Stefan fatsis books list of books by author stefan fatsis. Word freak extends its reach even farther, pondering the light scrabble throws on such notions as brilliance, memory, competition, failure, and hope. Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players and wild and outside. Word freak by stefan fatsis scrabble binging at its best i may scrabble binge, but im no word freak by stefan fatsis standards. Wall street journal sportswriter stefan fatsis, who chronicled the world of scrabble in his book word freak. Now, in his new book, he infiltrates a strikingly different subculturepro football. Fresh air with terry gross, brad herzogs books, get capone, hang up and listen, the end of america, leigh. It is also the story of how the scrabble game was invented by an unemployed architect during the great depression and how it has grown. Word freak extends its reach even further, pondering the light scrabble throws on such notions as brilliance, memory, competition, failure, and hope. In this book, stefan fatsis, journalist and selfconfessed word freak, goes in search of the people for whom scrabble is life and affords us a glimpse into the extraordinary world of the brilliant geeks and misfit savants who. As the game of scrabble turns 60, the business of scrabble remains serious. I had never been an avid reader, but that didnt stop me from devouring the 366page hardbound book. The result is a very readable book that switches gears every couple of chapters to maintain reader interest. A former wall street journal reporter and npr regular, stefan fatsis recounts his remarkable rise through the ranks of elite scrabble players while exploring the games strange, potent hold over themand him.
Stefan fatsis is a panelist on hang up and listen and the author of word freak and a few seconds of panic. Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players ebook written by stefan fatsis. Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players by stefan fatsis. The book is subtitled heartbreak, triumph, genius, and. In this book, stefan fatsis, journalist and selfconfessed word freak, goes in search of the people for whom scrabble is life and affords us a glimpse into the extraordinary world of the brilliant geeks and misfit savants who populate the highest ranks of the game, playing competitively in tournaments across. Aug 26, 2001 fatsis, a sports reporter for the wall street journal and the author of wild and outside, a book about baseball, spent three years researching word freak.
Word freak is a nonfiction narrative by stefan fatsis published in 2001 isbn 0 618015841. Word freak is a nonfiction narrative by stefan fatsis published in 2001 isbn 0618015841. The book is subtitled heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players. Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players 97805475243 fatsis, stefan. Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of. Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obesssion in the world of competitive scrabble players by stefan fatsis. Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players. He regularly appears as a guest on national public radios all things considered daily radio news program and as a panelist on slates sports podcast hang up and listen. The read introduced me to the world of competitive scrabble. Journalist stefan fatsis dives into the world of competitive. Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players, and a few seconds of panic. How a renegade minor league revived the spirit of baseball in americas heartland. Lately, ive found a way to sit still which is hard, challenge myself, keep my brain tuned up, relax and waste time all at once scrabble on the iphone.
Word freak author stefan fatsis spells it out the daily. As a living room scrabble player, i looked forward to the insight that the book might give to my game. Sep 05, 2002 for many scrabble is merely a board game, for others it is an intellectual pilgrimage. Discover book depositorys huge selection of stefan fatsis books online. Former wall street journal sports writer stefan fatsis knows the feeling. He has written a book about the game, and can speak authoritatively on its mechanics. See all books authored by stefan fatsis, including word freak. Read word freak heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players by stefan fatsis available from rakuten kobo. Fatsis introduces readers to the underground world. The result is a very readable book that switches gears every couple of chapters to. This marvelously absorbing book is a walk on the wild side of words and ventures into the zone where language and mathematics intersect san jose mercury news. He indicates phonies or unacceptable words and even provides an appendix of terms he uses in the text that are not acceptable in scrabble. More than a book about hardcore scrabble players, word freak is also an examination of notions of brilliance, memory, language, competition. It is also the story of how the scrabble game was invented by an unemployed architect during the great depression and how it has grown into the hugely successful, challenging, and beloved game it is today.
For many scrabble is merely a board game, for others it is an intellectual pilgrimage. Along the way, he expounds on the development of the present game and meets its leading practitioners, each of whom is a dedicated eccentric. More than a book about hardcore scrabble players, word freak is also an examination of notions of brilliance, memory, language, competition, and the mind that celebrates the uncanny creative powers in us all. Word freak by stefan fatsis 9780224060615 boomerang books. In this book, stefan fatsis, journalist and selfconfessed word freak, goes in search of the people for whom scrabble is life and affords us a glimpse into the extraordinary world of the brilliant geeks and misfit savants who populate the highest ranks of the game. He has written for the associated press, the village voice, and p. Jonathan kiefer discusses the torrid world of competitive scrabble playing with word freak author stefan fatsis. Stefan fatsis word freak politics and prose bookstore. The whole thing is more than a little disconcerting. Stefan fatsis is the bestselling author of word freak. But then he too succumbs and gradually turns into the word freak of the title. Along the way, fatsis chronicles his own obsession with the game and his development as a player from novice to expert. For word freak, wall street journal sportswriter stefan fatsis plunged headlong into the world of. In word freak, stefan fatsis introduces readers to those few, exploring the underground world of colorful characters for which the scrabble game is life playing competitively in tournaments across the country.
Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players, published by houghton mifflin. In word freak, fatsis also offers a few practical tips for living room players and competitors, making it clear that memorizing obscure word lists is the key. From wall street journal sports reporter and npr commentator fatsis wild and outside, 1998, a comprehensive guide to the world of competitive scrabble fatsis used to play a pretty mean game of scrabbleor so he thought, until he began investigating the game for an article and found himself becoming nearly as obsessed as the hardcore players he interviewed. Word freak is a nonfiction narrative by stefan fatsis published in 2001 isbn 0618015841 the book is subtitled heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players. A 5foot 8inch, 170pound, 43yearold sportswriter plays football with the pros, and more on. In word freak, stefan fatsis introduces readers to those few, exploring the underground world of colorful characters for which the scrabble. More than two million sets are sold every year and at least thirty million american homes have one. Description word freak by stefan fatsis for many scrabble is merely a board game, for others it is an intellectual pilgrimage. Soon after that, my mom brought home a book for me. But this book is about more than hardcore scrabblers, for the game yields insights into realms as disparate as linguistics, psychology, and mathematics. Our cheap used books come with free delivery in the us. He is a former staff reporter for the wall street journal. Fatsis, a sports reporter for the wall street journal and the author of wild and outside, a book about baseball, spent three years researching word freak. Jul 30, 2002 stefan fatsis word freak is a fascinating, if at times intense, look into the world of competitive scrabble.
We will be raffling off 8 spots at 8 oclock for a chance to play stefan 1on1. Stefan fatsis audio books, best sellers, author bio. Stefan fatsis, word freak, 2001 as a teacher of english, a parttime poet and a fulltime wordie, i took genuine delight in patricia t. Fatsis, whose word puzzles and games i enjoy in npr, has written a compelling book about scrabble players, the competitions, how players prepare, and his own education about the game.
The new york times word freak has an impassioned subtitle, and it lives up to every word. Ten years of scrabble playing later, word freak author stefan. Stefan fatsis is a staff reporter for the wall street journal and a regular commentator on nprs all things considered. Subject of stefan fatsis book word freak crossword. Combining linguistics, psychology, and mathematics, fatsis was instantly drawn into the sport. Word freak heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players by. While a book about scrabble sounds as appealing as a work on the beauties of. Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players, fatsis chronicles his transformation from casual living room player into expertrated scrabble obsessive. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. May 25, 2004 stefan fatsis is the bestselling author of word freak. Word freak by stefan fatsis penguin books australia. Apr, 2018 former wall street journal sports writer stefan fatsis knows the feeling. Word freak by stefan fatsis overdrive rakuten overdrive. Fatsis makes word freak succeed by entwining game history, anecdotes, and the stories of very interesting people with his individual achievement of growing from a scrabble novice into an expert.
In the beginning, fatsis himself, while he does not hold them up for ridicule or anything like that, recognizes that much of the story here lies in the oddish personalities who are attracted to this competition. Stefan fatsis, a former wall street journal reporter and national public radio regular, recounts his remarkable rise through the ranks of elite scrabble players while exploring the games strange, potent hold over themand him. Below, he recounts the time he faced the number one player in north america. The last dance, remote broadcasting, and the rooney rule. The organizing theme is the quest by author and npr stalwart stefan fatsis to qualify as a tournament scrabble expert within a year. In word freak, stefan fatsis introduces readers to those few, exploring the underground world of colorful characters for which the scrabble game is lifeplaying competitively in tournaments across the country. Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble players kindle edition by fatsis, stefan. A journey into the eccentric world of the most obsessive board game ever invented by stefan fatsis, in like new condition. The book that has most altered the my life would have to be word freak by stefan fatsis.
That is, a passionate aficionado and an unusual specimen. Subject of stefan fatsis book word freak subject of stefan fatsis book word freak is a crossword puzzle clue that we have spotted 1 time. He reported on sports for more than a decade for the wall street journal and talks about sports every week on national public radios all things. In word freak, stefan fatsis introduces readers to those few, exploring the. Word freak is the book that introduced me to the world of competitive scrabble. Heartbreak, triumph, genius, and obsession in the world of competitive scrabble. Stefan fatsis stefan fatsis began talking about sports and the business of sports with the hosts of all things considered in 1998. Word freak the free library of philadelphia overdrive. Fatsis, a sports reporter for the wall street journal, introduces the reader to the world of competitive scrabble through a narrative of his slow transformation from a good living room.
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