A sad and subtle novel and an analysis on a real professional Go match that makes great use of the match itself as an allegory of the lives and prospects of its players. ( )

Though I didn't (and still, to be honest, don't) know much about the game, "The Master of Go" was a book I couldn't put down--it was beautifully written. The book at times seemed to be mourning a past age while faithfully detailing all of it's problems--the Master's quirks, his illnesses, his temperament--but the discussion of the game was never bogged down by any of this. As the narrator admits, the story is about the players, not about the game, and this enables this discussion to remains technical, slightly unapproachable, and yet enjoyable.

A great book that ultimately seemed a fitting requiem for an bygone era of nobility. ( )

I suppose I'm biased. I love go. But I don't think that's a prerequisite to enjoying this book. Even if you've never played a single stone, Kawabata's story is archetypal, the aging master against the young challenger. Within the documentary-like framework of the story of the master's final match, Kawabata explores a number of themes (the modern world's encroachment on tradition; the devotion, or obsession, that drives greatness; and the end of life among them) are explored with a language as subtle and graceful as the game of go itself. A beautiful achievement. ( )

This is a gorgeous book. Beware though, the book is character-driven and based on the game of Go. The book includes diagrams of gameboards and the movements of stones (the black and white game pieces). You can either learn the rules of Go online (they're very simple) or just read the book for the beautiful story that it is. The action is of the Master (the elderly and sickly Japanese Go champion) and his younger opponent during the Master's last game. The narrator is a newspaper reporter who is sent to cover the game. The action (moves take hours!) of the book belies the great beauty its writing. ( )

kawabata said this was his best work. i would agree if i knew how to play go. one should read up on (or learn how to play) it before reading the book. it's basically a play-by-play of the famous match with annotations. it's really quite beautiful. ( )