2 part question

Hello, I learned to play chess at a very early age, but have been away from it for roughly 7 years.  Now I'm getting back into it as I truly love the game, but the game isn't coming to me as easliy as it once did.

Question, has anyone read "The game of Chess" by Tarrasch, and is it helpful?  A review mentions it helps with "seeing" the board and that seems to be my problem as I once could see the board many moves ahead, and now I find myself making novice blunders.  I'm currently reading "understanding chess move by move" by Nunn and something about it just isn't clicking with me.

I've read that many great players have studied so many games that they make moves off of memory based on a play that they might have seen in one of the games they studied.  I don't want to become a robot, but I would like to see a play and be able to analyze it quickly as I seem to play worse with the clock because I think about every move versus auto-response.

Also, does anyone on chess.com offer online tutoring aside from the chess mentor program?  I'm talking about another member who sets say an hour appointment with you and teaches you the game and how to think strategically, tactically, etc.

Any help would be appreciated.

As for your last question:

http://www.chess.com/coaches

For your first question:

"Even now, the best manuals are still the books written by the leading figures of the past-Lasker,Capablanca, nimzovich and Reti" Vaisman

For your second question:

To choose a coach for a talented chess player is comparable w/ the choice of a surgeon before an operation" Vaisman

My opinion: Choose wisely.

I wouldn't be too discouraged, 7 years is a long time, I think it will come back to you, just keep playing.

The nice thing about having a database of moves in your head so to speak is that you can more easily discard bad moves and spot moves worth further investigation.  You could memorize 10,000 games and there'd still be plenty of room for creativity and new ideas.

I agree with konhidras about choosing your coach carefully.  I think I know enough to be a good coach for a beginner, but I realize there are still many holes in my understanding.  If I coach someone for a length of time after beginner stages they'd run the risk of learning my mistakes too.  Rating isn't everything, they should be a good communicator, but if they're not fairly highly rated I wouldn't bother considering them.  Make sure they provide their real name so you can look up their rating too (not chess.com, USCF or FIDE).

Thank you all for your feedback.

So...where is the pizza and rootbeer?

Would you settle for a Benoni Saemisch on Ruy with a Caissa Falkbeer?