Books for First-Years, Games

This memoir recounts the journey of Fred Waitzkin and his son Joshua into the world of chess. Inspired by the historic Fischer-Spassky championship match, Waitzkin's son Josh begins playing chess at six and quickly becomes a prodigy. The book explores their travels, tournaments, and the impact on their relationship, as well as the broader world of chess and the enigmatic figure of Bobby Fischer. It delves into the pressures and challenges faced by Josh and the ethical dilemmas of parenting a prodigy, making it a story about fathers, sons, and the complexities of ambition and love.

This book, originally published in 1905, contains a series of talks by George Washington Plunkitt, a prominent figure in Tammany Hall, detailing his views on politics and how he profited from 'honest graft. ' It offers a candid look at the inner workings of machine politics during that era. The talks were recorded by William L. Riordon, a journalist from the New York Evening Post.

Cultural Amnesia is a comprehensive and encyclopedic work by Clive James, featuring biographical essays on a diverse range of thinkers, artists, musicians, and philosophers from the 20th century. The book aims to preserve the memories of these significant figures and their contributions to Western humanism, many of whom are in danger of being forgotten. James’s essays cover a wide range of individuals, from well-known figures like Sigmund Freud, Albert Camus, and Ludwig Wittgenstein to lesser-known but equally important figures such as Egon Friedell and Stefan Zweig. The book is organized alphabetically and reflects James’s broad learning and his willingness to challenge conventional wisdom.

High Windows is Philip Larkin's final major poetry collection, published in 1974. It includes some of his most celebrated poems, such as 'This Be The Verse' and the title piece 'High Windows', which reflect on the changing social landscape and personal freedoms of the time. The collection is noted for its darker and more socially engaged tone compared to Larkin's earlier works.

Written after his defection from Stalinist Poland in 1951, 'The Captive Mind' is a philosophical and political essay that explores the allure of Stalinism to intellectuals and the mechanisms of totalitarian control. Miłosz uses metaphorical portraits of four Polish writers (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) to illustrate the universal human phenomena and attitudes towards totalitarianism. The book critiques the philosophical systems of Marxism and Hegelian historical determinism, highlighting the internal longing for harmony and happiness that can lead individuals to submit to such regimes. It also discusses the personal and psychological costs of living under totalitarian rule, including the transformation of 'free minds' into instruments of the state.