description: Winner of the J.R.Ackerley prize for "The Best Literary Autobiography of 1988", this is the true story of John Healy. Born of poor Irish parents in London, he succumbed to alcoholism and lived as a vagrant alcoholic until he learns to play chess in prison. Then he becomes a tournament champion.
language: English
title: The Grass Arena: An Autobiography
titlecomplete: The Grass Arena: An Autobiography
genres: Autobiography, Ireland, Nonfiction, Irish Literature, Literature, Chess, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Biography
ratings_count: 906
awards: awardedAt: 599644800000
name: J.R. Ackerley Prize for Autobiography
publisher: Faber & Faber