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Chesscoach

Chesscoach

I am a Christian, a father, a husband, a lover of foreign languages, a chess coach, a reader of classic literature, an investor, a chess player, a gardener, a tennis player, and a book collector. I read about two books a month, mostly non-fiction nowadays.

The books on my shelf are limited 1) to those I have personally read and 2) ... more »
  • TX, USA
  • member since October 11 2006

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 142 reviews
  • Beating the Street
    • Rated 4 stars

    This is Peter Lynch's sequel to "One Up on Wall Street." It is not an entrancing as the first volume but still contains much of interest as the author tries to show how average people can choose good stocks and make money as well or better than Wall Street professionals. The title says it all, you the individual can beat Wall Street at its own game.

    Chesscoach wrote this review Wednesday, December 17 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • One up on Wall Street: How to Use What You Already Know To Make Money in the Market, Miniature Edition
    • Rated 5 stars

    This is a great introduction to growth investing. Lynch tells you how, as an average person, you can find make money in stocks about as well as professionals can. His examples are precise and detailed, and the book abounds in human interest. A great first book to real on investing.

    Chesscoach wrote this review Wednesday, December 17 2008. ( reply | permalink )
    • Rated 5 stars

    I read How to Think Straight (1944) by Robert H. Thouless. Although the examples are dated, it is a wonderful survey of how people reason badly in conversation and discussions. This is a practical book that lists various kinds of illogical thinking and tells you how to recognize and deal with them when you encounter them.

    Highly recommended!

    Chesscoach wrote this review Friday, June 20 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • 50 Essential Chess Lessons

    50 Essential Chess Lessons

    by Steve Giddins
    • Rated 5 stars

    This is an excellent book to help intermediate players understand how chess masters see the board and evaluate positions. It gives 50 short games of chess, each one illustrating a particular technique for gaining an advantage in chess.

    Highly recommended. USCF rating: 1500-1800

    Chesscoach wrote this review Wednesday, June 11 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Jim Cramer's Stay Mad for Life: Get Rich, Stay Rich (Make Your Kids Even Richer)
    • Rated 3 stars

    This is Cramer's effort to explain personal finance. I think the first few chapters contain excellent advice. His efforts to recommend specific stocks toward the end of the book are ephemeral at best.

    Cramer is more conservative that he might appear on TV. He gives good advice, for the most part, but the book does not have a lot of graphics and may be difficult reading for the novice in financial matters.

    Chesscoach wrote this review Tuesday, May 6 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time
    • Rated 4 stars

    This book, a companion volume to _Discipleship Essentials_, is about what it takes to make a devoted Christian out of a nominal Christian. I think much of his analysis of the discipleship problem in churches is spot on. However, his solution strikes me as ultimately unworkable.

    The idea is to form discipleship "triads"--groups of three in a relationship designed to produce self-starting, reproducing, fully committed Christians. Sounds good.

    Then, after a year and a half of accountability, each member of the triad is to form another triad around himself or herself. Pretty soon (I believe) you are going to run out of church members who will commit to such a time-consuming, demanding process, and the "multiplication" effort will peter itself out.

    I think this book has some applications, but its technique is not going to change human nature, nor will it change the "80-20" rule that seems a part of human nature. This is an idealistic book that tries to be practical but cannot quite make the grade.

    Chesscoach wrote this review Tuesday, March 25 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Art of Planning in Chess: Move by Move (Batsford Chess Books (Hardcover))
    • Rated 4 stars

    This is a sequel of sorts to McDonald's book, Chess: The Art of Logical Thinking. He does not comment on every move as he does in that book, but he begins his move-by-move commentary after the opening is finished.

    This book is more about planning in the middlegame. It is useful because it shows you how a grandmaster sees the board and thinks about move choices. It is discouraging because it underscores the difference between you and grandmasters: They can calculate deeply in their head and you can't. What is more, after making a calculation, they can envisage the new position and determine if it is advantageous or not.

    Nevertheless, "The Art of Planning" gives the intermediate player insight into what chess ought to be. USCF level: 1500-1800

    Chesscoach wrote this review Tuesday, March 18 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Connecting Church: Beyond Small Groups to Authentic Community
    • Rated 3 stars

    I would describe this book as being about communitarian Christianity. I was surprised that the books of Amitai Etzioni and the communitarian movement were not mentioned in the endnotes.

    Frazee advocates a grassroots Christianity that thrives in local neighborhoods and home groups. In a way, his vision is of a utopian church devoted to family, to key beliefs, to ancient disciplines, and to wonderful virtues.

    The book is quite descriptive of exactly how such a beautiful church can be structured so as to combat American individualism, isolation, and consumerism. Will it work or is it just a "return to the simple life" fantasy? Read and decide for yourself.

    Chesscoach wrote this review Tuesday, February 5 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
    • Rated 4 stars

    Although one might accuse this author of blatant stereotyping, his book strikes a responsive chord in most married men and women. Its insights are valuable and useful in improving understanding and communication between the sexes. I enjoyed it.

    Chesscoach wrote this review Friday, February 1 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical
    • Rated 4 stars

    This is an eloquent plea for Christian socialism. Claiborne was the same age as Jesus as he wrote this book and he seeks to have the same vision as Jesus. Although this book is well-written and engaging, one doubts Claiborne has fully understood the first-century Jesus. In some sense, he recreates Jesus in Tony Campolo's image.

    Nevertheless, I recommend you read this book in order to understand the sensibilities of younger evangelical Christians. Virtually everyone of them under 30 seems to have read this book and loves it.

    Chesscoach wrote this review Tuesday, January 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )
Displaying 1-10 of 142 reviews

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