional human drama and also a great resource on the fundamentals of chess. When you begin reading chess history, you'll know almost immediately that David Shenk wanted to convey its astonishing intellectual and cultural breadth and also to pay a lasting tribute to the game of chess. It earned a four rating due impart that this book is not targeted at the masters of chess, indeed, expert players will not find any lessons on how the game works or why it's so great. But, rather, the millions of others who are more casually interested in the game is its intended audience. Dave sought to write a book that would hold the attention of the most serious player but also never confuse or bore the complete neophyte. The history of chess is a great source on the history of civilization over the last 1500 years. Dave sought to balance an appreciation for the game itself with an exploration for how the game has influenced ideas over so many centuries. In many ways, it's impossible to understand the evolution of modern thought without chess as a crucial tool. The first thing, Dave does, is to help people understand the allure of the game. That's one of the main missions in the book. Chess is a rich combination of art and science, of intellect, intuition and stamina. It's not just a brainy game--it's also a human game. It's also a very accessible one. Chess is ultimately a game of human interaction and human drama.