The Games of Honinbo Shuei, Volume 3

[John Fairbairn]

GoGoD is happy to announce publication of the third e-volume of commentaries on Shuei's games for the Kindle. The Amazon page is http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0094ROD8A.

Part 1 (The Life) of a trilogy "The Life, Games and Commentaries of Honinbo Shuei" was published in May 2012. The first two volumes of Part 2, devoted to commentaries on his games, have also already been published. The final and fourth volume of Part 2 is being prepared for publication, and will be followed by Part 3, Shuei's commentaries on his pupils' games.

This third volume of games contains 19 commented games, bringing the total done so far to 61.

This volume covers the period between 1898 and part of 1900, by when Shuei's mastery of the game had effectively become complete.

You will see here the famous "miai game", and also also games that further explore his predilection for L-shapes, that demonstrate his stye of sabaki, and that give an insight into the proper, dynamic way to evaluate joseki positions. In short, there is much to learn from here, and as usual there are further biographical highlights.

The base price is again just US$9.99.

[Splatted]

Sounds interesting. I just downloaded the samples of the first two books. It seems Amazon has jacked the prices up though...

[oren]

What do you think the next project will be after this one?

[logan]

I hope it's Jowa, Huang Longshi, or maybe ancient Chinese Sage collection; but I'm just happy that Shuei is now in English ... It was my biggest, English go wish.

[John Fairbairn]

I have to finish off Shuei first - that's the priority. Top of the list for my future plans was indeed a book giving biographies and a commented game for all the ancient Chinese masters. However, sales of Shuei are disappointing (below 100) so I probably will give up altogether once Shuei is finished. I may return to my Korean for Baduk Players project, since most of the work has already been done, but on balance that's not very likely.

(I know nothing of Amazon jacking up prices. The author sets the price and I have changed nothing.)

[oren]

I hope sales pick up. I have volume 1 and just finishing it up. I'll purchase 2 and 3 to read during my upcoming travel.

[RBerenguel]

I have volume 1 (read) and 2 (still beginning, no time to take out my board lately) and I plan on getting all. A pity sales are low, I'd love to read about LongShi (and a Jowa book, too...)

[skydyr]

Is this also being published on paper or a different ebook format? I don't have a kindle and don't plan to get one or read books on my computer, but I would like to read this.

[John Fairbairn]

Is this also being published on paper or a different ebook format? I don't have a kindle and don't plan to get one or read books on my computer, but I would like to read this.

No, sorry. Paper was always out of the question, which is why the Kindle was used. As to other e-formats, I looked at this but it is nonsensical for me. To check presentation and make uploads I would have to buy other devices that I don't want or need. In one case I would have to buy e-ISBN numbers - total cost for the minimum package is more than the books will make. And then there's the considerable work of reformatting, especially diagrams.

Robert Jasiek suggested pdf files, but I saw his pdf books available on a Japanese site, presumably without his permission, so that route does not inspire me with confidence. In any case, the requirement to reformat still applies there - I don't want to do any more work for a handful of extra sales.

[hyperpape]

So none of the volumes have sold more than 100 so far? I imagine some portion of your readers are in my shoes, and are slowly working through the book: I'm part way through both the Life and the first volume of games, but the other books are on my list.

I'm sad to hear that these books aren't getting the attention they merit.

[Loons]

What was the marketing strategy? I never encountered the announcements anywhere but here.


Also, can you somehow fix the typo on the first page of the equipment chapter of your Go Fundamentals on kindle, you're not allowed to capitalise any n's in Torreya nucifera.

[John Fairbairn]

What was the marketing strategy? I never encountered the announcements anywhere but here.

gogameguru kindly gave an extended review/interview. The AGJ-e gave mentions. The BGJ gave a mention, though reluctantly - they wanted money for an advertisement and gave in an accepted an announcement only because GoGoD has let them use material free in the past. Some people on L19 are stroppy about announcements, too, you will have noticed. Paid advertisements are out of the question unless the strategy is bankruptcy. Normally our (GoGoD's) best strategy is face to face demonstrations at tournaments, but the logisitics haven't worked out right lately, and in any case tournament numbers seem to be declining. Amazon's site of course, along with Google etc, allows searching and browsing.

There may be a better strategy, but the background is that most western go book sales have been in the doldrums, starting from a low base.

Also, can you somehow fix the typo on the first page of the equipment chapter of your Go Fundamentals on kindle, you're not allowed to capitalise any n's in Torreya nucifera.

I haven't written a book called Go Fundamentals in any format, or anything similar. Presumably you mean Robert? Re kaya, yes, of course. I may have nodded somewhere, though I'm not Homer. But not capitalising in species names is surely well known to all - it's one of our schoolchildren's trick questions about when is the only time it is OK to write a surname with initial lower case (unless you're e.e. cummings).

[RobertJasiek]

Robert Jasiek suggested pdf files, but I saw his pdf books available on a Japanese site, presumably without his permission

Any PDFs of my books on the web would be without my permission.

[gogameguru]

I haven't written a book called Go Fundamentals in any format, or anything similar. Presumably you mean Robert?

I thought Loons meant Robert's book too, but I was just browsing your new releases on Amazon and stumbled upon Go Fundamentals on their John Fairbairn page.

Have a look at the very last book: Go Fundamentals: Everything You Need to Know to Play and Win Asian's Most Popular Game of Martial Strategy [Kindle Edition]

It looks like Tuttle listed you as writing the foreword and from there Amazon added it to your list of publications.

[John Fairbairn]

It looks like Tuttle listed you as writing the foreword and from there Amazon added it to your list of publications.

Thanks for explaining the mystery. From memory, it was called somethng like Stepping Stones to Go when I was asked to write a new foreword. I had absolutely nothing to do with the contents. I do recall advising Tuttle several things needed changing, but the Japanese author did not wish to change anything. I don't even have a copy of the book!