Chernev's Logical Chess and Nunn's Understanding Chess Move by Move are reportedly excellent for their annotation in helping beginners overall game.

Chernev's is older and it appears Nunn's can be a bit involved.

Are there any other modern efforts of the same vein that one should consider?

I'd get Chernev. What does it matter that it is older?

No great reason. Just thinking that a number of older good ideas have been brought up to date with more recent games.

 A beginner does not need to "be brought up to date"  that would be in depth opening analysis which would be reserved for much more advanced players.

Understood. It seems the choice is between Chernev's and Nunn's. I was wondering if there are any more recent attempts along the same vein that one should consider.

Not necessarily modern, but Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur by Euwe (in my opinion) is the book everyone should buy before Chernev's ... why? Well instead of learning from the play of two masters who will "both" make moves you never considered, you will instead see a strong player destroy a weaker one for making moves that you would "normally" think of making (as a beginner, of course).

Wonderfully annotated as well.

At the beginner-levels, it is more important to subtract "minuses" from one's game than add a ocean's worth of plusses (knowledge, opening theory, patterns etc. )

Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur does precisely that.

i am a beginner  i all so own irving chernev logical chess  first printed in 1957   learned a lot mostly my openings  also owne winning chess traps by chernev printed 1946  have not started reading it yet  after saying all that i'm steal not winning any game  but hope to soon

Nunn's book is good, but it can be a bit complex for a beginner. Chernev's book is not bad either, if a little dated.

Seirawan's Winning Chess Brilliancies is easier to understand for the beginner, and is also highly recommended. Every single move of each game is explained carefully and in language that is beginner-friendly.

Have a browse through the pages of it on Amazon to see if it's to your taste:

http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Chess-Brilliancies-Everyman/dp/1857443470/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247784395&sr=8-1

Thanks to all for your input so far.

Take a look at Neil McDonald's "Chess: the art of logical thinking."  He comments move by move just like Chernev, only the games he chooses are all after 1980.

It's a great read and is helpful. Your rating does not need to be high to grasp it.

stwils

Chernev has another book called something like Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever played--it may have been reprinted with a different title but I highly recommend it. 

The Euwe/Kramer Chess master series is great. I think there are three books and one is just on Amateur vs Amateur games. It may be something like Road to Chess Mastery The notes are clear and very instructive.

The McDonald book mentioned is also excellent. Also I think Silman has a book The Amateur's Mind which I have been told is excellent.

I am not a big fan of Seirawan's Winning series. 

Shivski wrote:

"Not necessarily modern, but Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur by Euwe (in my opinion) is the book everyone should buy before Chernev's ... why? Well instead of learning from the play of two masters who will "both" make moves you never considered, you will instead see a strong player destroy a weaker one for making moves that you would "normally" think of making (as a beginner, of course).

Wonderfully annotated as well.

At the beginner-levels, it is more important to subtract "minuses" from one's game than add a ocean's worth of plusses (knowledge, opening theory, patterns etc. )

Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur does precisely that."

Fully agree and Euwe wrote a second book with Walter Meiden; the "following" of the first one.

Don't know the title in English (sorry ) but it will be something like "Chess Amateur become Chess Master" (in french the title is "L'amateur devient maître").

After reading the first book, you have a better comprehension and the level of the 2° one is harder but, like the author says, mistakes and blunders found in the first book (beginner) aren't made by players in competiton (national level not International of course).

I recommend Chernev's Logical Chess Move By Move (get the new algebraic edition) as a first book of annotated games

Thanks to all for your assistance. A big help.