Searching for Bobby Fischer

The father of a real american chess prodigy reflects on chess, competition, childhood, and his son's meteoric rise to the highest levels of global competition.

“[A] little gem of a book.” —The New York Times

Fred Waitzkin was smitten with chess during the historic Fischer-Spassky championship in 1972. When Fisher disappeared from public view, Waitzkin's interest waned—until his own son Josh emerged as a chess prodigy.

Searching for Bobby Fischer is the story of Fred Waitzkin and his son, from the moment six-year-old Josh first sits down at a chessboard until he competes for the national championship. Drawn into the insular, international network of chess, they must also navigate the difficult waters of their own relationship. All the while, Waitzskin searches for the elusive Bobby Fischer, whose myth still dominates the chess world and profoundly affects Waitzkin’s dreams for his son."The quest is beautifully resoluved...in a contest that knits togethe all of the book's rich themes." —The New York Times

"A touching story of father and son. You don't have to know the game to enjoy every page." —Cleveland Amory, author of The Cat Who Came for ChristmasFred Waitzkin, who fishes regularly in the Bahamas, is the author of Searching for Bobby Fischer and has written for The New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine, Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and Motorboating and Sailing. He lives in New York City and Martha's Vineyard.