5 comments about Full Throttle: The Life and Fast Times of Curtis Turner.

1. Even though I am a NASCAR fan, I would recommend this book to anyone, a racing fan or not. The life of Curtis Turner was full of ups and downs, whether in his racing career or personal life. All of this is chronicled in the book, which focuses on the very beginning of Turner's life running moonshine to the end of his (short) life. The man was always up for adventure, whether wrecking rental cars, intimidating competitors on the track, or trying to land a plane around a residential area. Full of details and reflections by NASCAR greats of an earlier era, this book never fails to keep a reader's attention. I must admit, I had never heard of Curtis Turner before reading this biography, but I wasn't able to put it down once I started reading it, and neither will you!



2. Let me preface this review by stating that I don't consider myself a fan of NASCAR or car racing in general. So when a friend suggested I read "Full Throttle" I was reluctant. My reading preference is usually fictional narrative with occasional reference books. My friend insisted that I would enjoy the read though, and since I trust him I took the plunge. And I am so glad I did.
   
   From the opening scene it's clear that the author not only knows his subject but is a superb storyteller. Until reading this book I frankly had no idea of the existence of Curtis Turner but I feel now that I have intimate knowledge of this interesting figure. His life was full of passion and adventure and Edelstein does a masterful job of giving us a firsthand view of the man, from the perspective of family and friends as well as sitting in the passenger seat through several thrilling races and crazy side trips. From his early days behind the wheel of bootlegging vehicles to the creation of NASCAR and beyond this is a great read and it's obvious that it was exhaustively researched.
   
   Whether you have a love of the subject matter or simply enjoy a great read, "Full Throttle" is well worth your time and money. One of my favorite books of the year...



3. While Turner's name is revered in the USA, it's a non-entity elsewhere, so it's easier for me to be objective. For an avid motor-racing fan it lacks insight and depth on the racing side, but there's a lot of research into the man. I can imagine he'd rub me up the wrong way as an overconfident careless larrikin, but get my admiration for his obvious courage and skill. The author lacks the story-telling knack that should enthrall and entertain, and believe me, Turner had a life full of retellable tales. Wish someone more entertaining wrote it. Dismissing the first ever "car-in-swimming-pool" feat in a few lines is a sin! These yarns could be spun out for hours!



4. An excellent book if you are interested in the history of NASCAR. Curtis Turner was one of the great drivers of the 50s, and played an important role in the growth of NASCAR. He lived life hard.



5. Fans of car racing in general and NASCAR in particular won't want to miss Robert Edelstein's biography of driver Curtis Turner in Full Throttle: The Life And Fast Times Of Nascar Legend Curtis Turner. Racing fans receive a fast page-turner about one of the most dynamic stock car racers in history. Access to the files of Turner's widow supplement motorsports writer Robert Edelstein's fascinating coverage, adding depth to his survey of Turner's legendary life and many achievements.

4 comments about Brett: His Own Story.

1. This is probably the most enjoyable book I have read regarding hockey or hockey players. Brett provides a light-hearted look at his life that is neither boastful nor "preachy". He is surprisingly modest given the extraordinary career he has had. I particularly enjoyed hearing of his days growing up in the shadow of his legendary dad and how he overcame his own personal obstacles. This book could easily have been two or three times as thick but I am guessing Brett would not have enjoyed writing a lengthy tome - and clearly Brett is motivated by fun more than anything else! A great lesson for anyone!



2. Brett Hull was a great hockey player. He worked very hard to become a star player. It was very hard growing up the son of a famous hockey player,especailly after his parents divorced. I think Brett Hull will be remembered and admired for his goal scoring and records he set on the ice. After reading this book I will remember him for how hard he works and how he never gave up his dream. I would recommend this book top everyone that is a hockey lover. I enjoyed the book and was happy I chose it.



3. THIS IS THE STORY OF BRETT HULL IN HIS OWN WORDS. I REALLY LIKED THIS BOOK. BRETT DOES A NICE JOB DESCRIBING HIS CAREER, RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DIVORCED PARENTS, AND HIS THOUGHTS ON BEING HIMSELF. BRETT FINALLY PLAYED ON A STANLEY CUP WINNER IN 1999. HE TELLS OF ALL THE PLAYOFF DEFEATS AND THE FRUSTRATIONS DURING HIS CAREER. HE ADDS HUMOR, HONESTY, AND ALOT OF INSIGHTS ON THE GAME OF HOCKEY. I RECOMMEND THIS TO ALL HOCKEY FANS AS A GOOD READ.



4. This is a great book, all of you brett hull fans or not, should go and get this book, it is definetily the best book i've ever read in a long time

4 comments about Cold Burial: A True Story of Endurance and Disaster.

1. I first read about northern frontiersman Jack Hornby in McKay Jenkins's excellent "Bloody Falls of the Coppermine." Hornby was a guide to two missionaries who would later be killed in the far north by two Inuits. Hornby had vast knowledge of survival in the far north and even spoke the native language of the Inuit people. Alas, he was unreliable, irresponsible, and had the tendency to go off on his own. "Cold Burial" covers Hornby's final adventure where many of his personality flaws that made him not the best of guides led to his death. The saddest part is that he took two young men with him--including his 19-year old cousin.
   
   Hornby's cousin, Edgar Christian, had just recently finished schooling at Dover College with little distinction save for a swimming tournament (19). Edgar had a taste for adventure that was probably, in large part, inspired by tales of England's heroes like Robert Falcon Scott where tragedies created a "composite account of what made a man" and that "frozen lands [were] ideal theatres for trial and courage" (22). He worshiped his legendary cousin, Jack Hornby. Edgar having limited prospects, his parents consented in having Hornby take their son to the barren lands of the Northwest Territories.
   
   Edgar had high expectations of Jack and of the trip. Jack prided himself on his self-sufficiency and his young cousin believed he would acquire the same independence and "never be in need of a job if I want one" (92). Jack, however, was self-sufficient to the extreme. He never believed in taking much on a trip save for the barest of essentials and survived his many treks not through planning and organization but through stamina, intuition, and luck. During his 1926-7 trip to the Thelon River--though he was warned many times along the way against taking two young, inexperienced men with him with such limited supplies (Hornby also invited 27-year old Harold Adlard who, sadly, is often forgotten in the Hornby/Edgar saga)--his luck ran out.
   
   Clive Powell-Williams relies mostly on primary sources to tell this sad story: Harold's few letters home, Edgar's letters and diary entries, notes left on the trail, observations of those who met up with the three men on their way to the Barrens, and post-death writings of those who knew Hornby. He uses conjecture to fill in the gaps but he demonstrates plenty of knowledge on the types of conditions and animals they encountered and their techniques for survival.
   
   The last several chapters are the most intriguing, as well as heart-rending, as the men had to survive largely on animal skin and bone marrow while they slowly died from starvation. Then there is the final diary entry and letters of Edgar--the last survivor--left all alone in the cold, empty land knowing his death was imminent. The book continues with the discovery of the bodies and aftermath and ends with the unfortunate fate of former Hornby traveling partner Capt. James Critchell-Bullock. Included is a section of photos, photo of Edgar's last letters, and maps. I didn't find the maps useful as they did not include places with which I was familiar (i.e. Canada) to give the areas mapped a point of reference.



2. In 1926, the Barren Lands of the Canadian Northwest Territories were rightly regarded as an inhospitable region of appalling weather coupled with the threat of starvation, accident, and loneliness, a place where men (meaning Europeans) would be tested to the limit. Jack Hornsby, a troubled veteran of WWI, drifter, and adventurer, had been there, and liked it. He put together an expedition with Harold Adler and Edgar Christian, two young and inexperienced friends, with the intention of wintering north of the Great Slave Lake. They would hunt and trap to support themselves and pay for the expedition, and Hornsby would collect scientific data. Hornsby was knowledgeable about the region, but apparently was unable to organize effectively and failed to make basic preparations despite warnings. After many hardships and colossal mistakes in judgment, all three died. Mounties found their bodies, letters to parents, and the detailed diary kept by Christian, two years later. The author has used the diary and a number of surviving letters to reconstruct the adventurers' trip in great detail. Counterpoint to stories of survival under harsh conditions, but rather depressing. An absorbing read for anyone interested in arctic exploration, and a thought-provoking sidelight on Canadian history



