The Immortal Game

A History of Chess

By: David Shenk

Narrated by: John H. Mayer

A surprising, charming, and ever-fascinating history of the seemingly simple game that has had a profound effect on societies the world over.

Why has one game, alone among the thousands of games invented and played throughout human history, not only survived but thrived within every culture it has touched? What is it about its 32 figurative pieces, moving about its 64 black and white squares according to very simple rules, that has captivated people for nearly 1,500 years? Why has it driven some of its greatest players into paranoia and madness, and yet is hailed as a remarkably powerful educational tool?

Nearly everyone has played chess at some point in their lives. Its rules and pieces have served as a metaphor for society including military strategy, mathematics, artificial intelligence, literature, and the arts. It has been condemned as the devil’s game by popes, rabbis, and imams, and lauded as a guide to proper living by different popes, rabbis, and imams.

In his wide-ranging and ever fascinating examination of chess, David Shenk gleefully unearths the hidden history of a game that seems so simple yet contains infinity. From its invention somewhere in India around 500 A.D., to its enthusiastic adoption by the Persians and its spread by Islamic warriors, to its remarkable use as a moral guide in the Middle Ages and its political utility in the Enlightenment, to its crucial importance in the birth of cognitive science and its key role in the new aesthetic of modernism in 20th century art, to its 21st century importance to the development of artificial intelligence and use as a teaching tool in inner-city America, chess has been a remarkably omnipresent factor in the development of civilization.

Indeed as Shenk shows, some neuroscientists believe that playing chess may actually alter the structure of the brain, that it may for individuals be what it has been for civilization: a virus that makes us smarter.

©2006 David Shenk (P)2006 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"Those curious about chess and wishing to learn more about the game (but not too much more) will welcome this accessible, nontechnical introduction." (Publishers Weekly)

"I loved this book. Full of burning enthusiasm for the greatest intellectual game in the world, it shows just what can happen when an accomplished author, full of fire and passion, tackles a most wonderful and intricate story. Like a great chess game, this is an achievement that will be talked about for many years to come." (Simon Winchester, author of The Professor and the Madman)

“Even dedicated players will find much to learn here.” (Chicago Sun-Times)

just excellent,well written, very entertaining

just loved it, great style, great story, great gems of information, if you love chess you will love this book

Great

Well- researched and organized.
Too bad reviews must be at least fifteen words in order to count.

Beautiful

By the end of hearing I had a vast amount of information my mind absorbed. Chess has grown on me even more. From ancient times to modern royal to prisoner. The heroes and tragedies of chess. Great listen.

Great History of Chess

The author presents a great potted history of chess orientated around the Immortal Game - a game which occurred between the wars. I found the book great to listen to and very informative.
I would recommend it to anyone who has a general interest in chess.

Chess history

If you like chess you will like listening to this. Fun history of chess and some of the past players. Includes a look into what we term as AI now and the impact it’s had on the chess community.

a must-read for all chess lovers

if you love chess, you will love this book. the book's layout weaves together chapters addressing the moves in the casual (e.g., non-tournament) 1851 match between adolf anderssen and lionel kieseritzky (later dubbed "the immortal game") with chapters about the history of chess.

the immortal game's annotations are all over the internet, but to hear the match described in audiobook form brought it to life in a way that dry annotations cannot.

how can you not enjoy a match where someone gives up a bishop *both* rooks AND the queen to earn checkmate against an opponent who has only lost three measly pawns??

ok, ok...you will probably want to have a passing interest in chess before trying this book, but if you do have such an interest, listen in to one of the greatest chess stories out there.

For the love of chess

This was everything I was hoping for and more. Great writing, great marration, and great stories.

enjoyable but nothing amazing

This book is a decent history of chess. The narrative is okay. it's a good read but nothing spectacular.

History

All good 👍🏻 mate thanks maybe late ⏰ afternoon tomorrow morning or evening if you prefer ⏳🌞⏰⏰⏰⏰⏰⏰⏰⏳daylights wasting I have to deal with a long winded review I’m sure doing it again! 🤬

Delightful surprise

This book was indeed a delightful surprise. Not the dry recitation of moves or tactics, but rather a fun overview of the history and impact of the game on the world. There are some specific recitations of a specific historic game or two, but after evey few moves, the narrative continues. Ben Franklin, Freud, Queen Isabella, and many more are all connected by this tale.