Mortal Games: The Turbulent Genius of Garry Kasparov

Rating:
Summary: Behind the Scenes or a World Champion
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely. I think Waitzkin does a good job of portraying Garry Kasparov's life both within the chess world and as a budding political figure and chess celebrity. This book does well in illustrating the hectic life that goes with being the strongest chess player in the world.

It also shows both his strengths and weaknesses in his personality, which project themselves onto the chessboard as well. We see Garry sometimes as both the confident champion who towers over opponents both on the chess board and physically. We also see an insecure young man who has been forced to face the world early in his life because of his success in chess.

In this book, you can perceive Waitzkin's paternal instincts kicking in, as he also has a son who is a world-class player. I think at times Garry looks to Fred Waitzkin as a father figure (or at least that's how the book makes it seem).

Waitzkin's text descriptions of the chess matches Garry plays are interesting. I think even those who do not play chess can appreciate the intensity of the games.

In all, I think this is a great book which shows us the personality of Garry Kasparov.

Rating:
Summary: Close, but no cigar
Review: I want to start by saying that I did enjoy this book, it's just that at the end it left me wanting a little bit more. Fred Waitzkin gained unprescedented access to the Champ, but seems a little overwhelmed by the input to give us any real sense of Kasparov. As observers we get the feeling, as Waitzkin himself writes, that GK is putting on a bit of a show for him. The tortured soul, the rebel.

The political machinations and details of Kasparov's brush with the pogrom in Baku are horrifying, but serve to explain the darker side of our hero. Where I think Waitzkin excels, as he does in SFBF, is in his portrayal of the circus that surrounds Kasparov, and chess in general. The Kamsky's, for example, whom can only be described as a family with 'issues'. Or the background of Manny Topol, a crime writer so caught up in the spirit of the World Championship, that he takes to reporting it.

But when it comes to the man himself, something is held back. It's as if the author is so frightened of those famous mood swings that it prevents him getting under GK's skin. In the book, Waitzkin tells us that he and Kasparov had many conversations without the tape running, discussing various off-the-cuff issues. The reader is left wondering whether these unrecorded moments would have provided the true insight into Kasparov. The missing link, so to speak, between the man we see on TV grimacing at IBM officials, and the one in the book playfully teasing his wife.

All-in-all this a book that should be read by anyone with an interest in the subject matter. The questions it leaves us with can only be answered when Garry Kimovich consents to another biography. Which, I hope, will be sooner rather than later. A lot has happened since this book was written, and it would be interesting to see what GK makes of it all. So, Mr Kasparov, if you're reading this, get scribbling! Please?

Rating:
Summary: Average
Review: The title is impressive, but that's about it. 'Turbulent Genius of Garry Kasparov'? Just where was the turbulency? Although Kasparov has personal problems, just like everyone else, I really didn't see a tourtured soul. The subtitle was misleading. The book read more like a second draft rather than a finished copy. I think the author was in a hurry to finish it before a deadline because his writing is not very impressive or convincing. Nevertheless, there are some fine moments, especially some sections of Kasparov's match with Karpov. But on the other hand, Garry is not the most intersting person in the world. One of the greatest chess players ever, but certainly not a man one would want to write and entire book about. The book faltered there; it was about a genius with an average personality.

Rating:
Summary: An inside look at Kasparov
Review: This is not a great book, but it is a good book. Waitzkin gets to spend time with Kasparov before and during his last (5th) match with Karpov. There is a little biographical background about Kasparov scattered through the book. Most of the book concerns the time of the championship match. There is also a chapter on the Linares tournament that followed.

Some things I found interesting about the book: (1) the behind-the-scenes view of Kasparov's preparation for the match. (2) the political turmoil in the Soviet Union. Kasparov was working to end communism. (3) the descriptions of the games without moves and diagrams. (4) amusing anecdotes about the chess world. (5) a little bit of an update on Josh Waitzkin.

Warning: There are no game scores or analysis in this book. It is all talk. That was fine with me.

_Searching for Bobby Fischer_ was a much more interesting book to me. I recommend you read that one. If you love _Searching for Bobby Fischer_, you will like _Mortal Games_.

Rating:
Summary: Insight into the life of the world's greatest player
Review: Waitzkin, who also wrote Searching for Bobby Fischer, provides a rare glimpse into the world of Garry Kasparov. In so doing, he gives the reader an opportunity to see the intricacies of international chess also. Waitzkin's friendship with Kasparov allows unique and intimate pictures of the World Champion both at, and away from, the chessboard. Kasparov's rival, Anatoly Karpov, and the political tension between the two men play a large role in the book. Also included are information about Kasparov's family and the political upheaval and turmoil they endured, as well as enlightening accounts of Kasparov's interactions with other chess masters at various events and competitions around the world. The very best chess players always seem to possess a strange and captivating element of personality, and Waitzkin does well to introduce the reader to Garry Kasparov's.