[x] Could not find that book.

Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players

My rating:

add to my books

Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players

by Stefan Fatsis

3.78 · rating details · 2,214 ratings · 397 reviews

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 Word Freak, 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...more

Paperback, 372 pages

Published July 30th 2002 by Penguin (Non-Classics)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Best Non-Fiction (non biography)

117th out of 1,567 books — 2,221 voters

The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

You Read a Book about What?

71st out of 282 books — 69 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,737)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jan 09, 2008

Tung rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, memoirs

Fatsis, a columnist for various NY magazines, took a year off to investigate the world of competitive Scrabble. As someone who makes a living with words, and who grew up playing Scrabble, Fatsis does more than investigate this world; he immerses himself in it. The book functions half as nonfiction documentary, and half as memoir, as Fatsis details both the professional circuit and his rise through its ranks. Fatsis does a good job of balancing details of Scrabble’s history (both the history of...moreFatsis, a columnist for various NY magazines, took a year off to investigate the world of competitive Scrabble. As someone who makes a living with words, and who grew up playing Scrabble, Fatsis does more than investigate this world; he immerses himself in it. The book functions half as nonfiction documentary, and half as memoir, as Fatsis details both the professional circuit and his rise through its ranks. Fatsis does a good job of balancing details of Scrabble’s history (both the history of the game and the history of competitive tournaments), in-depth character portraits of the game’s quirkiest top players, and the rapid progression of his own skills. For those interested in getting better at Scrabble, Fatsis also details the lessons he learned and describes the various techniques used by the world’s best players. Ultimately, I had a few issues with the book that prevented it from being anything more than mediocre. First, as hard as Fatsis tries to make the tournaments come to life and convey their excitement, it isn’t enough. Scrabble tournaments simply aren’t exciting unless you are talented enough to grasp (and interested in grasping) the difficulty of the plays upon which the games are won or loss. Describing how playing a five-letter word instead of a seven-letter word cost someone a game doesn’t jump off the page no matter how good the prose. Second, what Fatsis recognizes about competitive Scrabble also becomes the undoing of this book: Scrabble tournaments are won and lost due to a player’s ability to spit out completely obscure words. Not only does this immediately distance 99% of all readers from this insular world, but it also makes the tournament summaries even less accessible. Fatsis describing someone playing WATERZOOI to win doesn’t resonate with anyone. Lastly, despite the book’s attempts to compare Scrabble to all other competitive pursuits and thus make the subject matter more relatable to readers, the obsessive behaviors displayed by the quirky characters upon whom Fatsis focuses his attention only serves to further emphasize how completely unlike other competitive pursuits Scrabble really is. An interesting read in the same way The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat is interesting – you want to read about crazy people. Otherwise, this book is in the take-it-or-leave-it category.(less)

like 6 likes

· see review

Jul 13, 2007

Dave-O rated it

Stephen Fatsis writes a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat book on the quirky, obsessive, very male-dominated world of competitive Scrabble playing. Although the cast of characters is fascinating enough, I was more interested in Fatsis' own transformation from "living room" player to a high-ranking qualifier in major tournaments. He describes his initial frustration at losing to the blue hair set to even more frustration at not grasping expert game strategies. He learns that in order to bec...more

like 2 likes

· see review

Feb 10, 2009

bookczuk rated it

Shelves: bookcrossing, i-heard-about-it-on-npr

Original review written February 9, 2004
I found this book a fascinating example of how diverse and quirky people can be. I love Scrabble, and am a fairly decent "living room" player. Stepping into the world of competitive playing was an eye opener. I am a literate, well educated, articulate person. I was totally stumped by so many of the words that players came up with in the stress of competition. It was a bit frustrating for me, as each time I came across a new word I had to r...moreOriginal review written February 9, 2004
I found this book a fascinating example of how diverse and quirky people can be. I love Scrabble, and am a fairly decent "living room" player. Stepping into the world of competitive playing was an eye opener. I am a literate, well educated, articulate person. I was totally stumped by so many of the words that players came up with in the stress of competition. It was a bit frustrating for me, as each time I came across a new word I had to reach for the dictionary to look it up. (Which meant that my reading was somewhat halted- having to make such frequent stops- one page I had to stop 24 times- after that, I refused to keep count- which is good, because I can no longer remember what all the new vocabulary meant!)

