Fred Waitzkin (born 1943 in
) is an American novelist and writer for ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' ''Sunday Magazine'', ''
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
'', and ''
Esquire
Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title.
In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...
''. He graduated
Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio. It was founded in 1824 by Philander Chase. Kenyon College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Kenyon has 1,708 undergraduates enrolled. Its 1,000-acre campus is se ...
in
Gambier, Ohio
Gambier is a village in Knox County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,391 at the 2010 census.
Gambier is the home of Kenyon College. A major feature is a gravel path running the length of the village, referred to as "Middle Path". This ...
in 1965, and lives in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
and
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...
.
Waitzkin is the father of
chess prodigy
The term chess prodigy refers to a young child who possesses an aptitude for the game of chess that far exceeds what might be expected at their age. Their prodigious talent will often enable them to defeat experienced adult players and even title ...
Joshua Waitzkin and wrote a book about his son called ''Searching for Bobby Fischer''; he felt that Joshua could be a successor to
Bobby Fischer
Robert James Fischer (March 9, 1943January 17, 2008) was an American chess grandmaster and the eleventh World Chess Champion. A chess prodigy, he won his first of a record eight US Championships at the age of 14. In 1964, he won with an 11 ...
. The book was praised by
Grandmaster Nigel Short
Nigel David Short (born 1 June 1965) is an English chess grandmaster, columnist, coach, and commentator, who is the vice-president of FIDE since October 2018. Short earned the Grandmaster title at the age of 19, and was ranked third in the w ...
, as well as chess journalist
Edward Winter, who called it "a delightful book" in which "the topics
retreated with an acuity and grace that offer the reviewer something quotable on almost every page." Screenwriter and playwright
Tom Stoppard
Sir Tom Stoppard (born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...
called the book "well written" and "captivating". The book was made into the Academy Award-nominated
namesake film (but released in the
U.K.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
as ''Innocent Moves''), with
Joe Mantegna
Joseph Anthony Mantegna (, ; born November 13, 1947) is an American actor.
Mantegna began his career on stage in 1969 in the Chicago production of the musical ''Hair''. He earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play and a Joseph Jeffe ...
playing Joshua Waitzkin's father.
Major works
*1988: ''Searching for Bobby Fischer: The Father of a Prodigy Observes the World of Chess''
*
*
*
*''The Dream Merchant''
See also
*
List of books and documentaries by or about Bobby Fischer
Several books, films and other works about Bobby Fischer have been created. Bobby Fischer (March 9, 1943 – January 17, 2008) was an American chess prodigy who rose to prominence during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1972, Fischer defeated the Sovie ...
References
External links
*
20th-century American novelists
American male novelists
American chess writers
Jewish American novelists
Kenyon College alumni
Living people
1943 births
20th-century American male writers
20th-century American non-fiction writers
American male non-fiction writers
21st-century American Jews
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