The illustrations in this book are exquisite, almost ethereal. It is a treasure for any children's library, and sure to be a favorite.

Okay, so maybe you know who Judit Polgar is, but you aren't clear about who Zsuzsa and Sofia are, right? If so, then this is the book for you!

This book contains lots of behind-the-scenes info on Zsuzsa's tournament career, and the often nasty political tactics that were used to (try and) keep Zsuzsa out of the spotlight. This book gave me a much better appreciation of who Zsuzsa is, how her contributions to chess helped pave the way for her younger sisters (and women in general) to excel in the traditionally male-dominated chess world, and what an amazing player she is in her own right!

Also contain 100+ pages of games annotated by Zsuzsa (including all the games from her 1996 World Championship match with Xie Jun), and lots of color and b/w photos of the sisters and other chess legends (go find Bobby Fischer!).

Excellent, and an easy read, even for non-chess players! I gave it a "9" only because I wanted more, more, more!!! :-

Silent and thoughtful should a warrior be, and bold on the battlefield; cheerful and content should every man be, until he meets his death.

This verse, and the others in this book, come from the Hávámál, a compilation of Old Norse poems that offers the reader a variety of practical advice, rules of conduct, and words of wisdom. Said to be given by Odin, Father of the Norse Gods, they represent a clear picture of the heroic ethics, home life and warrior code of the Viking Period (c790 AD-c1070 AD).

Seek swiftness from a ship, protection from a shield, cuts from a sword kisses from a maiden.

Although the words Hávámál are attributed to Odin, there is no mention of life after death, of religious belief, or of faith in gods. The advice is very practical and applies to the everyday life of the "average" Viking.

With half a loaf and a cup of ale, I have found many a friend.

Friendship is another important aspect of the Hávámál. A man often placed his life in the hands of his comrades, and he needed to be certain of their loyalty. Therefore, gold was not given to the son to inherit, but spent freely by friends. The penalty for betrayal was death, and vengeance was the noble course of action. Wisdom is worth more than gold or an unknown path.

Ultimately, these proverbs paint a picture of the ideal Viking: he must be open, friendly and generous; he must be wise - but not too wise - he must keep his wits about him and be ready for a fight; he must hold honor high and be loyal to his friends and kin. In short, he must be the perfect hero.

In 1909, Lagerlöf became the first woman-and the first Swede-to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, and several years later became the first woman inducted into the Swedish Academy. She is an exemplar of humanism, a champion of the world's unfortunates, as well as a captivating storyteller. Unfortunately, with her works out of print for over half a century, her eloquent writing has gone unnoticed by recent generations. Penfield Press is releasing four reprints of her work, including Invisible Links (short stories), Memories of Mårbacka, Scandinavian Kings and Queens, and Girl from the Marsh Croft and other stories.