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Word Freak: A Journey Into the Eccentice World of the Most Obsessive Board Game Ever Invented: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble [Paperback]

Stefan Fatsis
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
RRP: £10.99
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Book Description

5 Sep 2002

For many, Scrabble is merely a board game. For others it is an intellectual pilgrimage. In this book, Stefan Fatsis, journalist and self-confessed 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 the world, Fatsis chronicles the story of how Scrabble has grown from a diversion invented by an unemployed architect during The Great Depression into the hugely successful, challenging and beloved game of today.

(20020218)

Frequently Bought Together

Word Freak: A Journey Into the Eccentice World of the Most Obsessive Board Game Ever Invented: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble + Collins Little Book of Scrabble Secrets + Collins Scrabble Dictionary
Price For All Three: £19.58

Buy the selected items together
  • Collins Little Book of Scrabble Secrets £4.49
  • Collins Scrabble Dictionary £6.74


Product details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Yellow Jersey; New Ed edition (5 Sep 2002)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0224060619
  • ISBN-13: 978-0224060615
  • Product Dimensions: 13.1 x 2.4 x 19.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 194,501 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Amazon Review

Like a cross between a linguistic spy and a lexicographic Olympic athlete, journalist Stefan Fatsis gave himself a year to penetrate the highest echelons of international Scrabble competition. His aim was to progress from the casual living room player to get into the elite club of international Scrabble pros. Word Freak is the account of his journey. It's a wacky grab bag of travelogue, history, party journal and psychological study of the misfits and goofballs whose lives are measured out in Scrabble tiles.

Fatsis gives us all the facts about Scrabble--from the story of the down-on-his luck architect who invented the game in the 1930s to the intricacies of individual international competitions and the corporate wars to control the world's favourite word game. He is a good storyteller and keeps the reader turning the pages as we get involved in the lives of the Scrabble obsessives: men and women who have a point to prove against the world and have chosen Scrabble as their playground and their pulpit. As Fatsis goes on his own quest to attain the coveted 1600 rating we actually get obsessed with him as he lies awake at night pondering moves and memorising lists of words. For anybody who is interested in words and has ever been captivated and fascinated by Scrabble, Word Freak provides a compelling, entertaining and absorbing read. --Dwight Longenecker --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"This book has come close to ruining my life... Within two pages I was hooked. This is an enthralling and wonderfully written elegy" (Daily Telegraph 20020614)

"A remarkable book" (Independent 20020614)

"A quirky account of a very peculiar practice" (Herald )

"A very funny book" (Lynn Barber )

"An amiable memoir of self-inflicted obsession" (Times Literary Supplement )

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Customer Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Drew a frok 18 Sep 2001
By A Customer
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
That's the best anagram of the title that I can manage. And that's why I'm no good at Scrabble (or crosswords). This is an illuminating account of competitive Scrabble - and also of the addiction of games. In addition, there's plenty on the origin and history of the game, the personalities involved, and techniques to improve your play. It almost made me want to play the game. My only objection is that the book was a little over-long, and I would have liked to have learned more about why the author became suddenly so addicted. It just seemed to happen. Perhaps that's the way it is.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Game Players 8 Dec 2002
Format:Paperback
Anyone who ever cared a bit too much about a game will love Stefan Fatsis' fascinating book about the world of 'professional' scrabble players. The book is both a sequence of pen portraits of the world's (mostly Americans actually) top scrabble players and also the story of Fatsis's own growing obsession with the game.

I've never been a big scrabble lover but off the back of this book I ended up buying a new deluxe set, a set for some friends and getting back into chess! Do yourself a favour and read this book ...

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars great 4 Feb 2008
Format:Paperback
I loved this book, i've always enjoyed the occasional game but nothing more than that (although i was pretty jarred off in my last game when someone did not allow me to have 'quested' as they thought quest was only a noun!) However i never realised that there was this whole world of competitive scrabble inhabited by such infectious weirdos! although politics and bickering amongst the hierarchy obvious goes on, is it Fatsis love of the game that truly comes out in his writing. Theres whole chapters devoted to strange words that i never knew existed and lots of stuff that i'm now very pleased i now know about - pub quiz question - who invented scrabble - ans ALFRED BUTTS!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars You don't have to be a Scrabble expert to enjoy this book.
I originally bought this book intending to give it to my brother-in-law who's a skilled Scrabble player. I read it first, and ended up keeping it. Read more
Published on 17 Jan 2008 by Mrs. J. Proctor
4.0 out of 5 stars EEIRVW
If you liked this, and you love games, you might also like ABDEGIL by AHNNOTY DEHLNO (especially if you like EKOPR), which is a slightly better written book about a similar theme.
Published on 24 Mar 2006 by MR BRIAN BALLANTYNE
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but hardly hilarious
As a fan of "Fever Pitch" and "Things can only get Better" I bought this book hoping for another funny and moving tale of obsession (and I also hoped to get some tips to improve my... Read more
Published on 17 Oct 2002 by Paul Perro
4.0 out of 5 stars strangely gripping tale of quest to become a Scrabble expert
I found this book throughly enjoyable and informative. A highly recommended read for anyone who enjoys Scrabble, or simply those who have an interest in the language (like myself)
Published on 23 Nov 2001
4.0 out of 5 stars A must for all Scrabble players.
A record of how the game of Scrabble became the most important thing in the authors life. As well as explaining the history of the game, various tactics and strategies it also... Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating insight into the world of serious Scrabble
What really makes this book work for me is that Stefan writes as a member of the competitive Scrabble community, not just an observer. Read more
Published on 19 July 2001
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