3. In recent months there have been several books written about polar exploration, and their success indicates that the reading public seems to have a continuing fascination with these expeditions. This spring, the A and E cable network produced "Shackleton", a cold-country-frontier saga. In this tradition, Clive Powell-Williams has written "Cold Burial."

   This book is an engrossing page-turner and a quick read. You will be caught up in the tale of 18 year old Edgar Christian and his mother's double-cousin, Jack Hornby, an experienced Canadian-Northwest Territories outdoorsman. Experienced he may be, but seasoned he is not. Impulsive, improvident, and arrogant to boot, he takes his cousin on what will be their first and final adventure together. Having relied heavily upon luck and upon the help of natives, Jack finds his luck has run out. He does try to spare his young cousin, but events proceed inevitably
   to a tragic end. Powell-Williams relies upon the diaries of young Edgar to put together a chilling story of their days in a climate hostile to human life. Female readers may be tempted to ask, "Why would they want to do that?" The only answer is the famous one, "Because it's there!" Apparently that insouciant reply makes sense to males; but to a mother, it rings hollow.




4. For anybody that has read and enjoyed some of the adventurer books released in the last few years (Into Thin Air, etc.), Cold Burial is a must.

   75 years ago, 3 British men set out on a journey up the Thelon River (in Northern Alberta) and into the Canadian Arctic. None of them made it back alive. When their bodies were discovered by the RCMP, the investigators also found a diary. This diary, written by the youngest member of the party (Edgar Christian, age 18) chronicled the shift from courageous optimism in the early days of the voyage, into hopeless abandon as the 3 men starved and froze to death.

   Clive Powell-Williams has taken this diary and researched the history behind the 3 adventurers. In Cold Burial, he tells the whole story; from their original meetings at school in Britain, to Edgar's last days, alone in the cabin.

   Cold Burial is a tremendously well-written account that will certainy rank with the top adventure/disaster books of all time. An extremely good read. Highly recommended.

No comments about God's Perfect Plan: No one said it would be easy.

5 comments about The Miracle of St. Anthony: A Season with Coach Bob Hurley and Basketball's Most Improbable Dynasty.

1. This is a very good inspirational book about an underdog inner city basketball team rising up to be the best, coached by Bob Hurley--best high school coach in small, broken down parochial school. Kids all had problems and he taught character and perseverance as well as basketball. It's tells how the coach motivated and taught his players. Parts moved a bit slow but it's definitely worth your time reading this one!
   
   Coaching (and teaching) tips I got out of it included the following:
   
   *Always keep the bar high and require respect.
   *Never let anyone slide--keep on them all the time.
   *Coach all the players, not just the best.
   *Make kids earn your respect and ignore them until they do.
   *Give everyone a role--even those on the bench.
   *Use drastic measures (wrestling practice) to punish sloppy playing.
   *Use the drastic measure practice for motivating in the future.
   *Let the players experience the glory, keep low profile as coach.
   *Help players make good decisions concerning their futures.
   
   Karen Arlettaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"



2. What a great, inspirational book. On top of that, it was only $5 when I purchased it, so you can't go wrong there. If you enjoy basketball, I strongly suggest you read this book!



3. I read this a few years back and I really enjoyed it. I have always found books about geniuses within their little realm fascinating. Bob Hurley's success is not attributed to a new revolutionary school of coaching thought, but rather basic hard work, discipline and commitment.
   
