Almost Country explores the efforts of a couple whose children have left home to establish a new way of living in the semi-rural countryside outside Ann Arbor, Michigan. Essays describe their adventures in building a house responsive to its environment and in becoming stewards of a little over three mainly wooded acres, encouraging native plants and attempting with varying success to hold off invasives. Collectively, they present a story of getting to know a place intimately and learning to deal with challenges from the human and natural worlds, from developers and county officials to windstorms, a hatch of seventeen-year cicadas, flying squirrels in the attic, and a bullfrog that takes up residence for the winter in the basement floor drain.

Almost Country: Living with the Land

John Knott

Near North Press

Book of the Year--United States Chess Federation. Finalist, Book of the Year--English Chess Federation 
 For centuries, blindfold chess--the art of playing without sight of the board or pieces--has produced some of the greatest feats of human memory, progressing to the extent that the world record in 2009 was 45 [and is now 46] simultaneous blindfold games. This work describes the personalities and achievements of some of blindfold chess's greatest players--including Philidor, Morphy, Blackburne, Zukertort, Pillsbury, Reti, Alekhine, Koltanowski, Najdorf and Fine, as well as present-day grandmasters such as Anand and Kramnik. Including some never before published, 444 games scores are presented, peppered with diagrams and annotations. Hints for playing blindfold, and its practical value, are also included.

Blindfold Chess: History, Psychology, Techniques, Champions, World Records, and Important Games

Humor & Entertainment

Eliot Hearst

Puzzles & Games

McFarland

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Books by John Knott