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Chess Fever
Sam Renshawe is giving up everything to follow his chess dream. It’s 1990 and he’s in Yugoslavia for the Chess Olympiad where he is playing the most important game of his career. However, events on the board cause him to reconsider his life, especially the recent split from his girlfriend caused by his chess addiction. How much is he willing to sacrifice to achieve his goals? In lucid prose, Chess Fever is a fresh, surprising, funny and moving novel that celebrates chess, but also literature, love and life.
201 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 12, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 11, 2020
I found the format of this book unique and interesting -- each chapter begins with a quote, an introduction to the topic, followed by a real-life example, a summary of the learnings around that topic, and ends with another relevant quote. Each chapter also has a blank page devoted for notes.
The author writes in simple language that makes it easy for people with no experience in sales to understand the subject. It sounds like he's talking to the reader from the pages, drawing diagrams to illustrate his point wherever necessary. I do not have a background in B2B selling, but I could understand much of what was discussed in the book event though I have no practical experience in the area. That's the beauty of this book!
It is impressive how the book leans heavily towards the practical side of selling. The author does describe theories and concepts to explain his message, but even those are delivered in a conversational tone. Appendix 3 deals with these concepts in greater detail.
It's clear that the author has distilled his career-long learnings into this book because he writes with an authority that can only come from experience. Apart from selling, he also talks about self-development topics like time management and attitude in personal life. I think this makes the book a well-rounded work for anyone who wants to learn about B2B selling.
The font conveys professionalism and is easy to read, whereas the crisp writing and the unique format sets this book apart from similar ones. In Appendix 2, he lists the names of other books on selling that he recommends as well as online resources.
I found the book informative, interesting, and easy to understand. Plus, I learned something new!
The author writes in simple language that makes it easy for people with no experience in sales to understand the subject. It sounds like he's talking to the reader from the pages, drawing diagrams to illustrate his point wherever necessary. I do not have a background in B2B selling, but I could understand much of what was discussed in the book event though I have no practical experience in the area. That's the beauty of this book!
It is impressive how the book leans heavily towards the practical side of selling. The author does describe theories and concepts to explain his message, but even those are delivered in a conversational tone. Appendix 3 deals with these concepts in greater detail.
It's clear that the author has distilled his career-long learnings into this book because he writes with an authority that can only come from experience. Apart from selling, he also talks about self-development topics like time management and attitude in personal life. I think this makes the book a well-rounded work for anyone who wants to learn about B2B selling.
The font conveys professionalism and is easy to read, whereas the crisp writing and the unique format sets this book apart from similar ones. In Appendix 2, he lists the names of other books on selling that he recommends as well as online resources.
I found the book informative, interesting, and easy to understand. Plus, I learned something new!
October 2, 2020
B2B? Hard nut to crack. Static, so many people, hard to know who is really doing what!
Intimidating experience of 40 plus years in business, battered with all kinds that professional life had to give him in his B2B world.
I found this book complete as illustrating events in professional life and personal attitude to comprehensive arena, life!
Other sales related books have their advantage and a lot of things to learn. But something missing there had to be filled up by other non-sales books. I recognize they are good in business but don’t know who he or she really is as person.
I am surprised to see him mention “naive” words, such as grateful, honest, while other business authors seem to guide you through how to survive among a pack of wolves. Business is hard and hard to win. Some projects may remain “holy grail”, seemingly sapping energy only to go nowhere.
By the end of his book he, with trusted tone, suggests not to lose out in your life, which is achievable for all as long as you choose to. He consoles you by saying that it is okay not to understand everything he taught except for one or two. It proclaims that he is a pro up there.
I think this book will invite me again to read again. If not now but very near future.
Intimidating experience of 40 plus years in business, battered with all kinds that professional life had to give him in his B2B world.
I found this book complete as illustrating events in professional life and personal attitude to comprehensive arena, life!
Other sales related books have their advantage and a lot of things to learn. But something missing there had to be filled up by other non-sales books. I recognize they are good in business but don’t know who he or she really is as person.
I am surprised to see him mention “naive” words, such as grateful, honest, while other business authors seem to guide you through how to survive among a pack of wolves. Business is hard and hard to win. Some projects may remain “holy grail”, seemingly sapping energy only to go nowhere.
By the end of his book he, with trusted tone, suggests not to lose out in your life, which is achievable for all as long as you choose to. He consoles you by saying that it is okay not to understand everything he taught except for one or two. It proclaims that he is a pro up there.
I think this book will invite me again to read again. If not now but very near future.
March 14, 2020
Jim Irving has written an excellent book for any Sales Executive or Manager who wants to improve their success rate. Calling on his wealth of experience, Jim clearly sets out and illustrates sales techniques and strategies that really make a difference. Easy and quick to read in short focused chapters, readers will find themselves nodding their head in agreement on topics and techniques they'd either forgotten, or hadn't realised or thought about. As such this book comes highly recommended.
May 31, 2023
A good book on B2B selling techniques, easy to read and with a very practical approach. The author is passionated and experienced and he structured the book in 21 well designed chapters, each of them introducing a selling technique/principle, each enriched by real examples and relevant quotes. I really enjoyed reading it and will probably get back to it in case I may need some good selling tips!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews