"The King" is dissed...

I was reading Andy Soltis' entertaining "Chess to Enjoy" column (this month's title, Win With a Champion's Secrets!) in the September 2008 issue of Chess Life magazine, when I came across a little shocker of a statement. Andy explains that the term "classic" is being cheapened as it applies to reprints of some classic chess books. As an example of a classic chess book that apparently shouldn't be called a classic, Andy mentions "The King", which he describes as a hodgepodge of bad journalism and mean-spirited carping by Jan Hein Donner. This statement took me by surprise, since I have never before heard one bad thing said about this book. well, I guess there's a first for everything.

But I did enjoy Andy's article. Andy also mentions that a book like Bronstein's Zurich 1953 would never get published today, for two reasons: 1) Because it's a tournament book (almost extinct these days), and 2) Because there's hardly any move analysis - Instead, it's filled with useful insights.

Andy also talks about what kind of chess books sell in today's market. One kind he mentions are books with either "Winning" or "Secrets" in the title. (Of course, we all know that. You can't miss those titles.)

Originally posted by Mad Rook
I was reading Andy Soltis' entertaining "Chess to Enjoy" column (this month's title, Win With a Champion's Secrets!) in the September 2008 issue of Chess Life magazine, when I came across a little shocker of a statement. Andy explains that the term "classic" is being cheapened as it applies to reprints of some classic chess books. As an example of a classic ...[text shortened]... in the title. (Of course, we all know that. You can't miss those titles.)

Or with "world champion" in the title. Like "World Champion Chess Strategy" or "World Champion Chess Combinations"

Originally posted by tomtom232
Or with "world champion" in the title. Like "World Champion Chess Strategy" or "World Champion Chess Combinations"

Yep. In the next paragraph, Andy states that publishers also like "Champion" and "Grandmaster". Andy goes on to say that he once wrote a book he wanted to call What Every Grandmaster Knows About the Endgame - But Won't Tell You. The publisher changed it to Grandmaster Secrets: Endings.

Originally posted by Mad Rook
Yep. In the next paragraph, Andy states that publishers also like "Champion" and "Grandmaster". Andy goes on to say that he once wrote a book he wanted to call What Every Grandmaster Knows About the Endgame - But Won't Tell You. The publisher changed it to Grandmaster Secrets: Endings.

That's precisely why i find out if a book is any good before i get it, so that i am not sucked in by the titles.