I loved reading the history of the game. We have one of the early sets from the 50's and it is a prized possession. No matter how I may lust after the fancy ones that spin and turn, I won't give up my childhood set.

There were things I found distracting when reading the book- because I had to read it in short bursts and hops, I had to constantly refresh myself what some of the shorthand and symbols meant.

I am slightly familiar with the world of competitive chess and the regulars of bingo- of competitive sports as well. This was a glimpse into another type of competitive gaming- and made me itch to get my hands on the scrabble tiles again.

But ultimately, this was so far removed from my scrabble experiences, that I had a hard time relating.

This is an additional comment I made when I read Maggie's review February 10, 2009

I am a total scrabble-holic (finally had to go cold turkey for online scrabble (which was fun because you had all the time you needed to mull over the tiles), because it was eating my life. ) I read this before the invention of online scrabble, where people cheat like the dickens (I'm convinced they have to -- there must be lists of 7 letter words and programs for figuring out combinations etc. That's another reason I quit on-line scrabble. It was too tempting and too easy to potentially cheat, and I don't need that black mark on my soul. I have quite enough already, thank-you-very-much.)(less)

like 1 like

· see review

Jan 03, 2008

Nancy rated it

Recommended to Nancy by: Gwen Gray

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 1 like

· see review

Mar 26, 2009

Doug rated it

The underworld of competitive Scrabble. I found the lives of word freaks very interesting. The book is a bit tedious at times, but worth the read.

like 1 like

· see review

Dec 24, 2007

Nicole rated it

This is a great book for scrabble nerds who understand the orgasmic elation of getting 7 letter bingos on a triple word score, watching with sadistic fervor your score double the points of your opponent. Scrabble is a sub-world of cultural and social norms where the most otherwise awkward, less than average weirdos become more than accepted, they become glorified champions. And now thanks to this book and the subsequent documentaries that followed, scrabble is now covered by ESPN. It has risen...more

like 1 like

· see review

Jun 05, 2008

Margaret rated it

I feel a bit guilty listing this as "read," because I really only read the first third or so. I just couldn't get into it...I don't know if I'm just too distracted by life at the moment since I had a very similar criticism about another book that I was just reading, but I almost had to keep forcing myself to give this a try. Maybe I expected the real-life characters to be more likeable, kind-of like the documentary version of competitive Scrabble, Word Play. Anyhoo, I would love to ...more

like 1 like

· see review

May 20, 2007

meg rated it

Recommends it for: scrabble lovers, but only the ones who are in it for the points

Shelves: nonfiction, books-i-own

hmm. i was fully expecting to love this book, but i had to stop a few chapters in. there was some interesting views into the world of competitive scrabble and portraits of its motely competitors, but i was bugged by the emphasis of points over love of new and interesting words. so much of it is about memorization and winning tactics, which, i guess is what the competition part is all about... but it just made me want to go play scrabble for fun instead of reading about all the people who take it...more

like 1 like

· see review

Aug 06, 2011

Jesse Bornemann added it · review of another edition

The word "obsession" is worth 11 points on a Scrabble board. It is best formed by playing the seven letters "OBSESSI" atop the root word "ON," netting a 50-point bingo. Or, if you prefer, you could play "SESSION" under "OB," as these are both acceptable words in the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary. Of course, you'll want to pay attention to letter positioning -- try to hit a triple-letter with the B, and don't set your opponent up for a trip...more

