The Immortal Game

Zusatztext Praise for David Shenk's The Immortal Game Elegant . . . A true page-turner! and a superb introduction to the game of chess. The Wall Street Journal Clear! elegant! sophisticated and easy to understand. . . . Just the thing to get you in the thrall of this ancient game. Los Angeles Times Shenk! a spry writer. . . . [Offers] a strong case for the game's bewitching power. The New York Times Book Review Shenk's book possesses an almost inestimable advantage over the many other publications about chess. . . . You can be an utter novice! just a simple wood-pusher! and enjoy the author's engaging prose! honest self-deprecation (he's a lousy player)! and the charm of his personal connection to the game. The Washington Post Fresh and fascinating . . . A world-spanning story [Shenk] relates with skill and verve. Chicago Sun-Times Informationen zum Autor David Shenk is the nationally bestselling author of six books, including The Genius in All of Us , The Immortal Game , The Forgetting , and Data Smog. He has written for The New York Times , The New Yorker , The Atlantic , Harper's , National Geographic , Slate , NPR, and PBS, among others. He lives in Brooklyn. Klappentext A fresh, engaging look at how 32 carved pieces on a board forever changed our understanding of war, art, science, and the human brain.Chess is the most enduring and universal game in history. Here, bestselling author David Shenk chronicles its intriguing saga, from ancient Persia to medieval Europe to the dens of Benjamin Franklin and Norman Schwarzkopf. Along the way, he examines a single legendary game that took place in London in 1851 between two masters of the time, and relays his own attempts to become as skilled as his Polish ancestor Samuel Rosenthal, a nineteenth-century champion. With its blend of cultural history and Shenk's lively personal narrative, The Immortal Game is a compelling guide for novices and aficionados alike. 1. "UNDERSTANDING IS THE ESSENTIAL WEAPON" Chess and Our Origins When Sissa had invented chess and produced it to King Shihram, the latter was filled with amazement and joy. He ordered that it should be preserved in the temples, and held it the best thing that he knew as a training in the art of war, a glory to religion and the world, and the foundation of all justice. ibn Khallikan, thirteenth century Stories do not exist to tell the facts, but to convey the truth. It is said that in ancient India, a queen had designated her only son as heir to the throne. When the son was assassinated, the queen's council searched for the proper way to convey the tragic news to her. They approached a philosopher with their predicament. He sat for three days in silent thought, and then said: "Summon a carpenter with wood of two colors, white and black." The carpenter came. The philosopher instructed him to carve thirty-two small figurines from the wood. After this was done, the philosopher said to the carpenter, "Bring me tanned leather," and directed him to cut it into the shape of a square and to etch it with sixty-four smaller squares. He then arranged the pieces on the board and studied them silently. Finally, he turned to his disciple and announced, "This is war without bloodshed." He explained the game's rules and the two began to play. Word quickly spread about the mysterious new invention, and the queen herself summoned the philosopher for a demonstration. She sat quietly, watching the philosopher and his student play a game. When it was over, one side having checkmated the other, the queen understood the intended message. She turned to the philosopher and said, "My son is dead." "You have said it," he replied. The queen turned to the doorkeeper and...

Praise for David Shenk’s The Immortal Game

“Elegant . . .  A true page-turner, and a superb introduction to the game of chess.” —The Wall Street Journal

“Clear, elegant, sophisticated and easy to understand. . . . Just the thing to get you in the thrall of this ancient game.” —Los Angeles Times

“Shenk, a spry writer. . . . [Offers] a strong case for the game’s bewitching power.” —*The New York Times Book Review

“Shenk’s book possesses an almost inestimable advantage over the many other publications about chess. . . . You can be an utter novice, just a simple wood-pusher, and enjoy the author’s engaging prose, honest self-deprecation (he’s a lousy player), and the charm of his personal connection to the game.” —*The Washington Post

“Fresh and fascinating . . . A world-spanning story [Shenk] relates with skill and verve.” —Chicago Sun-Times

Autorentext

David Shenk is the nationally bestselling author of six books, including The Genius in All of Us, The Immortal Game, The Forgetting, and Data Smog. He has written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Harper’s, National Geographic, Slate, NPR, and PBS, among others. He lives in Brooklyn.

Klappentext

A fresh, engaging look at how 32 carved pieces on a board forever changed our understanding of war, art, science, and the human brain. Chess is the most enduring and universal game in history. Here, bestselling author David Shenk chronicles its intriguing saga, from ancient Persia to medieval Europe to the dens of Benjamin Franklin and Norman Schwarzkopf. Along the way, he examines a single legendary game that took place in London in 1851 between two masters of the time, and relays his own attempts to become as skilled as his Polish ancestor Samuel Rosenthal, a nineteenth-century champion. With its blend of cultural history and Shenk's lively personal narrative, The Immortal Game is a compelling guide for novices and aficionados alike.

Zusammenfassung

**A fresh, engaging look at how 32 carved pieces on a Chess board forever changed our understanding of war, art, science, and the human brain.

Chess is the most enduring and universal game in history. Here, bestselling author David Shenk chronicles its intriguing saga, from ancient Persia to medieval Europe to the dens of Benjamin Franklin and Norman Schwarzkopf. Along the way, he examines a single legendary game that took place in London in 1851 between two masters of the time, and relays his own attempts to become as skilled as his Polish ancestor Samuel Rosenthal, a nineteenth-century champion. With its blend of cultural history and Shenk’s lively personal narrative, The Immortal Game is a compelling guide for novices and aficionados alike.

Leseprobe

"UNDERSTANDING IS THE ESSENTIAL WEAPON"
Chess and Our Origins

*When Sissa had invented chess and produced it to King Shihram, the latter was filled with amazement and joy. He ordered that it should be preserved in the temples, and held it the best thing that he knew as a training in the art of war, a glory to religion and the world, and the foundation of all justice.
—*ibn Khallikan, thirteenth century

Stories do not exist to tell the facts, but to convey the truth. It is said that in ancient India, a queen had designated her only son as heir to the throne. When the son was assassinated, the queen's council searched for the proper way to convey the tragic news to her. They approached a philosopher with their predicament. He sat for three days in silent thought, and then said: "Summon a carpenter with wood of two colors, white and black."

The carpenter came. The philosopher instructed him to carve thirty-two small figurines from the wood. After this was done, the philosopher said to the carpenter, "Bring me tanned leather," and directed him to cut it into the shape of a square and to etch it with sixty-four smaller squares.

He then arranged the pieces on the board and studied them silently. Finally, he turned to his …