I finished reading the book last evening having bought it for my Nook reader. It is truly an interesting and well written book. I urge anyone with even a passing interest in Fischer, especially the post-1972 years, to read it. Many more people in the chess world than one might imagine had regular contact with him.
That said, I found this one of the saddest books I’ve read in a long, long time. Fischer’s life after 1972 very quickly journeyed into his own personal Hell on earth. He need not have died had he simply taken the Flowmax that was apparently recommended so that he would not be blocked and destroy his kidneys. More than one friend noted that it appeared to be Fischer’s way of committing suicide. The irony is that had he been deported from Japan to stand trial and go to prison in the US, he might have gotten medical and psychiatric help in the Federal prison system. Maybe not, but it would have been clear that he needed help and in prison he might have gotten at least some of the help he needed.
RIP RJF