tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27359163.post2513278085508719429..comments2024-02-13T12:55:06.784+01:00Comments on Chess for All Ages: Tales of Hoffman (Notes)Mark Weekshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10101044127493771263noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27359163.post-32472173920136229502007-08-09T09:16:00.000+02:002007-08-09T09:16:00.000+02:00Wahrheit wrote, 'the writer is supposedly allowed ...Wahrheit wrote, 'the writer is supposedly allowed to "novelize" things a bit to make the story better'<BR/><BR/>Yes, it's clear that Hoffman's account of the Larsen simul has been embellished to make it more interesting. I can imagine that Hoffman prepared diligently for his game and that he studied the 1.f4 line from the Nyman game. I can also imagine that Larsen recognized the game and commented on it to his young opponent. Hoffman writes for the mass market and he knows what it takes to sell books. If he can sell chess, that's fine with me.<BR/><BR/>Where I have a problem is the account of Larsen's bizarre behavior: 'The smile disappeared and his voice became grim. "I shall crush you anyway, like I crushed him."' Who says that to a teenage kid? This is a variation on the tired theme that chess players are strange. Does the rest of the book build on the same theme? We'll know when it has been published. - MarkMark Weekshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10101044127493771263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27359163.post-12732098827900962352007-08-08T18:12:00.000+02:002007-08-08T18:12:00.000+02:00I received email from Paul Hoffman and put up a li...I received email from Paul Hoffman and put up a link to him at my blog...this reminds me of a college class I took awhile back about the "New Autobiography," where, since memory is imperfect anyway the writer is supposedly allowed to "novelize" things a bit to make the story better. There was a lot of discussion about what was okay in this regard while still calling the book "non-fiction."<BR/><BR/>I don't claim that Mr. Hoffman has novelized his story but like you I find the description of the simul with Larsen rather strange.Robert Pearsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357942424904415208noreply@blogger.com