   Despite its small enrollment, St. Anthony's teams have been pretty stacked over the years. That is why I always thought the St. Anthony's mystique (i.e. Poor little Catholic school in Jersey City) was overblown a bit. Give anyone an MacDonald all-american and a couple of All-NYC type players and you'll have success at the HS level. But this particular season, the players at St. Anthony's were something a bit less. Good players, certainly, but not the highly recruited types that usually populate the top HS Programs in the country. Hurley guiding this ragtag bunch of ballers to the heights of success says alot about the guys ability to coach and motivate. Its a great story that would have been something less if it chronicled one of the other St. Anthony's seasons.
   
   Indeed, Hurley is a tough coach that borders on verbally absuive. But in this day and age of coddled athletes, he's refreshing. He's unambigious about what his expectations are and kids respond to his style. He's not a mean, cruel guy he just wants to get the most out of his players.
   
   It would be a good read for coaches of youngsters through teenagers.
   



4. If you're a coach this is for you. If you're a sports fan this is for you. I loved it so much I bought a book for my entire coaching staff. And we are a hockey team! There are a lot lessons and values that Coach Hurley teaches. More importantly it's about life. He never let up on these kids and pushed them to success. Challenged them to succeed. At that age level they need guidance, they need someone to sponsor them. Then its up to them to follow the path Coach Hurley gives them. It's amazing how a time tested path still can't lead some kids. It's a struggle between the kids backgrounds and the future they can have
   Wow what a great book. What I liked is that these kids are now in college so we can follow their careers.
   The one player that sticks out to me is Sean McCready. Great talent, bad guidance (family). Now he is sitting out the 2008 season because he transferred. Coach Hurley was right!
   
   I also loved the fact that he sweeps the floor. That's his time, and we all need our own time. But coach is dedicated to a school that is struggling. There is no way a school like this should be on the verge of bankruptcy. Coach could leave and make millions, but he doesn't. Because if he does the school will close.
   BUY THE BOOK



5. Adrian Wojnarowski's "The Miracle of St. Anthony: A Season with Coach Bob Hurley and Basketball's Most Improbable Dynasty" is one of the best sports and leadership books I have read this past year.
   
   St. Anthony's is a private Catholic High School in Jersey City, NJ, with 230 students (120 boys). Students come from an area where 16% pass the HS proficiency test and where the local drug-infested, back-sliding culture has a hold on the kids. Despite its size and location, St. Anthony's basketball teams have gone undefeated four times, have won two USA Today national titles, and 24 New Jersey Parochial state championships. The basketball program has developed 200 college players, including 5 who went on to the National Basketball Association.
   
   St. Anthony's is a special and safe place under Srs. Felicia and Alan and legendary Coach, Bob Hurley - the streets stop here. Their focus in athletics and academics has been to help kids get to the finish line. They share a collective value that there is no shortcut to success.
   
   While Sister Felicia and Sister Alan play prominent roles in the success of St. Anthony's, "The Miracle of St. Anthony" is mostly about Bob Hurley and the class of 2004 - the most athletically and socially underachieving team in St. Anthony's history. Yet, under Hurley's coaching leadership, the team went undefeated, winning the NJ State Championship and was named by USA Today as the top high school team of the year.
   
   Hurley struggles with the problems of the inner city and sees the potential in these kids that they do not see in themselves. He has always been a disciple of John Wooden... fundamentals, well-conditioned, team play, and defense...and he has always been a no-nonsense driver.
   
   He creates an expectation of performance and accountability that the kids will not find anywhere else in their lives, and helps them out the door to life with values and a voice to become the best they can. And despite his daunting ways, the kids respect Hurley and when returning after graduation, they always come home to the warm embrace of family. The relationship changes from tough task master to a friend.
   
   "St. Anthony's" covers the entire basketball year from pre-season preparations to the championship game. Wojnarowski provides the ups and downs of the season - injuries, players leaving the team, tough wins, and all the key relationships that makes St. Anthony's the special place it is.
   
   This is a great read for anyone interested in coaching, leadership, and basketball.

1 comments about Dale Earnhardt: 23 Years with The Intimidator.

1. As a HUGE Earnhardt fan. I would have to say that I liked this book. It brought back so many memories of Dale and how he was on and off track. If you have not read this book, I suggest you pick it up and take the time to learn more about the GREATEST LEGEND IN HISTORY.