· see review

Dec 23, 2011

Ensiform rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, gaming

The author, an otherwise reputable sports reporter and writer, spent two years devoting his life to Scrabble in order to document the obsession, eccentricity, and passion found in the world of competitive Scrabble. Fatsis talks about the history of the game and how the tournaments were born, but the real star of this book is the game itself, and the expert players. He introduces us to the quirky oddballs, I mean esteemed luminaries, who form the upper echelons of Scrabble playing: the uptight,...moreThe author, an otherwise reputable sports reporter and writer, spent two years devoting his life to Scrabble in order to document the obsession, eccentricity, and passion found in the world of competitive Scrabble. Fatsis talks about the history of the game and how the tournaments were born, but the real star of this book is the game itself, and the expert players. He introduces us to the quirky oddballs, I mean esteemed luminaries, who form the upper echelons of Scrabble playing: the uptight, meditating and self-affirming expert who comes across as arrogant; the affable and possibly hypochondriac Joel, nick-named “G.I. Joel,” as in Gastro-Intestinal, for obvious and unfortunate reasons; the unemployable African-American quasi-activist, ever complaining about the Man; the neurotic, pill-popping Matt, also unemployable. Fatsis acknowledges that he’s highlighted the eccentric characters among the experts and only briefly touched upon the many “normal” expert players, and why not? It makes for more interesting reading.

Interesting, too, is the game as it’s played by experts: a different game indeed from drawing-room amateurs’ bouts. The words are archaic to the point of unrecognizability: two-letter words like AA and SH also abound, allowing for players to lay tiles over or below other words instead of intersecting them in the familiar way. The only way to become an expert (a goal Fatsis soon becomes literally obsessed with) is to memorize reams of these words; many players are only vaguely familiar with their meanings, if at all. They know only whether the words are acceptable in the official word list. It comes to a point where the letters are, as one expert puts it, “scoring tools:” they may as well be colors, or shapes that you arrange in memorized patterns. And in a way, that’s strange and sad, for isn’t Scrabble intended to be a game of active word power, not rote memorization of thousands of letter strings? In any case, a fascinating look into a world of obsession, written in a clear, intelligent, and honest style. Hard to put down.
(less)

· see review

Apr 24, 2011

Ashvin rated it

I was recently reminded of this book. I realized that I should put a review of it because it's insanely fantastic. Seriously. Awesome.

One of the good things about Fastsis is that he immerses himself in the competitive Scrabble world. He begins to play himself, and that process gives him an appreciation that translates well. I can't remember if he actually talks about it in the book, but he currently still plays competitively. He did the same thing in A Few Seconds of Panic, which is...more

· see review

Nov 10, 2009

Emily rated it

Shelves: 2003

Although I haven't yet succumbed to playing Scrabble (due to my knack for finding only words like UMSCHLAG and BEURRE), over the weekend I read Word Freak, Stefan Fatsis's book about ultra-serious tournament players.

Fatsis takes an unusual tack for a journalist: instead of just following the players around, he competes himself. His subjects become his mentors as he studies word lists, drives to tournaments and obsesses over his rating. In the end, I thought this was a mistake, because ...more

· see review

May 11, 2009

Ryan Mishap rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: personal-writing, sports

A Wall Street Journal reporter, Fatsis becomes intrigued by the quirky characters and intense games amongst competetitive Scrabble players. He takes a leave of absence from his job and begins to play, meet the misfit characters, and research the game.
G.I. Joel, a World Champion, asks Fatsis at one point: "So, are you here as a journalist or are you hooked?"
"I'm hooked," Fatsis confirms, and the book is far better for this fact. Instead of being an ...more

· see review

Sep 04, 2011

Steve Cunha rated it

I'll preface this review with the fact that I really wanted to play a game of Scrabble after reading this book! The first 300 pages or so are intricately detailed and rich with the history of the game. I particularly enjoyed learning the strategies used while playing Scrabble. Who knew that "qi" is actually a word? But the heart of the book lies within the characters who obsessively play the game. Their quirks, personalities and love of Scrabble really come off the page and make you ro...more

· see review

Jul 12, 2010

Steve Betz rated it

Shelves: 2008, non-fiction

The book “Word Freak” from Stefan Fatsis chronicles the author’s foray into competitive Scrabble. Initially, Fatsis (a Wall Street Journal reporter) had decided to cover competitive Scrabble from a human interest story – a get to know ‘em piece, but also one with a bit of “hey, look at these crazy obsessed folks” angle – and in the “walk a mile in a man’s shoes” idea, he begins playing competitively. And he gets hooked.

The book covers a couple of years of Fatsis’ obsession as he tr...more

· see review

Sep 26, 2007

Jesse rated it

Recommends it for: everyone.

