Bobby Fischer Goes to War

How A Lone American Star Defeated the Soviet Chess Machine

By: David Edmonds, John Eidinow

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Paperback | 1 March 2005

At a Glance

Paperback
384 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
20.32 x 13.34 x 2.54

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In the summer of 1972, with a presidential crisis stirring in the United States and the cold war at a pivotal point, the Soviet world chess champion, Boris Spassky, and his American challenger, Bobby Fischer, met in Reykjavik, Iceland, for the most notorious chess match of all time. Their showdown, played against the backdrop of superpower politics, held the world spellbound for two months with reports of psychological warfare, ultimatums, political intrigue, cliffhangers, and farce to rival a Marx Brothers film. Thirty years later, David Edmonds and John Eidinow have set out to reexamine the story we recollect as the quintessential cold war clash between a lone American star and the Soviet chess machine. A mesmerizing narrative of brilliance and triumph, hubris and despair, Bobby Fischer Goes to War is a biting deconstruction of the Bobby Fischer myth, a nuanced study on the art of brinkmanship, and a revelatory cold war tragicomedy.This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.

Industry Reviews

"Readers will savor a marvelous portrait of East against West, with perceived societal superiority as the real prize." -- Kirkus Reviews

"[An] intriguing look at the world of competitive chess, circa 1972.... Good reading, especially for chess buffs." -- Booklist

"[A] praiseworthy, terrific book... marvelous." -- Chess Life

"Bobby Fischer Goes to War tells the story in fine, brisk style...conveying the richness of the world beyond the chessboard." -- Time magazine

"[Edmonds and Eidinow] show themselves once again to be grandmasters of nonfiction narrative." -- Christian Science Monitor

"The book will be one of the major sources of history for new generations of chess players." -- Boston Globe

"David Edmonds and John Eidinow have penned a delightful book about the politics of that legendary match." -- Washington Times

A superbly researched reminder of a 20th century culture clash." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"A fascinating story well told." -- Nashville Tennessean

"Engagingly written... a real page-turner!" -- Library Journal

"Enthralling.... Edmonds and Eidinow are ideal guides through the history and psychology of chess." -- San Francisco Chronicle

"This is the definitive history of Fischer vs. Spassky." -- Washington Post Book World

"Note to Hollywood: It's Miracle meets A Beautiful Mind. Get on it." -- Entertainment Weekly

"The finest addendum ever to the 1972 chess world championship.'" -- Los Angeles Times

"Superbly researched.... Bobby Fischer Goes to War fills an important gab in the literature on this showdown." -- Florida Sun-Sentinel

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