Readers' Nook

The imagery of chess revisited.   794.1 I314

In 1954-55, The Julien Levy Gallery in New York City held an exhibition of chess-themed art by the most notable surrealists and Dada artists of the time, as well as many others who became famous artists later on. Andre Breton, Marcel Duchamp, Alexander Calder, Max Ernst, Man Ray, Isamu Noguchi, Yves Tanguy, and others contributed chess sets.  Dorothea Tanning, Arshile Gorky, David Hare, Man Ray, Matta, Robert Motherwell, and others produced pivotal chess-related paintings, sculptures, and photographic works. This book, published as a 50th anniversary retrospective, includes previously unpublished materials, such as Andre Breton and Nicolas Calas's wine-glass chess set and Alexander Calder's chess set made of found materials, and thirty-five of Calder's chess-related drawings. You can also read essays about the artwork and the music scores composed for the exhibition. -- Adapted in part from publisher description on Amazon.com. 

 Mike Basman.  Chess openings  794.122 B315

A clear guide to the opening phase of the game for players just beginning to study the game. Not intended as a comprehensive work, this book takes the novice through the essential concepts of opening play and reviews the most common openings that lower-rated players and beginners will most likely encounter. 

Eduard Gufeld [and others]. Bobby Fischer: from chess genius to legend  794.1092 F52

Interest in Bobby Fischer, his life, and his games continues long after his death in 2008. In this compilation, several of his contemporaries contribute chapters about their experiences with Fischer and the games they played with him. 

Mark Taimanov. I was a victim of Bobby Fischer  794.15 T133i

Speaking of Bobby Fischer, his victory against Boris Spasky in the famous 1973 World Championship in Reykjavík caused an upheaval in the world of chess, up to that time dominated by Russian players. But, before this, after he won all his games against Mark Taimanov during the candidates tournament (the "playoffs" of the chess world championships), the government of the former Soviet Union had an upheaval of its own. Russian domination of chess played a part, albeit a small one, in the Cold War.  Accused by the Communist Party of losing the games intentionally as a counter-revolutionary act, they banned Taimanov from playing chess competitively. Fortunately, he was also a concert pianist and able to make a living that way until Fischer's victory over Spassky proved Taimanov's innocence. In this book, Taimanov provides annotations and commentary on all 6 of the games he lost to Fischer in that match in Vancouver, and his memories of Fischer since 1960. 

William R. Hartston.  How to cheat at chess: everything you always wanted to know about chess but were afraid to ask    794.1 H335

A classic compilation of chess humor from the mid-20th century. It is a short, whimsical book without much in the way of practical advice. 

The number of movies I consider perfect I can count on one hand.  I am amazed that 1984 ever reached the theaters. In an age when studios insisted upon "happy endings" and most movies would not show "evil to triumph," to see a film stay so true to such a tragic book came as a bit of a shock to me at the time. The Great British actor, John Hurt, looked born to play Winston Smith, the quietly sad but defiant man who rewrites history for a living but hates the accumulating mountain of lies the totalitarian government tells its citizens. Equally so, Suzanna  Hamilton (sadly not well known to American audiences) was born to play Julia. And I could not imagine a better choice for O'Brien: Richard Burton, in his last feature film performance. 

Filmed in London in the year 1984, one of the many surprising qualities of the movie results from it having most (maybe all?) of its exterior scenes filmed at the times and in the places where the novel takes place. I recall as I watched this for the first time that I noticed how the real London of the actual year 1984 so closely matched Orwell's descriptions in the novel of the same time and place. 

Burton affects such a kindly, fatherly manner in every scene - you may find yourself liking his character. But those who read the book know that he embodies the "Orwellian" state. Burton made his O'Brien a particularly chilling character from the start when he makes the two lovers think he's on their side to the end, and throughout all the scenes of Winston's interrogation and brain-washing, he wears that same fatherly expression on his face and speaks with that same soft, pensive tone in his voice. 