This book wins. What can you possibly learn about life from people who obessively play scrabble as their hobby and sometimes as their default profession? Quite a lot - about passion, about friendships between people - about being intensely devoted to something because you love it, not because it's popular or because others understand it. And the best part about it is you even start to catch a bit of enthusasm for playing scrabble! Read it. You'll like it.

like 1 like

· see review

Jul 25, 2009

Dave rated it

I actually don’t really like SCRABBLE that much. Never played it growing up, and have only ever played online knockoffs with friends. I think I can say that I’ve played SCRABBLE 8-10 times in my life total. I did not know it had to be written in all capital letters or about the competitive SCRABBLE tournaments or those who dedicate themselves to the craft. On some level, I now have less appreciation for quality SCRABBLE players. I always sort of saw it as a skill game of vocabulary, but at the h...moreI actually don’t really like SCRABBLE that much. Never played it growing up, and have only ever played online knockoffs with friends. I think I can say that I’ve played SCRABBLE 8-10 times in my life total. I did not know it had to be written in all capital letters or about the competitive SCRABBLE tournaments or those who dedicate themselves to the craft. On some level, I now have less appreciation for quality SCRABBLE players. I always sort of saw it as a skill game of vocabulary, but at the highest level it is simply memorization, probability, and strategy. I personally have already reaped the benefits of reading this book by laying down a “QI” in one of the aforementioned online knockoffs. I can at least take solace in that it was defined in the book. All that being said, I did enjoy most of the book. Most of the characters (and despite being real, that is an accurate description) are fairly interesting. The description of the pursuit and the lifestyle was compelling as well. Where the book fell short was in chronology (interviews and events are completely out of sequence for the sake of order by person being profiled, which for the most part appear to be fairly random) as well as the SCRABBLE itself. Perhaps if I had any desire to be a competitive SCRABBLE player or the pursuit of improving my skills at the game learning about anagramming and the actual act of compiling and studying word lists would hold some sway. As I don’t, it didn’t. Also, I think what was ignored was that most of the “professional” players have a vested interest in the game gaining popularity and valuable publicity and sponsorship dollars. Thus, being embedded so thoroughly in the scene and presenting as a journalist may have gone some way in reducing the honesty present. Obviously he caught some candid moments and not everyone was presented in a 100% favorable light, at the same time he was using people as sources, they were using him as well. While this may help the storytelling, I think it fails as journalism. All that being said, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it, though probably only to people who listen to NPR as it came off as an All Things Considered Story. I could almost hear the shuffling of tiles and background white noise while it was being told. That probably makes sense as Fatsis is a part-time NPR correspondent. Oh well.(less)

· see review

Mar 25, 2009

Adam K added it

The name of the game in the Klarner household is SCRABBLE. Sure, it's a weird kind of jazz Scrabble in which certain basic rules are ignored and changed on the fly, but it's Scrabble nevertheless. Since I've been visiting them, I've caught the fever myself, so I felt I owed it to myself to check this book out.

The premise of the book is that this sportswriter decides to satisfy his own Scrabble curiosity by entering into the world of competitive Scrabble. He tracks his progress for...more

· see review

Oct 22, 2010

Jane Hoppe rated it

I thought I was a word freak. After reading the book Word Freak,however, I realize I'm apparently just a lover of words. I'm fascinated by words for their meanings, their specificity, their nuances, their stories, their sounds. Scrabble, for me, is just plain fun. The word freaks described by Fatsis memorize words for competitive gain in Scrabble tournaments. His word freaks are strategists, often obsessed, often genius.

Fatsis introduces readers to the interesting world of competitiv...more

like 1 like

· see review

Jan 13, 2010

Rhonda rated it

For what could be a dry subject for many, I really enjoyed this look into competitive Scrabble players and the history of the game itself. Novelist and frequent guest on NPR's 'All Things Considered', Stefan Fatsis did a fantastic job of writing a hip, insightful book that was at times part documentary, and part memoir. I sure came away from it thinking of Scrabble in a whole new way and I was very impressed by Stefan's descriptive nonfiction writing.

