I loved this book. The Immortal Game is a fascinating history of chess, interspersed with an explanation and analysis of a game (the titular Immortal Game) played between two masters during a break in the first international tournament in London in 1851. The winner, Adolf Anderssen, sacrificed a bishop, both rooks and his queen before checkmating his opponent, Lionel Kieseritzky. The game was thrilling to read about and the history of chess was written in a really breezy, engaging way by Shenk.

There were lots of fun anecdotes about historical figures. I particularly loved hearing about how Thomas Jefferson thought he was really good at chess until he went to Paris and everyone beat him. Then he flounced off in a huff.

This book also made me feel better about how terrible I am at chess.