Master Pieces: The Architecture of Chess

This is a fine, 158-page book on the artistry of chess from its beginnings in 600 AD all the way up to the year 2000. The author is the British historian Gareth Williams. Many color and black-and-white photos and illustrations are used throughout to add to the narrative. Even movie stills are included showing how chess has been used as a dramatic aid to story development. Actors include Marlon Brando, George C. Scott, Woody Allen, Sir John Gielgud, Frank Sinatra, Douglas Fairbanks, and even John Wayne. Wayne was apparently a "speed chess" addict and would use the game to kill boredom on movie sets. Interesting.Since the book is out-of-print, I got my copy in the second-hand market. The book was lacking a dust jacket but otherwise was in great shape. The previous owner or owners must have treated the book with respect which is encouraging to me.Anyone interested in chess history or chess art should own this book. Although it's small in size (8" high by 6" wide), it's full of intriguing facts and vignettes. Furthermore, I would have enjoyed reading more about the Staunton design variations, like the Zagreb-59 and Reykjavik-72. Those will have to wait for another book. Mr. Williams, are you listening?

Easy to carry, brilliant color photos, and pleasant prose. There is a lot to like about this book. I only wish that books of this type spent more time on the chess sets of the last two hundred years. I buy these books in the attempt to learn more about the sets I'm trying to collect, not those I can only see in a museum. That is a small criticism though on an overall excellent book.

One of my favorite books on chess, and my very favorite on cheese pieces. Went under a lot of radars so it makes a great gift for anyone with an interest in chess and/or design.

An interesting, nicely illustrated book on chess pieces throughout the world and through history.One statement in the book makes me somewhat skeptical of the quality of the author's research.On Page 110 is the statement "The main religion in Mongolia is Islam." This is patently absurd as less than 4% of Mongolians practice Islam.Whether this is indicative of flawed scholarship or is a one-off mistake is unclear, but reader beware.

Master Pieces is an illustrative, encyclopedic presentationof chess design, and cultural influences.

Since I play chess, I am happy to have found this book. It gives an interesting account of the development of chess pieces and the history around them. Not only is the game beautiful but also the different sets that have been used over the centuries.

Belas imagens, ótimo texto e material histórico de grande interesse do aficionado. Vale a pena ler e conhecer a história do desenvolvimento das peças de xadrez, tanto em formato, material usado e arte empregada.

very nice History od chess pieces and beautiful graphics

IF YOU PLAY CHESS AT ANY LEVEL THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU.IF YOU DON'T PLAY CHESS AT ALL THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU.IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN CHESS THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU!!BECAUSE THIS BOOK ISN'T A BOOK ON PLAYING CHESS AT ALL.THIS BOOK IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE ON THE HISTORY OF CHESS PIECE DESIGN AND THE ORIGINS OF THE GAME I HAVE READ.EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU'LL NEVER BE IN THE SLIGHTEST BIT INTERESTED IN CHESS I CAN GUARANTEE YOU'LL FIND THIS LITTLE GEM SIMPLY BRILLIANT.GARETH WILLIAMS (AUTHOR) COVERS SEVERAL ASPECTS OF HISTORY ACROSS THE WORLD, ARTISTIC DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY AND ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES. INTERLACED WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOGRAPHS ON EVERY PAGE.APART FROM THE REAL CHESS BOFFINS, THIS WOULD ALSO SUIT ANYONE INTERESTED IN GENERAL WORLD HISTORY, ART & DESIGN AND COLLECTING ANTIQUES.TOP MARKS MR. WILLIAMS!!

entertaining, educational and a must have for chess collectors