Here is an informative excerpt ...more

· see review

Jan 14, 2011

Patrick rated it

Shelves: eclectic, social-commentary

This is very interesting. Messed up, but fascinating. I had to create a new shelf "eclectic" to stick this on. I think many of you would find this interesting too, but there is a lot of swearing via quotes from the competitors.

Finished. It’s tempting to bag on these “nerds” obsessed with a game, but really, I think there are very, very few individuals who are world-class at something and are “normal” or balanced. Pro athletes are notorious egotistical headcases. Micha...moreThis is very interesting. Messed up, but fascinating. I had to create a new shelf "eclectic" to stick this on. I think many of you would find this interesting too, but there is a lot of swearing via quotes from the competitors.

Finished. It’s tempting to bag on these “nerds” obsessed with a game, but really, I think there are very, very few individuals who are world-class at something and are “normal” or balanced. Pro athletes are notorious egotistical headcases. Michael Jordan is an uber-hyper-ocd-competitive jerk. Other activities—chess, poker, ping-pong, debate, reading...the really, really “accomplished” individuals are not balanced. Even activities seen as “normal” and prestigious—highly accomplished lawyers, businessmen, or politicians. Their single-mindedness, family problems, egos, etc. are well known, but more “respectable.” And the weirdness of truly gifted composers, authors, and artists is legendary.

So this really made me think about how to be excellent, but normal. In 98% of the definitions of excellent, I don’t think it’s an issue. But is it possible to be extraordinarily gifted, and then put the effort into the gift to make it truly elite on a world level, and maintain balance? I think it’s an interesting question and I like “The Agony and the Ecstasy” and “My Name is Asher Lev” for thinking about it too.

So I think this is at least a 3-star thought provoking book even if you hate Scrabble. Being interested in language and words and game strategy can push the book to a 4 or 5-star level. The fact that the author really, truly becomes part of the “profile” will intrigue also. The very high amount of people dropping the F-bomb would push away many of my Goodreads friends.

Note: Fatsis’ book got national Scrabble tournaments on ESPN for the first time and he has worked as a commentator. Fatsis is still playing competitive Scrabble, 10 years later. He is slightly lower rated now. Here’s his 2010 results: http://www.cross-tables.com/results.php?... I read on his blog that he organized a Scrabble club at his daughter’s school and started a school age national tournament too.
(less)

· see review

Sep 13, 2009

le-trombone rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction-games

There are people who live for Scrabble, and some are good enough to live on Scrabble -- barely. Stefan Fatsis, a sports writer for the Wall Street Journal and a "good living room player", decided to enter Scrabble tournaments and interview the players.

Fatsis covers the history of the game, the techniques to winning, but most importantly the players, who give new meaning to the word "eccentric". As Fatsis gets better (the chapters that cover his tournament play hav...more

· see review

Mar 16, 2010

Donna rated it

My memories of Scrabble are of lazy summer afternoons, shuffling letter tiles, liking the feel and sound of them clacking softly against one another, thinking of and playing with words as I daydream about who would be at next Saturday night's dance. However, nothing dreamy or sentimental about THIS book (well, ok, there are a few pages where sentiment slips through). The title, Word FREAK, is not for nothin'! A quirkily (is that a word?)amusing, sometimes LOL read, this book contains WAY more ...more

· see review

Feb 13, 2010

Kathleen Dixon rated it

Shelves: biography, the-arts-and-culture

This would have been one of those $5 booksale books that you buy because they're cheap and seem like an entertaining read. Well, I have been entertained by it over the last week, though I have to admit to skipping a few chapters in the middle. Nevertheless, I am glad I bought this book. The author is a journalist who decides to follow the world of competitive scrabble. In the process he provides a lot of data about the history of the game, and the people who created it (etc.), and some fasci...more

· see review

Jul 21, 2011

Dawn rated it

I am a self-professed word nerd, one who holds books and language up as gods/goddesses; so of course I love Scrabble. And since we already know I love nonfiction, a book about competitive Scrabble? Yes. This. All in all the book was excellent. Fatsis delves into the competitive world himself, entering tournaments and befriending the strangest of the strange roaming the Scrabble world. I learned some awesome new words and a few interesting facts, which is always fun. My only gripe with the b...more

