Wonderful new book

[John Fairbairn]

The Nihon Ki-in has just issued a new book by Cho Chikun. I think ez4u will agree that the cartoon on the cover is worth the price alone, and we may hope that the book sells well enough for Cho to afford a comb.

But for me, the modest price was also recouped at once by the superb calligraphy in the frontispiece. I see the first character as a self-portrait by Cho, but even without that it's wonderfully written. It says 慈風, a phrase rather associated with Cho nowadays. I'm not sure why, but my guess is that it is an allusion to a favourite phrase of his teacher, Kitani Minoru. It has essentially the same meaning, but Kitani's form was 仁風. The meaning is 'benevolent wind' [which blows for 1,000 years].

The book is called お悩み天国, which can perhaps best be colloquially rendered as "Trouble in Paradise". It is a collection of Q & As which were first published in Go Weekly. Cho takes on the persona of an agony aunt but that is just an excuse for a hoot from beginning to end. The first question will give a taste. A reader (allegedly - wouldn't surprise me if she was made up) writes in to ask for Cho's help because she is a great fan of Iyama Yuta, but every time she goes to see him live, he loses. How can she dejinxify herself? Cho observes that this is a good question because players like Iyama and Cho U now have a cult following like showbiz celebs - a problem the likes of him never had, he adds. And then he is off on his droll way...

There is plenty of serious stuff tucked away (discussions of joseki, how do teachers stay in touch pupils, etc) but Cho is more at home waxing about problems such mobile phones and cars rather than tsumego problems.

[tentano]

we may hope that the book sells well enough for Cho to afford a comb

Comedy gold.

[oren]

The sequel just came out as well.

I've read quite a few of them from Shukan Go. They've been fun to read.

[ez4u]

...
But for me, the modest price was also recouped at once by the superb calligraphy in the frontispiece. I see the first character as a self-portrait by Cho, ...

LOL, thanks for the hint!