Beth Harmon becomes an orphan when her parents are killed in an automobile accident. At eight years old, she is placed in an orphanage in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, where the children are given a tranquilliser twice a day. Plain and shy, she learns to play chess from the janitor in the basement and discovers that she is a chess genius. She is adopted by Alma and Allston Wheatley and goes to a local school, but remains an outsider. Desperate to study chess and having no money, she steals a chess magazine from a newspaper ...
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Beth Harmon becomes an orphan when her parents are killed in an automobile accident. At eight years old, she is placed in an orphanage in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, where the children are given a tranquilliser twice a day. Plain and shy, she learns to play chess from the janitor in the basement and discovers that she is a chess genius. She is adopted by Alma and Allston Wheatley and goes to a local school, but remains an outsider. Desperate to study chess and having no money, she steals a chess magazine from a newspaper store and then some money from Alma Wheatley and a girl at school, so that she can enter a tournament. She also steals some of the tranquillisers to which she is becoming addicted. At thirteen she wins the tournament, and by sixteen she is competing in the US Open Championship. Like Fast Eddie (in The Hustler), she hates to lose.
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Seller's Description:
Used book in good and clean conditions. Pages and cover are intact. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. May include library marks. Fast Shipping.
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Seller's Description:
The cover has visible markings and wear. The cover has curled corners. There is a crease or fold on the cover. The pages are in Good condition but show signs of gentle use! Codes or product keys that accompany this product may not be valid. Fast Shipping in a Standard Poly Mailer!
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Seller's Description:
Fair. The cover has curled corners. There is a signature or handwriting on the front cover. The book has pages that are folded or dog eared at the corners. Codes or product keys that accompany this product may not be valid. Fast Shipping in a Standard Poly Mailer!
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Seller's Description:
The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
This book, about a young orphan who becomes a chess prodigy, is absolutely fascinating. For any chess lover it is really compelling, but even for someone only familiar with the game there is real character development, excitement, and a great story.
rbeck
Feb 4, 2010
lonely child learns chess- becomes obsessed and br
Kind of a rough beginning with a rape, but this is a wonderful read- a real page turner- and I don't even play chess. Good characters and story line.
robertlk
Apr 24, 2007
outstanding
Excellent novel even if you know little about chess, even better for young chess enthusiests. (but not too young, has some sex , not graphic). I read and enjaoyed it very much, and gave it to my grandson, a ranked highschool player. It is mainly about a shy girl from an orphanage who overcomes great obsticles to become a national chess champion
