I have been in the chess book business for forty years. It's not every day that I get to call a book "charming," but this book is absolutely charming. Asa Hoffman was a giant grandmaster, but a humble FIDE master who played his heart out--literally. A fixture of the New York City Chess scene, especially the Marshall Chess Club, he often appeared in the "Most Active" list of players of U.S. Chess Federation, playing between 300 and 400 games a year. His little memoir is full of interesting games and more than a few historical photographs. His greatest claim to fame was his use of outré but not unsound openings, like the Dunst Opening (1. Nc3). Worth every penny and then some.