Stefan Fatsis, a Wall Street Journal reporter and National Public Radio regular, recounts his remarkable rise through the ranks of elite Scrabble players while exploring the game's strange, potent hold over them -- and him. Scrabble might truly be called America's game. More than two million sets are sold every year and at least thirty million American homes have one. But the game's most talented competitors inhabit a sphere far removed from the masses of "living room players." Theirs is a surprisingly diverse subculture ...
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Stefan Fatsis, a Wall Street Journal reporter and National Public Radio regular, recounts his remarkable rise through the ranks of elite Scrabble players while exploring the game's strange, potent hold over them -- and him. Scrabble might truly be called America's game. More than two million sets are sold every year and at least thirty million American homes have one. But the game's most talented competitors inhabit a sphere far removed from the masses of "living room players." Theirs is a surprisingly diverse subculture whose stars include a vitamin-popping standup comic; a former bank teller whose intestinal troubles earn him the nickname "G.I. Joel"; a burly, unemployed African American from Baltimore's inner city; the three-time national champion who plays according to Zen principles; and Fatsis himself, who we see transformed from a curious reporter to a confirmed Scrabble nut. He begins by haunting the gritty corner of a Greenwich Village park where pickup Scrabble games can be found whenever weather permits. His curiosity soon morphs into compulsion, as he sets about memorizing thousands of obscure words and fills his evenings with solo Scrabble played on his living room floor. Before long he finds himself at tournaments socializing -- and competing -- with Scrabble's elite. But this book is about more than hardcore Scrabblers, for the game yields insights into realms as disparate as linguistics, psychology, and mathematics. WORD FREAK extends its reach even further, pondering the light Scrabble throws on such notions as brilliance, memory, competition, failure, and hope. It is a geography of obsession that celebrates the uncanny powers locked in all of us.
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Add this copy of Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession to cart. $1.28, good condition, Sold by More Than Words rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Waltham, MA, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin.
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Good. Former Library book. All orders guaranteed and ship within 24 hours. Your purchase supports More Than Words, a nonprofit job training program for youth, empowering youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business.
Add this copy of Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession to cart. $1.48, fair condition, Sold by Once Upon A Time Books rated 2.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tontitown, AR, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin.
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Fair in fair dust jacket. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear. It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket. This is a used book. It may contain highlighting/underlining and/or the book may show heavier signs of wear. It may also be ex-library or without dustjacket.
Add this copy of Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession to cart. $1.89, fair condition, Sold by Gulf Coast Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Memphis, TN, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin.
Add this copy of Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession to cart. $1.90, good condition, Sold by Orion Tech rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin.
Add this copy of Word Freak: Heartbreak Triumph Genius and Obsession in to cart. $2.06, good condition, Sold by BookHolders rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Gambrills, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin.
Add this copy of Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession to cart. $2.57, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin.
Add this copy of Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession to cart. $2.58, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin.
Add this copy of Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession to cart. $2.60, good condition, Sold by Blue Vase Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Interlochen, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin.
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The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
Add this copy of Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession to cart. $3.00, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Ruby rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin.
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Add this copy of Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession to cart. $3.41, good condition, Sold by Solr Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Skokie, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin.
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Good. The pages have an appearance of being read or studied. We flipped through this book and didn't notice any notes or underlines. The dust jacket is missing. Fast Shipping-Each order powers our free bookstore in Chicago and sending books to Africa!