5 comments about Good Morning Midnight.

1. This book is great. I literally could not put it down. A great insight to what might go on throughout someones life who struggles with depression, weaved among a most amazing life. It can happen to anyone!



2. Great book, I was touched by Chip's thoughtful writting of such a wonderful, but sad, life and death. It is so sad that friends and family allowed these men to suffer through depression without finding a way to getting them help. It's a message to all of us to help those who can not help themselves.



3. This is a powerful book. Mr. Brown examines the life of Guy Waterman, a man who became the personification of the Old Man Of The Mountain. Guy was an amzing man who workedin fields ranging from speech writing in Washington, to jazz pianist, to winter caretaker of an AMC hut.
   
   There is no hero-worship here. The book examines Guy's dark side as well; his early divorce, chronic depression, the deaths of his two sons, and his eventual suicide.



4. This very artfully told tale was truly page turner for me. Thick with literary references, Brown's story of Guy Waterman reflects the complexity of a multi-talented individual, appreciated by many, but omniouly least of all by himself.

   I came away with a very strong feeling that Guy Waterman was truly a unique individual. His successes far outweighed his failures. But his ultimate failure was to recognize that hardmen mature into wisemen. Old Men of the Mountain types, who regale their friends and cohorts with lessons and values of challenging and living amongst the mountains. No matter how far flung the challenge, a mountaineer's ultimate objective is to return from his/her adventure to share the experience; the cold, the hard breathing, the colors, the wind and their intimate feelings of wonder or survival. Regretfully, Guy's inner-self, his demons, contested his own outwardly generous, steadfast and friendly personality.

   For me, Brown's story reacquainted me with several names and places familiar in mountaineering circles. It also cleard my long held confusion between John Waterman the highly acclaimed, albeit daring alpinist, Guy's son and Jonathan Waterman the prolific author of Alaskan mountaineering.

   HOWEVER, as an end note the publisher editorial and Author INCORRECTLY stated that Krakauer wrote about John Waterman. The book Into the Wild was the story of Chris McCandless, by J.Krakauer.




5. After just finishing the book I found myself wanting to write the author and thank him for letting the reader into another world, a very personal one, of a man who had experienced so much in the ways of life, love, and death. The book flows with it's constant references to Guy Waterman's own writings as well as great literary works. I felt a part of the waterman clan ,without intruding, after reading the book. It has been a long time since a book made anything so real with out being too heavy handed. The adventures are amazing, both in the outdoors and with the human emotions. A fantastically orchestrated work; Chip Brown has proved himself as an outdoorsman and writer.

5 comments about The Rock Says....

1. I love the Rock as that character he created himself, and Dwyane Johnson who has definitely crossed over as from wrestler to decent actor. However the book is good but it is not great as I hoped. Too much going in and out of character, at first it is hilarious...But after a few several times it is hard to take him serious and just confusing. If there is a great book to read from wrestlers, read Triple H's approach to a better body and Ric Flair's book. They are upfront real life stories and opinions that are genuine. I loved the Rock Says for the first few chapters and for the comedy he put into it..But bouncing around back and forth from character back to Dwayne Johnson just seemed Immature and had me lost.



2. I enjoyed reading this book that I bought for someone else. I don't usually read biographies but The Rock managed to elevate WWF/WWE in the too brief minute-long appearances he made before he went on to make THE MUMMY movies. It's no surprise that he was so attractive onscreen that he was soon offered his own starring role in THE SCORPION KING. He's so hilarious. I hope he ends up in everything including Xmen and DC films.



3. Bill Goldberg, you musclehead, this is how
   it's done! Former CFL Lineman and Wrestler
   Dwayne Johnson, black, Hawai'ian-Samoan, is
   one of the up-and-coming action screen heroes
   that has made it. I can't wait to see his
   movie about King Kamehameha, when it gets done.
   
