Has anyone read this yet? Looks like an excellent and interesting biography.
kingpinchess.net/2016/08/the … -american/
This book by Davies is an excellent biography of a relatively unknown US Champion. I had heard of Lipschuetz from reading other ultra first class works from McFarland-Steinitz (Landesberger) and Hodges (Hilbert) and was interested in reading more about this person. The late 19th C was an interesting time when Hodges, Lipschuetz and Showalter were knocking each other out as US Champion. Pillsbury puts an end to the shuffle and Marshall arises after Pillsbury. Lipschuetz dies early. Who knows what would have happened if he had better health. This book has a lot of games and background history of the times. I recommend it highly for anyone interested in chess history of this period.
Arthur Holmer
Thanks for your reply. I too know the name from the Steinitz biography you mention. The Lipschutz book is now on my self-gifting Christmas list. 
The question isn’t what would have happened if Lipschuetz had not contracted tuberculosis. The question is what would have happened if Pillsbury had not contracted syphilis. Lipschuetz was a great player, but Pillsbury was a greater player, and probably would have been World Champion had his health held out.
You are certainly correct that Pillsbury was the greater player. At the risk of hijacking the thread, it would be wonderfully to have a McFarland level bio of Pillsbury (and Showalter too, for that matter), as Pope’s work (Pawn Island Press) is excellent on games, but light on biographical material.
Arthur Holmer
I just ordered Thomas Frere and the Brotherhood of Chess: A History of 19th Century Chess in New York City which I’ll read before I purchase the Lipschutz volume. Have either of you read the Frere book?
I have not. Sorry.
I have this book and I found it to be less than what I expect from the McFarland series of historical chess books. It appears to have gaps in the biographical material and is a very slim volume. However, It is still a valuable source of material on Thomas Frere and his involvement in chess organizing and journalism, as well as Frere’s clash with Fiske on Staunton’s avoidance of a match with Morphy. The section on Steinitz is interesting and adds to the Landesberger bio of Steinitz.
I still recommend this book for anyone interested in 19th C chess history.
For what it is worth, my two “gold standards” of what a McFarland bio for 19th C level should be are Albert Beauregard Hodges by Hilbert and Lahde and Walter Penn Shipley by Hilbert.
Arthur Holmer
Thanks. I’ll doubtless enjoy it. Haven’t read the two you mentioned in your last sentence, but I have read the Steinitz volume which was excellent.