Customer Reviews

The Backwash Squeeze and Other Improbable Feats: A Newcomer's Journey into the World of Bridge

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This a wonderful book for bridge players, as well as for those are unfamiliar with the game. It offers a fascinating portrait of the game's history and the myriad characters who have played it, past and present (my personal favorites are the colorful denizens of the Manhattan Bridge Club, each of whom McPherson delineates perfectly).

There is also plenty of information about the ins and outs of the game itself. One of the book's many charms is that you feel as if you're learning about the game as McPherson, who was new to bridge when he began, does. That said, it is certainly not "Bridge for Dummies" (thank goodness), so if you're looking solely for a how-to book, this might not be the one for you.

But if you're interested in an extremely well-written, almost Tom Wolfean take on this game and the culture surrounding it, I'd recommend it highly. It was total delight to read.

After reading a glowing review in the Wall Street Journal, I added this book to my summer reading list. However, at my local mega-bookstore it was in the "Games" section. Categorizing this book as a "Bridge book" is like calling the Grand Canyon a ditch, grossly underestimating the content and completely missing the point. The subtitle says it all, "A Newcomer's JOURNEY into the WORLD of Bridge." It is not about teaching the game; it is about sharing the author's experience of walking into a whole new sub-culture. I didn't want to learn about strategy, I wanted to understand why the only time my parents went out (without us kids) was one Saturday every month to play Bridge ... with the same group they continue to play with to this day. That group includes most of my parents' closest friends--friendships that have grown from the scheduled socializing that Bridge provides. Some of my favorite memories come our turn to host the Bridge group, and Mom always came home with the best stories after an evening with the group.

Mr. McPherson captures the Bridge experience with eloquence and wit. He seeks to understand more than just the logistics of the game, but why this game is special ... why people like my parents, who play no other card games and rarely socialize, have played once a month for thirty years? The book is an enjoyable read for anyone (interested in the game or not), and it reinforced my admiration for Bridge.

I have never played bridge before, but thanks to this book, now I do. I knew nothing about the game before I started reading and I still very much enjoyed it. Who knew that the game had such amusing, interesting, weird fascinating people who played it.

I was also fascinated by the all of the famous people who play bridge from Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to Sting.

I knew it was great book when I desperately wanted to find out what happens to the author and his partner in the last 10 pages. I was a little sad that it ended and that I didn't get to follow him around to anymore adventures.

McPherson is not out to teach us how to play or win at bridge (any more than Frances Yates's "Art of Memory" sets out to teach one how to memorize pi)-- instead he gives us insight into a game that has given rise to its own microculture. In the spirit of J.C. Hallman's "The Chess Artist" or the film "Wordplay", "The Backwash Squeeze" captures the essence and makes accessible an order of experience that the rest of us otherwise would not have suspected was there. For those of us who had only known the game of bridge through the mysterious argot that gets published next to the crossword in the newspaper, this book offers fantastic introduction to the game and the world that has built up around it.

I have to admit I purchased Edward McPherson's "Backwash Squeeze" for an odd reason--I met the author at a party and figured that if the book was half as entertaining as he was, it had to be worth the price. It is. I've never played bridge in my life but I worked through these 300+ pages in a weekend. Now I'll have to look up his Buster Keaton bio.

What a cool book. I relate to the guy quite a bit - I have only been playing bridge but have immersed myself in the bridge world. I play online - a lot and also play in person. To me Bridge is the perfect game - the antithesis of Texas Hold-em.

The story isn't a teaching book but a great story about a guy who totally immerses himself in the wonderful world of bridge. He describes similar things that I have noticed - the fact that Texas Hold-em Poker is the new phenomenon, that bridge players are getting older, etc. When I play in person, especially during the week, I find that at 41 I am 20+ years younger than the youngest person there and probably 30 years younger than the average. It does make me wonder how bridge will survive when I am that age.

I was made aware of this book because the author added me on myspace (again, not many bridge players on myspace). This is a great book for someone who doesn't know much about bridge, or who is new to the game. It describes the current state of the game as well as the huge underground of players, clubs and tournaments. It is great study on the game and the sub-culture and the author describes his immersion into this world.

All in all this is a cool book! Makes me wish I could take a year off to pursue my new obsession!

I bought this book for my Mom who is a newly obsessed bridge player. She loved it! In fact, she loved it so much that I bought a copy for myself. Even for someone like me who has never played a game of bridge, the book is an interesting and enjoyable trip into a world filled with an entertaining history and a cast of characters.

I don't play duplicate bridge - and I have no plans to take it up any time soon. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this book very much. The author candidly states up front that he chose his subject because millions of bridge players provided a ready-made market for his work. The viewpoint, therefore, is not that of a bridge fanatic, but rather that of an intelligent and interested observer plunging into a strange milieu. An earlier reviewer mentioned Tom Wolfe - I think that comparison may be putting Edward McPherson in slightly more exalted company than his book deserves, but I do see the resemblance.

Mr. McPherson's writing is lively and crisp. He puts the game of bridge into historical perspective, then takes us to several bridge clubs and a number of tournaments. He gives vivid descriptions of players, both famous and not-at-all famous, and drops a few celebrity names along the way. One theme that runs throughout the book is whether the bridge sub-culture can survive, given the aging of the bridge-playing population and the unaccountable preference of younger card players for Texas Hold'em.

All in all, a good read.

This was a joy to read. I have been interested in bridge for 40 years but my interest was very casual. I am a social player with a little duplicate experience. What I liked about this book is it provided a broad overview of all forms of bridge and he even went to England to provide an international flavor. The book reviews bridge as it is played socially around the USA and London AND it gives you a view of the world of competition that exists in duplicate bridge clubs, sectional, regional, and national duplicate tournaments. This book held my attention cover to cover. Highly recommended to anyone who is new to bridge and wants an overview of the types of bridge played and the people involved. The author has the skill of describing his experiences in an interesting and educational manner. The book is well written. A must
read for all baby-boomers who are looking for ways to exercise their minds in their retirement years. Also recommended to all young people who love computer games. This is the ultimate game with world wide competition on line and in person.

Edward Mcpherson continues to write beautiful language that engages the reader. His language also makes one want to stop and reread the sentences, as each turn of phrase demands a second look. Mcphearson knows how to draw the reader into a world that only his language can create. The Backwash Squeeze and Other Improbable Feats is breathing new life into a lost art and this book is the diving board. I look forward to Mr. McPhearson's next book and hope that a book tour brings him to the west coast.