Note about the Mechanics Institute copy: The film prints shown in the theatrical release of the movie had the colors "desaturated" (called the "Bleach Bypass" effect, which takes place during the process of making the prints from the negatives). This was done to "enhance the dystopian tone" of the film. But some of the early VHS and DVD releases have their digital images taken from the negatives and therefore without the intentional desaturated color. Subsequent DVD and Blu Ray releases reversed this lack of effect. I have researched the matter and checked the DVD in our collection to confirm that it has the original desaturated color of the prints initially shown in theaters in 1984. 

FICTION

Richard Ford Be mine Fic Ford
Louise Lewis The eternal return of Clara Hart Fic Finch
Paul Rudnick Farrell Covington and the limits of style : a novel Fic Rudnick
Roslyn Bernstein The girl who counted numbers : a novel Fic Bernstein
Bernardo Zannoni My stupid intentions Fic Zannoni
Aharon Apelfeld Poland, a green land Fic Appelfeld
Gustave Flaubert Three tales Fic Flaubert
Lydia Kiesling Mobility : a novel Fic Kiesling
Lorrie Moore I am homeless if this is not my home Fic Moore
Patrick deWitt The librarianist : a novel Fic DeWitt
Marcel Proust Swann's way Fic Proust
Ann Patchett Tom Lake : a novel Fic Patchett
Daniel Manus Pinkwater The afterlife diet Fic Pinkwater

Historical Fiction

Rachel Eliza Griffiths Promise : a novel Fic Griffiths
John Sayles Jamie MacGillivray : the renegade's journey Fic Sayles

Mystery, Suspense, Thrillers, Espionage & Intrigue

Daniel Silva The collector : a novel Fic Silva
Laura Lippman Prom mom : a novel Fic Lippman
Mindy Mejia To catch a storm : a novel Fic Mejia
Joe Hart Where they lie : a thriller Fic Hart
Brad Thor Dead fall : a thriller Fic Thor
Shari Lapena Everyone here is lying Fic Lapena
Sandra Brown Out of nowhere Fic Brown
Candace Buford Good as gold Fic Buford

Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror

Justin Cronin The ferryman : a novel Fic Cronin
Chloe Gong Immortal longings Fic Gong
Martha Wells Exit strategy Fic Wells
Mark Lawrence The book that wouldn't burn Fic Lawrence
Jennifer L. Armentrout A soul of ash and blood Fic Armentrout
Joe Hart Obscura Fic Hart

Short Stories
Tessa Hadley After the funeral and other stories Fic Hadley
Michele Mari You, bleeding childhood Fic Mari

Comic Books, Graphic Novels & Comic Strips

Adam Bessie Going remote : a teacher's journey 378.12 B559 Comics
Samuel Machado Thing : inside the struggle for animal personhood 179.3 M149 Comics

Heinrich von Kleist Michael Kohlhaas
Gustave Flaubert Three tales
Domenico Starnone Ties
Olufemi Taiwo Against decolonisation : taking African agency seriously
Alistair MacLean Alistair MacLean Arctic Chillers 4-Book Collection
Alistair MacLean Alistair MacLean sea thrillers : 4-book collection.
Alistair MacLean Breakheart Pass
Alistair MacLean Circus
Matt Wesolowski Demon.
Mario Vargas Llosa The feast of the Goat
Alistair MacLean H.M.S. Ulysses
Alistair MacLean Partisans
Alistair MacLean Puppet on a chain
Juan Gabriel Vásquez Reputations
Alistair MacLean Where eagles dare
Jason Roberts A Sense of the World Jason Roberts.
William Trevor The Boarding-House
William Trevor Elizabeth Alone
William Trevor Mrs. Eckdorf in O'Neill's Hotel
William Trevor Nights at the Alexandra
William Trevor The Old Boys
William Trevor Other People's Worlds
William Trevor The Silence in the Garden
Milos Kankaras Jean Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development : A Simple Guide