How Many Moves Can You Think Ahead?

This is not one of those chess books which set out to teach you an opening or improve your playing strength, nor is it the kind that describes the exploits of the grandmasters. It has been written from the point of view of an enthusiast who has never come close to mastering the game, but refuses to stop trying. It is about the place that chess occupies in a busy life and about its role in the history of a family. It is about the pieces and boards and clocks and the places where chess is played and the people who play it, as much as it is about the moves of the game.