"Ugly hell, gape not ... I'll burn my books ..."

- Christopher Marlowe, Faust

"Whatever you find in books, leave it there."

- John Cale, Sabotage.

Cale is a voracious reader, particularly on military and political subjects. He acquires books in great numbers, reads them, and gives them away. He regards a book as a data input device - for prodding the scars of imagination - not as data storage or reverential reference.

Marlowe's line is from Faust's final dialogue with the demon Mephistopheles, to whom he sold his soul in return for wealth, fame, knowledge, and a Knight in the sac with Helen of Troy (for whom, neatly, Cale named an album).

The reversed words in "Ugly Hell, gape not!" seem to act out the raw terror of Faust physically backing away from the vision of Hell opening at his feet.

Earlier, trying to trick the devil - funny how they all think they're smarter than an entity who still fancies his chances of becoming God - Faust had glibly asked how it was possible for Mephistopheles to be condemned to eternal damnation, and yet be here in a normal room with him.

Some writers would put in "Oh, yunno, we get furlough if we reach our soul targets" or something like that. But the line Marlowe gave to Mephistopheles is among the most chilling in literature:

"Why, *this* is Hell. Nor am I out of it."

<However, I bet I can answer <Tyler's> question, since it would be the same answer for virtually any chess book from that period.

It has- no information of any kind except the following:

Games in the old notation that have been chosen and annotated by Alekhine himself.

If he thinks that would be useful to him, then he might want to get the book.

However, the future of chess books is online.

It takes a lot of time, energy and care to set up two real chess boards and go through even one of the games from this kind of book- much longer if you're not used to the old notation.

But it takes very little time to go through an internet game player with the annotations given in a little box below, whilst you have your chess engine open on another screen.

You can even make a split screen.

With this method, the only time you spend is trying to explore and understand the variations.

Because of this, more and more annotated games will be available online, and these books will go the way of the dinosaurs.

Yes.

Ok, I'm sure you wanted a longer answer...

I have it, but I read it many years ago. Any specific question(s) or are you just looking for general impressions?

104 tournament and match games (including ones against Capablanca and Euwe)

<Alas,it may be quicker,however I like to go through the games on my board>

http://www.chesscafe.com/text/charo...

to a review of

<"Chess Comet Charousek" by Victor A. Charuchin, translated by Andreas Dengler, Manuel Fruth, and Gregori Maksheev; 1997 Schachfirma Fruth; figurine algebraic notation, 289 pp. $24.55.>:

(original source: jessicafischerqueen chessforum)

The review is worth reading even if the book likely isn't.

Unlike the review, the Book actually contributes to Chess History.

Unlike the review, the Book actually accurately translates some of the original Hungarian sources which ARE OUR ONLY INFORMATION ABOUT <Charousek>.

The reviewer- who chose to remain anonymous- confused Charousek's nickname for Steinitz's, and ridiculed the translators for using "imaginary words" like "crack"- which is English idiom for "expert" and used frequently to describe Chess Masters in the 19th century.

The reviewer's main problem with the book seems to be his disagreement with the annotations, although he offers neither annotations of his own or a better source for annotations.

Yes, <Chess Comet Charousek> has proof reading errors and it does post some contradictory information and it does leave a few sections in German.

Early in the 1990s, GM Yuri Averbakh gave an exhibition in the Manhattan Chess Club in New York City. There he met Reuben Fine for the last time. His hair had turned gray; he had grown old. True, they had not seen each other for about half a century. During their talk, Averbakh asked Fine if he intended to prepare a new edition of Basic Chess Endings. "Yes, it is my dream," he answered, "but I don't know if I have enough time."

Reuben Fine died in 1993.

"Improve Your Chess in 7 Days" by Gary Lane. My first response: no I won't.

I may be wrong headed, but this is the kind of chess book that drives me crazy. It goes through a few games on a few themes (broadly speaking) and that is it- poof, now you are better.

The problem with many of the chess books like this is that it has no idea who it is directed to. I suspect that is because if it said "this book is good for the 1600 player" that would limit its audience and thus revenues.

I have no idea who this book is for. The first line of the book states: "The chessboard consists of 64 squares on an 8x8 board." Then one of the chapters is titled "mastering the endgame". There seems to be a disconnect.

The book is divided into 7 "days". I am not sure what is meant by that. Is the reader to read a chapter each day (35 pages or so) or soemthing else?

Day 1- is an introduction to the rest of the book.

Day 2- Understanding the Openings

Day 3- Strategy vs tactics

Day 4- Creating an attack

Day 5- Avoiding blunders

Day 6- Mastering the endgame

Day 7- the Art of swindling

I found days 4,5 and 6 to be useful, with some good ideas for a player at my level. Day 7 is just dumb- how can it be that swindling is a prt of 7 day chess improvement? Days 2 and 3 are misnomers.

Not my favorite book although the author writes well, which lessens my disapointment and places the book in the "light reading" category.

Opposite viewpoints:

http://www.chessvideos.tv/article-B...

WILHELM STEINITZ: CHESS CHAMPION

Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-TY...

Part Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1-d...

Part Three: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEJ3...

Part Four: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIBK...

Part Five: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTor...