Endgame

Bobby Fischer’s Remarkable Rise and Fall—from America’s Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness

By: Frank Brady

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

From Frank Brady, who wrote one of the best-selling books on Bobby Fischer of all time and who was himself a friend of Fischer’s, comes an impressively researched biography that for the first time completely captures the remarkable arc of Bobby Fischer’s life. When Bobby Fischer passed away in January 2008, he left behind a confounding legacy. Everyone knew the basics of his life—he began as a brilliant youngster, then became the pride of American chess, then took a sharp turn, struggling with paranoia and mental illness. But nobody truly understood him.

What motivated Fischer from such a young age, and what was the source of his remarkable intellect? How could a man so ambivalent about money and fame be so driven to succeed? What drew this man of Jewish descent to fulminate against Jews, and how was it that a mind so famously disciplined could unravel so completely? From Fischer’s meteoric rise, to an utterly dominant prime unequaled by any American chess player, to his eventual descent into madness, the book draws upon hundreds of newly discovered documents and recordings and numerous firsthand interviews conducted with those who knew Fischer best. It paints, for the very first time, a complete picture of one of America’s most enigmatic icons. This is the definitive account of a fascinating man and an extraordinary life, one that at last reconciles Fischer’s deeply contradictory legacy and answers the question, who was Bobby Fischer?

©2011 Frank Brady (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“The Mozart of the chessboard is inseparable from the monster of paranoid egotism in this fascinating biography. Brady, founding publisher of Chess Life magazine and a friend of Fischer, gives a richly detailed account of the impoverished Brooklyn wunderkind’s sensational opening…Brady gives us a vivid, tragic narrative of a life that became a chess game.” (Publishers Weekly)

“I learned something new on nearly every page of this wonderful book. Frank Brady is the perfect biographer for Bobby Fischer, and Endgame tells the full and fair story of Fischer’s astonishing rise and heartbreaking fall." (Christopher Chabris, author of The Invisible Gorilla )

“Fischer is America’s greatest antihero. This fascinating biography is filled with hope, Cold War intrigue, the fulfillment of genius, and an explosive fall from grace that is both deeply moving and, ultimately, profoundly sad.” (Jeremy Silman, author of The Amateur’s Mind)

Great book about a great man

Loved the book and I believe anyone who is just beginning to know either chess or Bobby Fischer will enjoy it.

Great narration as well

Excellent

Where does Endgame rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It is number one audiobooks I had listened in it recently

Who was your favorite character and why?

Of course Boby cause hi is heart of the book

Any additional comments?

It amazing book I enjoyed every moment when listen to Amircan icon biography

Great listen

Compelling book that tells the tale of this mysterious man. Fan of chess or not, this is a great book!

Christ, what an A-Hole

Great book, but unbelievable how insufferable Bobby was even before he turned into a de facto Nazi. Nevertheless a tragic life.

The terrible conflict between genius and reality

I was blissfully unaware of the life of Bobby Fischer. From my childhood, I was aware that he was one of the finest chess players in history and the greatest American chess master. I was drawn to this book because Fischer seemed like an interesting character. What I found as the narration unfolded was that Fischer was a man who was torn by his incredible genius and insight. His ability to make meaning on the chessboard was matched only by his ability to use that same insight and genius to craft thoughts and thought-schemas that bordered on the maniacal. Mr. Brady tells Fischer's story in a way that lays all of this out. Mr. Brady is not an apologist for Bobby, nor is he an attacker. He is a faithful biographer. As I arrive at the end of this production, I feel that I have come to know this wonderful and terrible man and Mr. Brady has accomplished this without burying me in chess jargon or algebraic notation.

Ray Porter's narration was first-rate. His speech is easy to follow and lacks idiosyncracy. The best word that I can think of to describe Mr. Porter's style is transparent.

In final reflection on the life of Bobby Fischer, I am reminded of a slim volume written by Owen Lee on Richard Wagner entitled, "Wagner: The Terrible Man and His Truthful Art." Sadly, this same title could apply to the tortured genius that was Robert James Fischer.

I strongly recommend this audiobook to anyone who is seeking to understand this enigmatic man.

Makes me want to play Chess again

I had heard of Bobby Fischer but didn't realise how little I knew about him. He is indeed an interesting person but even more interesting is the world of chess. There is a thriving community out there full of real characters, politics and gamesmanship. Who knew?

I loved being transported into this world full of intellects so superior to mine yet so able to be related to.

I just wish the story told more - I was left with the feeling that so much more could have been said about Bobby, yet I still really enjoyed the book and it did make me get out the chess board again.

I didn't like how the narrator did Russian accents

Please, just don't do that kind of thing. [More words to meet the minimum review length.]

Fascinating

this book was incredible and riveting. a great look into the rise and downfall of one of America's greatest 'athletes'. just wow. I loved it.

compassionte look at chess badboy

This was a pick for my husband. He found some flaws in a few facts but overall he enjoyed the book. As a non-chess geek, I too had a good time listening. The narrator was fine but might have needed a little boost of caffeine now & then.
Fisher's is a sad story but this book brought a lot of light to his tale.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in Bobby Fisher. It felt like a complete, fair, and loving tribute to a brilliant, broken man.

Details, and lots of them

What did you love best about Endgame?

This book gives you a better overall picture of Bobby's life from early childhood until his death, much more focused on Bobby himself as a person as opposed to Bobby the Chess Champion.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Endgame?

Details about Bobby's wilderness years were very memorable, his quest for a normal life out of the spot light drove him to be a recluse.