Searching for Bobby Fischer

By: Fred Waitzkin

Narrated by: Lloyd James

Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Fred Waitzkin was smitten by chess during the historic Fischer-Spassky championship in 1972. When Fischer disappeared from public view, Waitzkin’s interest waned—until his own son, Josh, emerged as a chess prodigy.

Searching for Bobby Fischer is the story of Fred Waitzkin and his son, from the moment six-year-old Josh first sits down at a chessboard until he competes for the national championship. Drawn into the insular, international network of chess, they must also navigate the difficult waters of their own relationship. All the while, Waitzkin searches for the elusive Bobby Fischer, whose myth still dominates the chess world and profoundly affects Waitzkin’s dreams for his son.

©1988 Fred Waitzkin (P)2000 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Superb....narrator Lloyd James...so fully inhabits the first-person narrative that he turns the book into a disturbing and fascinating character study." (AudioFile)

interesting view of the world of chess

I've recently started getting into chess, so this was a pretty interesting insight into how the chess scene was in the 1980s... the only complaint is that the editing is a bit lacking, on multiple occasions there would be sentences that would be repeated... not a big deal, but was a bit distracting...

Very different than the movie

I've seen the movie a couple times and really enjoy it. I didn't know until very recently that there was a book, and since "the book" is usually better than "the movie", I was excited to listen to this. It was disappointing, though.

First of all, the book is mostly about Josh's father as a parent of a chess prodigy, whereas the movie was about Josh, the chess prodigy. It was interesting, as it had application to any endeavor in which the child has the talent, and the parent struggles with pushing the child. But it wasn't particularly entertaining.

My two stars for the narration primarily related to the production. Sentences and paragraphs were frequently repeated, back to back. It was quite annoying.

Inspiring and Honest

I did not experience gaps in the chapters, only repetitions of a few lines of text.

I often recognized parts of my conflicted self as an Art teacher at an elementary School for the Arts, stage mother and hockey mother. The descriptions of chess parents of exceptionally gifted children were spot on. How to maximize performance but not crush or warp the child? Where does my ego end and my child begin?

The narrator’s descriptions of tournaments were gripping even though I do not understand the game deeply.

The description and trajectory of Bobby Fischer was both humorous and tragic, as is the status of chess in America. I feel my eyes are now open to a rarified tribe that plays for love, beauty, and adventure much as other artists struggle in the twilight between starvation and adulation. May these rare, precious thinkers find support and acclaim of an advanced society instead of the indifference of a boorish one.

What Good Books Do

Like many people, I had seen the film based on this book years ago. The book is different, truer to life, but the film captures the spirit of the book, even while bringing forward more minor characters, combining some others, and eliminating still more in the interest of time and comprehension. Still, the film took some great scenes directly from the text.

The book, like the film, takes a game that most people have only a passing knowledge of, and makes it exciting. Fred’s son, Josh, is as compassionate in this telling, and Fred’s criticism of himself is introspective and revealing.

I’ve rarely read a non-fiction book this gripping, and now want to watch the film again with this expanded view of the story in my head.

The reader was conversational and matter-of-fact, while still showing excitement and intensity at appropriate moments.

Well done.

A fantastic execution of terrific content!

James had a compelling performance throughout the entirety of this audiobook. channeling all of the energy and enthusiasm of the author, it lent authenticity and drama to an already remarkable story.

The only drawback I had was there were several repeated sections of about 10 to 15 seconds throughout the book which unfortunately prevented this from getting all five stars in all categories.

Not nearly as good as the movie

Who edited the audio book. Numerous errors in the recording. I chose this as I loved the movie. Needy soccer dad lives life vicariously through his son and attempts to justify it. I hope the kid turned out OK. It definitely a pass

Wonderful look at the Chess universe

Imagine if a professional writer happened to find himself immersed deeply within the world of Chess. (I am reminded of the book, *Carrying the Fire,* in which Michael Collins applies his descriptive skills to his experience of flying to the moon with Neil and Buzz. Through him, you get to "go along.") Here Fred Waitzkin finds himself taken along. He is telling us about the mores, values, economies, histories, cultures, etiquette, and some of the individuals who inhabit the world that is Chess. Many of Fred Waitzkin's insights are wonderful; some are sublime. It is a worthy book for that alone, but also...

The story kind of mirrors the movie. But where the movie uses at least one chess duel that the screenwriter crafted for dramatic effect, this effort gives us the more down-to-earth reality. Not negative, really, but, rather, spread out across hours. You come away with a liking for the boy and his dad, but without the heartstring tugs that the movie made up. The book is broader, well written, and informative.

NARRATOR: Excellent. Relaxed, easy to listen to, with a remarkable feature that I've never heard before, across hundreds of audiobooks: He emotes appropriately. Over and over, as if Fred Waitzkin himself were speaking, this narrator speaks through a broad smile, or he chuckles, or inserts tones of voice - all at appropriate moments (Remember that this book itself is Fred "talking" to us, with Lloyd James using his voice to give life to Fred's words. It is not a drama.) If I ever write a similar book, I want THIS guy!

PRODUCTION: Yes, the producers wasted a total perhaps 45 seconds of my time by repeating a couple of sentences on three separate occasions. Big deal, NOT.

Very enjoyable!

The narrator is just a delight with his melodious tone and a bit of laughter at the appropriate moment. One would think he was reading about his own son. The story is good and while their isn’t an in-depth profile of Bobby Fischer it has enough info to satisfy most readers. One will want more on Fischer or just be saddened. I recommend this book and will listen to more books read by Mr. Waitzkin

Entertaining Story

This book was a pleasant surprise. The characters are interesting and the story flows. The narrator is one of my favorites.

Interesting story

Very different than the movie. Some chapters are more captivating than others. There are some
Chapters that lull.