   Johnson, unlike Goldberg, is grateful for eve-
   rything he's achieved and not being selfish
   like Bill, who it's all about him, is giving
   back. Also, unlike Goldberg, his movie roles
   are getting better! Way to go Dwayne!



4. Good god, where do I begin? This book is awful. Between reading about his boring college days, his being handed a wrestling contract because of his family, and his attempts at being funny I actually feel stupid for hanging with this travesty until the end. To make matters worse, he starts writing in character and to call it annoying would be like calling world war II a minor scuffle. If you value your time, money, and sanity, just move along.



5. This is one of da best wrestling books that I've ever read.This book talks about The Rock aka Dwayne Johnson growing up as an average kid with his samoan mom and african american dad.He develops a passion for wrestling at a young age.Then it talks about the Rock in middle school where he was ganged and beat up by a bunch of different guys until one day his dad came and they flew off and the Rock gave them a beating and offered to fight any of them one on one.Then the book just jumps around a little bit it talks about how he had sex at 14teen with an 17 year old chick(I give the Rock his props for laying down another girl.....in the grass too),how he met his wife at an early age(she is 3 years older than him),when he played football for the CFL(Canadian Football League)but was cut about a year later after an back injury.Then when he joined the WWF in 1996 as Rocky Mavia(a combination of his Dad's first name in wrestling and his granddads last name in wrestling)and when he got booed every day during the next couple of months even though he was a good guy.Then when he left and made his heel return in late August of 1997 as The Rock and joined The Nation.Then its pretty much The Rock speaking in 3rd person as The Rock after that and he briefly touches on Owens passing and well thats bout it!

5 comments about One Dream: The NFL.

1. This book is like an NFL Rocky type story. Except there are 10 different Rocky's that are the focus of this book in the form of football players. Not to say that it is a ripoff in anyway. It's a book that truly stands on it's own. The author seems to be very talented. His first? Are you kidding me? Sometimes I laughed and sometimes I felt sad for them. Especially knowing that all this really happened to real people makes the impact even stronger. Don't let it's setting of it being preseason football make you think it's boring. It's a book of hope, determination, preserverance, and the cold reality of life that we all have to face. This book was so good it's compelled me to write my first review for Amazon. Congratulations Woody F. and I'm looking for your next book!



2. This book is precisely what every NFL fan wants to know about what it takes to make a professional football team's roster. Woody does an excellent job at grabing your attention within the very first pages and holding it to the very end. If you are a fan of the NFL, this is a must read and Woody will have you turning each page anxiously awaiting the fates of the players struggling to make the Saints team. This book is masterfully written and you will find yourself rooting for the underdogs. Woody is a gifted story teller and makes you feel like you are sitting along side him at the Saints training camp. At times, I was rooting for Woody himself as he describes the difficulties the media encounters from the Saints organization during training camp. I highly recommend this book and only hope Woody has his second book in the works.



3. An amazing read! The author puts you into the mind, body
   and soul of the players. It is more than a book about football, it is about having hope and chasing a dream. Even
   when you know you wont win. Read it and pass it on,
   quickly.



4. Woody had a great premise for a book, let's follow undrafted rookie free agents through training camp showing the emotional highs and lows of who makes the team. Since his favorite team is the New Orleans Saints, the story starts in a small humidity oppressed Louisiana town that is the sight of training camp. Woody does a great job getting to know the players and attempting to know management and how decisions are made. It's clear very early that the NFL and the Saints don't know what to make of this book and seem to have some concern that it will be a hatchet job.

   But Woody writes like a true Saints fan who wants to know the players and what it's like to try to make a team. The deck is really stacked against these guys as they must beat out returning players and drafted rookies. Woody gives great examples of the many undrafted free agents who went on to become quality NFL players. But this year's group doesn't appear to have an immediate star and some of the players start dropping immediately. Some of the rookies have great practices followed by weak practices. Some have minor injuries that limit their already limited playing time. And some are trying to fill positions where there are no real spots.

   It makes for an interesting read from the early cuts to the few that make it right to the final cut. Woody does a good job of showing the fears, insecurities and sacrifices these players make trying to fulfill their dream. Read this book if you are a fan of football.




