Merrill K. (merkai) reviewed Word Freak. Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitve Scrabble Players. on
Terrific book about the world of competitive Scrabble and tournament play. Profiles of many interesting, strange, obsessed characters. Great read if you have any interest at all in the subject.
Kris L. (miss-info) reviewed Word Freak. Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitve Scrabble Players. on + 386 more book reviews
I love trivia, I love word games, and I love non-fiction, documentary-style books. That should have been enough to make me really love this book, but I didn't. There were bits here and there I liked, lots of trivia I found interesting, but in between was a LOT of swearing, boring parts, and people who were disturbingly odd. The boring parts included play by play recitations - I played this word for this many points, he played this word for this many points, and so on. Sometimes lists of words played, usually without definitions. I had to push myself to finish, and was heartily glad when I was done with it, just to BE done with it.
mellochild -
I really enjoy books about what separates the very good from the very great. This is about Scrabble, but really it could be about anything that requires passion, obsession and loads of practice. Featuring a vibrant cast of characters and the tightrope thrill of competition, this is well-written and worthy of a read.
(And I've boosted my Words with Friends score by about fifty points... RUMFUSTIAN? ABOULIAS? GUAIACOL, CRWTH,OOTHECAE? Thank you verrrrry much, Stefan Fatsis!)
(And I've boosted my Words with Friends score by about fifty points... RUMFUSTIAN? ABOULIAS? GUAIACOL, CRWTH,OOTHECAE? Thank you verrrrry much, Stefan Fatsis!)
