Opinion on these books?

I am looking for books mostly to improve my game, particularly strategy and positional play in the middle game. I already own a couple of openings books, Silman's HTRYC/Amateur's Mind and a few games collections, including Tal's and Fischer's (I own about a dozen books in total). What do you think of these books on my wish list?

Learn from the Legends: Chess Champions at their Best, by Mihail Marin

Chess Secrets: The Giants of Strategy: Learn From Kramnik, Karpov, Petrosian, Capablanca And Nimzowitsch

AND

Chess Secrets: The Giants of Power Play, both by Neil McDonald

The Improving Chess Thinker, by Dan Heisman

Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy, by John Watson

(I already have Watson's first Mastering the Openings volume. He seems like a really great writer!)

How to Defend in Chess, by Colin Crouch

Van Perlo's Endgame Tactics: A Comprehensive Guide to the Sunny Side of Chess Endgames, by Ger Van Perlo

From the reviews on Amazon, all of the above seem like high quality/top notch books. Some have won major awards.

What do you think of them? Are they instructive? Well-written? Mostly prose or reams of variations/analyses?

Anything else you can recommend from this genre? I am looking for books of intermediate to (somewhat) advanced level. And I want to steer clear of books for beginners or for masters and above. And if any of these or other books have too much variations/analyses, I'd rather steer clear of those as well.

THANKS and much appreciated!

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233457/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review500.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092313/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review620.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708112104/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review711.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708101955/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review717.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708094414/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/smcs.pdf

http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/testifying-for-the-defence

http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/How-to-Defend-in-Chess-p3510.htm

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104148/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/howtodefend.pdf

http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Van-Perlos-Endgame-Tactics-78p3851.htm

http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/theres-an-end-to-it-all

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708234128/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review555.pdf

One might try going to various sites to try to view a sample from this or that book: Quality Chess for Marin, Everyman for McDonald, Mongoose Press for Heisman, Gambit Publications for Watson and Crouch, and New in Chess for Perlo.

The only two books on your list that I have read are the two Chess Secrets books by McDonald and I can tell you they are both excellent.  I go back and re-read them and always learn something from them.  Good luck!

Giants of Strategy by Mcdonald is A+. This is enough for positional and strategic chess understanding.

ylblai2, how were you able to retrieve these reviews from chess cafe archive? For some reason, I cannot access it. Does it require a membership?

Thanks.

Learn from the Legends: Chess Champions at their Best, by Mihail Marin

Heard its a good book, but havent read it

Chess Secrets: The Giants of Strategy: Learn From Kramnik, Karpov, Petrosian, Capablanca And Nimzowitsch

I am currently going through this book, and highly recommend it.

AND

Chess Secrets: The Giants of Power Play, both by Neil McDonald

Dont own it.

The Improving Chess Thinker, by Dan Heisman

Went through this book. Very Good!

Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy, by John Watson

Have it, but havent studied it yet.

(I already have Watson's first Mastering the Openings volume. He seems like a really great writer!)

How to Defend in Chess, by Colin Crouch

No idea.

Van Perlo's Endgame Tactics: A Comprehensive Guide to the Sunny Side of Chess Endgames, by Ger Van Perlo

Excellent endgame book.

If i can make a suggestion.  This book is excellent, and i highly recommend it.  

Nope!

https://web.archive.org/web/20140714190611/http://www.chesscafe.com/archives/archives.htm

You can send your thanks to Mr. Peabody.

Both McDonald books are excellent.  Highly recommended to anyone.

Didn't read the Crouch book, but he's a good writer so I'd recommend it on that alone.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140712013538/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review945.pdf

I get these reviews using the method indicated by EscherehcsE above. Also, I can sometimes find others such as:

http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Chess-Training-for-Post-Beginners-77p3877.htm

These reviews are helpful, but they usually glorify these books. It's sometimes good to hear from my peers, rather than professionals.

Iggy, I'm glad you posted (and received so many responses).  I am also considering McDonald's Giants of Strategy book.  I've heard good things about it.  

I've read a few strategy books - one I enjoyed was Best Lessons of a Chess Coach by Sunil Weiramantry.  Its a series of complete games, many by the author himself, with each highlighting an important strategic concept.  The most memorable chapters for me were on knight outposts.

Good luck in your decision.