· see review

Apr 29, 2011

Oliver rated it

An amazing look into the lives and minds of professional or competitive SCRABBLE players and how they are actually super weird and intense people who memorize word lists, U less Q words, and two letter words so that they can ever increase their scores. Some of them are just normal people with a SCRABBLE addiciton. I guess it breached my interest in being a good Scrabble player and also demonstrated to me what passion and dedication to a trade or skill can lead to. Maybe they go too far but the...more

· see review

Dec 11, 2010

Aviva rated it

I didn't like this book very much, but I learned a lot about why I'm always surprised at how poorly I play Scrabble. I never thought it was fair, growing up, when my mother would play these crazy words that no one ever uses in their normal conversations.

The things I disliked most about the book were the ways Fatsis emphasized the negatives on the characters in the competitive Scrabble world. I don't doubt they're true, and yet by the end of the book, he claimed he considered many of t...more

· see review

Jul 28, 2010

Bobby rated it

Shelves: reviewed

There are Scrabble fans, and then there Scrabble FANS. This book is about the latter: people who have dedicated a significant part of their lives to playing (and winning) Scrabble. In part a memoir (the book is partly a story of how the author becomes sucked into the world of competitive Scrabble), and in part a study of Scrabble obsession (for better or worse), this is a relatively quick read. Both Scrabble fans and FANS should get a kick out of learning about the history of the game, its inven...more

· see review

Jan 06, 2009

Jenna rated it

I finished this book over the course of the first two weeks of my second daughter's life. It was good late night feeding material. I didn't expect to get into it too much - my friend Mel recommended it but confessed to skimming and skipping some of the more detailed analysis of the game. But, self confessed geek that I am, I was drawn into the saga of the allure of the game, and compelled to finish the book because of the psychology of addiction revealed. Some may find this book boring and fraug...more

· see review

Oct 29, 2011

Frank rated it

An intriguing journey into the bizarre world of competitive Scrabble... Fatsis provides fascinating insight into the strategies, drama, quirks, mind-games, feuds, nail-biting tournament highlights, emotional self-flagellation, and countless other eccentricities found in a peculiar class of geekdom that tends to place higher priority on finding that perfect in-exploitable, high-scoring, triple-word bingo than on bathing or eating.

It truly is a book of "Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, ...more

· see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 124 125 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (4)

Genres

Non Fiction

159 users

Autobiography > Memoir

22 users

Sports And Games > Sports

16 users

Humanities > Language

16 users

Sports And Games > Games

15 users

Biography

6 users

Sociology

6 users

Language > Words

6 users

Writing > Journalism

5 users

History

4 users

See top shelves...

Readers Also Enjoyed

About Stefan Fatsis

Stefan Fatsis is an author, reporter and familiar voice to public-radio listeners nationwide.

More about Stefan Fatsis...

Books by Stefan Fatsis

A Few Seconds of Panic: A 5-Foot 8-Inch, 170-Pound, 43-Year-Old Sportswriter Plays Football with the Pros

Wild And Outside: How A Renegade Minor League Revived The Spirit Of Baseball In America's Heartland

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Pin It

Trivia About Word Freak: Heart...

2 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Word Freak: Heartbreak...

“(Excerpt from a standup routine by Matt Graham:)
Last Friday, my roommate sent me out to get some canned fish, because we're having some Catholic survivalists over for dinner. Weirdest thing happened. I'm coming up the steps, I stumble, all the groceries fall down the stairs. Except for a can of salmon, which falls up the stairs. Bizarre experience, but it gave me an idea. Couple nights later I was driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Cop pulled me over. I told him I was spawning. He said, 'Young man, I have reason to believe you're DUI. You know what that is?' I said, 'Do I!” — 4 people liked it

“Jessica DuLong is a lucky woman. She stumbled into an obscure world—the overheated engine room of an old fireboat—and discovered that she belonged there. Readers are lucky, too, because she has managed to translate her love affair with the water into a finely written and fascinating story about a lost American way of life.” — 1 person liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players
avg rating	preview: Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players Goodreads rating: 3.78 (2214 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8954.Word_Freak?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1311648229m/8954.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8954.Word_Freak?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players by Stefan Fatsis[/url]

Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Readers Also Enjoyed

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website