The Scotch

This opening came out of games played between chess clubs in England and Scotland. The English used it first, the Scots started using it after and since they eventually won the match it is called The Scotch. It begins with both sides advancing their king pawns. Then white brings out the king's knight putting pressure on black's king pawn. Black moves queen's knight to back up the contested black pawn. So far this is the same as the Ruy Lopez with concept of putting all the pressure on blacks advanced king pawn. It deviates from the Lopez and turns into a Scotch when white moves the queen pawn to add pressure directly to the blacks king pawn. This style is geared towards a player who prefers a quicker opening and wants to force exchanges. Here is the chess notation:

1. e4-e5
2. Nf3-Nc6
3. d4

Hilarious memoir by John Kenneth Galbraith about growing up in rural Ontario on a farm raising Aberdeen Angus beef cattle among transplanted Highlander Scots. By turns, life in Iona Station is bleak, affectionate, funny, sexy, and mysteriously charming: you'll find out about such recondite subjects as psychological sterility (an ailment of rough climates), the origin of the rebel yell, what it takes to be a True Man of Standing, and others.

If you like Garrison Keillor, you'll LOVE this book. Best dialog, when the young future economist is watching a bull service a cow in the company of his ladylove:

He: "I think I would like to try something like that."

She: "Well, it IS your cow."