{"product_id":"word-freak-heartbreak-triumph-genius-and-obsession-in-the-world-of-competitive-scrabble-players-9780142002261","title":"Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players","description":"Scrabble may be truly called America's game. But for every group of \"living-room players\" there is someone who is \"at one with the board.\" In \u003cb\u003eWord Freak\u003c\/b\u003e, Stefan Fatsis introduces readers to those few, exploring the underground world of colorful characters for which the Scrabble game is life-playing competitively in tournaments across the country. It is also the story of how the Scrabble game was invented by an unemployed architect during the Great Depression and how it has grown into the hugely successful, challenging, and beloved game it is today. Along the way, Fatsis chronicles his own obsession with the game and his development as a player from novice to expert. More than a book about hardcore Scrabble players, \u003cb\u003eWord Freak\u003c\/b\u003e is also an examination of notions of brilliance, memory, language, competition, and the mind that celebrates the uncanny creative powers in us all.\u003cp\u003eA Book Sense 76 pick.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Penguin Publishing Group\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/30\/2002\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780142002261\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 416\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.82lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.44h x 5.47w x 0.82d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e 07\/21\/2002 pg. 20\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/02\/2002 pg. 67\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooksense '76 Sep\/Oct 2002\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/01\/2002 pg. 1\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Stefan Fatsis","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52136344387765,"sku":"9780142002261","price":17.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_226c3735-8751-409f-948a-829b6f4110ae.jpg?v=1767114061","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/word-freak-heartbreak-triumph-genius-and-obsession-in-the-world-of-competitive-scrabble-players-9780142002261","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}