The Immortal Game (Ebook)

Name: The Immortal Game
Author: David Shenk

A History of Chess

David Shenk

Bestselling author David Shenk shows us how 32 carved pieces on a board illuminated our understanding of war, science and the human brain

Does playing chess require a great mind, or are great minds formed by playing chess?

Chess: the seemingly simple game that contains infinity. For centuries it has served as a metaphor for society, informing military strategy and influencing mathematics, the arts and artificial intelligence. Popes, rabbis and imams have condemned it as the devil's game; Caliph Muhammad al-Amin lost his life trying to checkmate a courtier while Benjamin Franklin used chess as a cover for secret diplomacy.

Here, David Shenk chronicles its intriguing saga from ancient Persia to post-modern Europe, examining along the way a single legendary game that took place in nineteenth-century London. With its blend of cultural history and lively personal narrative, The Immortal Game is a compelling guide for novices and aficionados alike.

Publication date: March 1, 2011

£12.99

ISBN: 9780285640009

ISBN 10 / ASIN: B006WB7OCS

Imprint: Souvenir Press

Subject: History & Classics

Reviews for The Immortal Game

'A true page-turner, and a superb introduction to the game'

Wall Street Journal

'I had at best a casual interest in chess. It seemed too ancient to untangle, too complex to decipher with any real appreciation. But Shenk, in a book filled with daring moves and cunning patience, has made a believer out of me'

Stephen Dubner co-author of Freakonomics

'An interesting tour . . . Well written and informative'

Chess.com

'It shows just what can happen when an accomplished author, full of fire and passion, tackles a most wonderful and intricate story. Like a great chess game, this is an achievement that will be talked about for many years to come'

Simon Winchester author of The Professor and the Madman

'Constructed rather brilliantly . . . A perfect introduction'

Austin Kleon

'Explains not only the addictive power of chess but its shockingly important, Zelig-like role in the history of humankind'

Stefan Fatsis, author of Word Freak

'This book is essential . . . a good chess book for non-chess people'

Medium

David Shenk

David Shenk is an American writer, lecturer, and filmmaker. He is author of six books and has contributed to National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times, Gourmet, Harper's, Wired, The New Yorker, New Republic, The Nation, The American Scholar, NPR and PBS. In mid-2009, he joined The Atlantic as a correspondent. He is a 1988 graduate of Brown University.