Biographies & Autobiographies you've enjoyed

Historical knowledge and information regarding our great game.
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MJMcCready
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Biographies & Autobiographies you've enjoyed

Post by MJMcCready » Wed Dec 10, 2014 4:20 pm

Hi all, some time back I created a thread about books on Soviet Chess, in which Yuri Averbakh's autobiography was recommended. I'm currently reading it and finding it very enjoyable, particularly players from the same era as Averbakh. Has anyone read Botvinnik's memoirs/autobiography?

Many thanks.

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MJMcCready
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Re: Biographies & Autobiographies you've enjoyed

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Dec 27, 2014 9:51 am

Over 1000 views and no comments, surely someone has read Botvinnik's?

Barry Sandercock
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Re: Biographies & Autobiographies you've enjoyed

Post by Barry Sandercock » Sat Dec 27, 2014 10:37 am

Kasparov's book "Child of change" is a good read.

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Biographies & Autobiographies you've enjoyed

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sat Dec 27, 2014 6:02 pm

As long as you don't actually believe any of it :D
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

John Moore
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Re: Biographies & Autobiographies you've enjoyed

Post by John Moore » Sun Dec 28, 2014 4:00 pm

I enjoyed Pal Benko "My Life, Games and Compositions".

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MJMcCready
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Re: Biographies & Autobiographies you've enjoyed

Post by MJMcCready » Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:02 am

Thanks John, I'll look into that. Perhaps if enough people contribute we can establish a top ten chess autobiographies or something like that.

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Jon Mahony
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Re: Biographies & Autobiographies you've enjoyed

Post by Jon Mahony » Mon Dec 29, 2014 1:57 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote:As long as you don't actually believe any of it :D
There is a good line in that where Kasparov talks about himself in the third person and says something like “Nigel Short had all the makings of a world champion, but for the terrible misfortune of being brought into the world only 3 years after Kasparov!” While this may be true, there’s self-assurance, then there’s arrogance :lol:

Keith Arkell’s book is a good read, and believe it or not Keene’s “Tony Miles: England’s Chess gladiator” is half decent, though how comfortable Miles would have been about Keene writing it, is another matter.
"When you see a good move, look for a better one!" - Lasker

Colin Patterson
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Re: Biographies & Autobiographies you've enjoyed

Post by Colin Patterson » Sun Jan 04, 2015 1:07 am

Golombek and Hartston's (1976) book of CHO'D Alexander's Best Games was a very pleasing recent purchase.

Contains a nine page personal memoir from Milner-Barry, his lifelong friend and Bletchley colleague, four nice glossy b&w images, and a further 20-25 pages of biographic material spread between 70 annotated games.

It could possibly have been longer (167 pages in total) but nevertheless, an enjoyable read if you can get it at an affordable price.

Ken Norman
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Re: Biographies & Autobiographies you've enjoyed

Post by Ken Norman » Tue Jan 13, 2015 1:56 pm

John Moore wrote:I enjoyed Pal Benko "My Life, Games and Compositions".
I also enjoyed reading My Life, Games and Compositions by Pal Benko.

However the autobiography is very selective.

As Hans Ree pointed out in his review of this book.

Nowhere in the 650 pages does Benko mention his Companion of many years the eight times Brazilian Ladies Champion WIM Ruth Cardoso 09-02-1934 to 11-02-2000.

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: Biographies & Autobiographies you've enjoyed

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:14 pm

Ken Norman wrote:
John Moore wrote:I enjoyed Pal Benko "My Life, Games and Compositions".
I also enjoyed reading My Life, Games and Compositions by Pal Benko.

However the autobiography is very selective.

As Hans Ree pointed out in his review of this book.

Nowhere in the 650 pages does Benko mention his Companion of many years the eight times Brazilian Ladies Champion WIM Ruth Cardoso 09-02-1934 to 11-02-2000.
That led me to go look her up:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Volgl_Cardoso

A 'biographical' book I enjoyed recently on chess was Moral Victories by David Lovejoy:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Moral-Victories ... B0027P89DG

It is a part biographical and part-fictionalised account of the life of Savielly Tartakower. It was interesting at the end to read which bits had been 'filled in' by Lovejoy.