The Master of Go | 
pickKawabata's novel is a fictionalisation of the real life final tournament of Go master, Hon'inbō Shūsai (photo), which he covered for a newspaper.
Knowing the game would undoubtedly enhance the experience, but it's not necessary (luckily!) as the novel is actually about the characters of the Old Master and the Young Pretender, and how they respond to the stress of a historic match that will define the future of a cultural institution.⬇️
Bookwomble Some lovely lyrical passages, finely drawn characterisations, and culturally fascinating. I've not read Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis, but the chess match scenes from the TV show have something of the same tense feel as the Go matches, the psychological tension being less dramatic but no less compelling. 4⭐ 5mo
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