5. I bought several copies of Falgoux's book for the football fans in my family and they were a huge hit. By our next family gathering, One Dream was the one and ONLY topic ofconversation. This book is extremely well-written, informative and impressive in it's ability to show the human side of what has become a mega-industry in the US.

4 comments about Paul Keres: The Road to the Top.

1. I have not finished this book, but I was moved to write a review of what I've read so far. Outstanding. I often hear that Alekhine was a great annotator. Bah, humbug! As far as I'm concerned Keres is the model of a perfect annotator, at least for a player below expert strength. The variations provided are plentiful and deep enough to provide food for thought without being overwhelming (unlike say Kasparov's MGP series, which has encyclopedic annotations of some games, which overwhelms the non-master). Beyond simply citing moves, Keres delves into the intricacies of the positions, explaining plans and strategies. This book will help anyone's game improve. Can't wait to finish, and I'm going to buy Vol 2 immediately.



2. This book contains Paul Keres' best games played in the period 1929-1950. And as one might imagine, almost all the games are against World class players. What sets this book apart from many others of its genre is the annotations. Another reviewer rightly mentioned that Keres' style of annotation is as good as Bronstein. Those who are familiar with David Bronstein's books will get the point. The book has around 250 pages and covers 50 of Keres' games. This might give you some idea as to how detailed the annotations would be(unlike the lightly annotated books that cover a players' 100 or more games in the same number of pages). The games are all Keres' wins but at no point one feels even the slightest hint of personal bias in his annotations. They are highly objective and very detailed. Keres clearly explains the plans of both the sides and devotes around 5-6 pages to almost every game. He gives detailed variations where necessary but nothing to overwhelm an average player.

   The one slight dissappointment that I have from this book is that I expected it to be a complete autobiography of Keres' life. But Keres doesn't talk much about his life in general or shares any interesting chessic stories or incidents that might have happened in his life(unlike Tal in his autobiography). All he mentions is the tournaments and matches he participated in a given year and how he felt his standard of play was compared to other successful players. But this shouldn't keep anyone away from buying this book. This book would've been worth its price even if it had no autobiography. The set of games are worth studying.

   Finally I would like to say that even though the games are highly annotated, a sound understanding of both tactics and basic chess strategy is needed. The level of the games is high and so I feel that this book will be most useful to players over 1700(uscf). Also the footnotes added by John Nunn are in no way a nuisance(as mentioned by another reviewer). I was amazed to see that after going over 35 games, there was no occassion when even a single variation given by Keres was completely wrong. All Nunn does is is add to what Keres had to say or point out another interesting idea or variation that Keres probably ignored.

   In conclusion I would like to say that these games have been thoroughly scrutinized by their creator and there aren't simply many chess books that match this book's content. So you can't afford to miss it.




3. This is an incredible book. First off, the games alone standout by themselves. Paul Keres' style is crystal clear, without any particular weaknesses in his play. He handled all phases of the game well and was a great attacking and positional player. His games are very instructive for beginners to masters.

   Second, his notes are amazing. Each chapter has a collection of few games from one phase in his career and he begins each with a very engaging essay on his thoughts and life during that time. You really get into his mind as he takes you through his ups and downs throughout his life and how he prepares for games. The notes to the games are thorough and engaging. You never feel like an idea, line or variation is left unexplained. I feel Keres was one of the best annotators to ever live.

   Finally, the format and translation of this edition are excellent, as with most of John Nunn's reissues. I don't own the first issue, but I can say this one is extremely nice, if you don't mind Nunn's sometimes annoying footnotes. This is must have book, for those who want to study from it, or just enjoy the games. I'm saving up money for the second volume, "Quest for Perfection!"




4. The basic material in this book, and its companion, Paul Keres: The Quest for Perfection (also available from Amazon) were previously published under another title. British GM John Nunn has updated the notes and added some games.

   The result is a book that every serious chessplayer should have. Keres' deep notes will help players from Class C on up to improve their games and get more enjoyment out of chess.