Endgame

Starred review from May 2, 2011
This biography of the rise and fall of chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer makes for addictive listening, thanks in large part to Ray Porter's outstanding narration. As a boy, Fischer distinguished himself as a prodigy, winning multiple chess championships, battling Soviet players at the height of the cold war, and catapulting himself to international fame. His later years, however, were marked by controversy, paranoia, and possible mental illness. Porter handles Russian accents with aplomb and builds tension by modulating cadence throughout. His steady, intimate narration brings the intricacies and drama of competitive chess to lifeâas well as Fisher's prodigious drive and obscure motivations. A Crown hardcover.