I’ve been obsessed with books lately that I think I’d describe as “board game memoirs”? I’ll post a list below of all the books I’ve read in this maybe genre, what each book was about, and what I’ve liked/didn’t about them. I love board games and game strategy, but also love a well written memoir. Essentially, I’m fascinated by people who dedicate large portions of their life and free time to pursuits that may hold basically little to no financial benefit unless you’re the world champion. The passion to do it alone makes me very happy, but I don’t find traditional sports like baseball or basketball that interesting, though I’m aware of how many books of those sports exist.
The Puzzler – A. J. Jacobs – This book involves the author attempting to solve the hardest puzzles in different categories. The idea was fantastic except the author overall was terrible at puzzles and failed at every single puzzle he didn’t pawn off to an actual expert. But included sections on jigsaw puzzles, speedcubing and twisty puzzles, and crosswords which I loved.
Thinking Inside the Box- Adrienne Raphael – A deepish dive into the history of crosswords but was missing the aspect of someone chronicling their journey through it (not a dealbreaker but I love reading about people’s individual journey).
Word Freak – Stefan Fatsis- Basically exactly what I wanted. A deep dive into the history and competitive scene of Scrabble with the author chronicling his multi year journey from complete novice to top 100 player. This book was aided by the authors commitment and genuine progress over time.
All the Wrong Moves- Sasha Chapin- Also exactly what I wanted. Author chronicles their growth (and ultimate downfall) in the competitive chess scene with tidbits of history thrown in.
Brainiac- Ken Jennings- A chronicle and history of trivia competitors, aided by the quant humor of Jennings.
Other books in this genre I’ve read : Cubed: The Story of Us All; The Immortal Game; Sports from Hell; The Grandmaster.
What else should I check out ?
by Thissnotmeth