The Bottom Line
A well-written, first-person dive into competitive Scrabble. If you've ever become obsessed with a game, you'll recognize yourself in the many interesting personalities founr in Word Freak.
Pros
- Competitive Scrabble is a fascinating subject.
- Author's strong journalistic background.
- Author's love of the game.
Cons
- Total Scrabble focus may turn off some readers.
Description
- Word Freak is 372 pages in hardcover, 384 pages in paperback.
- Author Fatsis reports for The Wall Street Journal and National Public Radio.
- Fatsis writes about his not-always-smooth climb up the Scrabble ratings ladder.
- Subtitled "Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players."
Guide Review - Word Freak
Even for those whose interest in Scrabble stops at playing a casual game every now and then, Stefan Fatsis has penned a book that will capture your imagination. Scrabble geniuses and colorful personalities like Joe Edley, G.I. Joel Sherman, Marlon Hill and Matt Graham make the game come alive like never before.
As Fatsis climbs up the Scrabble ratings ladder, we're compelled to root for him -- the underdog, a man who simply decided one day to play competitive Scrabble (just like we could if we really wanted to). He has great games, he has terrible games. He is filled with confidence and then shaken to the core.
Fatsis manages to make Scrabble more than a game. It's a quest, and readers will enjoy being taken along for the ride.
