For Paul Morphy Fans

Here is a recommended reading list:

Paul Morphy: The Pride and Sorrow of Chess  by David Lawson
Morphy's Games of Chess  byPhilip Walsingham Sergeant
Morphy Gleanings  by Philip W. Sergeant
The Exploits and Triumphs in Europe of Paul Morphy  by Frederick Edge
The Chess Players  byFrances Parkinson Keyes
Paul Morphy and the Golden Age of Chess  byWilliam Ewert Napier
Royal Street  byW. Adolphe Roberts
Lake Pontchartrain  byW. Adolphe Roberts
Life of Paul Morphy in the Vieux Carré of New-Orleans and Abroad   byRegina Morphy-Voitier
The Chess and Genius of Paul Morphy (translation and further notes by Ernst Falkbeer)  by Max Lange
The Creoles of Louisiana (1884)  by George W. Cable
Morphy's Games of Chess  by Johann Löwenthal
New Orleans: an Illustrated History  by John Kemp
American Chess Heritage by Walter Corn
Howard Staunton 1810-74 by D. N. L. Levy
The United States Chess Championship: 1845-1991 by Andy Soltis
The First American Chess Congress, New York 1857 by Daniel. W. Fiske
The End of an Era: New Orleans 1850-1860  by Robert Reinders
Twice Remembered: Moments in the History of Spring Hill College by Michael Kenny, S.J.
Sportsmen and Gamesmen (1981) by John Dizikes
First and Last Days of Paul Morphy by Léona Queyrouze, writing as Constant Beauvais
Poems and prose sketches, with a biographical memoir of Paul Charles Morphy (1921) by Louis Albert Morphy
Paul Morphy: His Later Life (1900) by Charles A. Buck
Psychology of the Chess Player (1967) by Reuben Fine
The Problem of Paul Morphy (1931) by Ernest Jones

Do you have Chessbase? If so, all of his games (all that are known) are included in the database....I'm currently going through Morphy/Steinitz games....if they could only teach me to think one more second before I decide on a move.

Which one(s) would you recommend as a casual read? And which one(s) as study material? 

I wish this reading list was about me.

The best book for facts and details is Lawson's "Pride and Sorrow." It's also a good read, even if the writing is a bit stilted (to me).  Edge's book is quite enjoyable, entertaining and at times funny.

I've never come across a database, CB included, with all of Morphy's games, although some have made that claim.  Several years ago a friend of mine and myself, in a effort to put out, not just a complete collection in pgn format, but one with all the errors corrected, made this pgn of all Morphy's games, cross-referenced and with sources listed.  For the most part we succeeded.  This pgn also contains extensive historical information:
http://www.chess.com/download/view/morphys-games-with-historic-commentary

Is Stan Vaughan's "Paul Morphy: Confederate Spy" worth reading?

I haven't read it, but the premise is entirely fictional.

For those interested, I found the book Batgirl recommended as funny and enjoyable, as a free eBook:

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Exploits and Triumphs, in Europe, of Paul Morphy, the Chess Champion, by Frederick Milnes Edge This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

You can find it here.

Bobby Fischer on Morphy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woE4LnHcVYs

 ...annotating the famous Opera game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6urb6b2oNOY

The "St. Jame's Gazette" announced Paul Morphy's death in Dec. 1883, a bit premature since Morphy died on July 10, 1884.

While the usually dependable "Hartford Weekly Time" reported Morphy died of drowning.  Morphy died of a stroke (called apoplexy back then).

From "The Exploits and Triumphs, in Europe, of Paul Morphy, the Chess Champion":

The question has frequently been asked, whether and how Mr. Lewis played Labourdonnais? They played together on three different occasions, in all seven games, of which Labourdonnais won five and lost two. The first time they met was at the house of Mr. Domitt, Hon. Sec. of the London Club, and two All[Pg 37]gaier Gambits were played, each winning one. As they had just done their duty to a very good dinner, and society was then divided into two, three, and four bottle men, Labourdonnais remarked, "The victory is not likely to be gained by the better player, but by him who carries his wine best." This reminds me of a bon mot of Mr. Boden. Somebody remarked in his presence that two amateurs (whose names to mention "decency forbids") were both drunk, though engaged in a match game: he replied—"Then the best player will win."

A memorial like this, Csaba?

I find it unfortunate that Paul Morphy's father died before Paul started his law career. I believe he might have helped him very much especielly at the beginning. Paul Morphy's life might have been different had his father lived longer. Even possibly playing some more wonderful chess games... Who knows?

It's possible that without the death of Judge Alonzo Morphy, Paul may have had a law carreer with no chess career at all, and no one would remember his name today. 

Many, many, many years ago I had read a short story by Saki (HH Munro) that had two endings.  I can't remember the title, but, in the story, if I remember correctly - a very uncertain speculation- a child had disobeyed his parents and died in an accident, I think it was on his bicycle.  In the alternate ending, he narrowly survived without injury.  It would be supposed that the second ending was a happy one, but as it turned out, it might have been the saddest one.  

If Alonzo had lived..... as you say, who knows?

"A First Book of Morphy" by Frisco del Rosario is also a decent read from what I recall - though I'd be the first to admit I know very little about most of the books on the original list :)

Rosario's book is more or less a beginner's book  that uses some of Morphy's games to illustrate principles.  Yes, I thought it was a nice little book.

Damned with faint praise — the "nice little book" didn't warrant inclusion on this list of 24 books, where at least five aren't chess books, and at least one is fiction. 

It's funny, I also have got Mr. Rosario's book. I am glad I have read it and I am glad I can read some more. Happy day to everybody!

If I remember correctly, Paul Morphy was going to attend the First American Chess Congress, when his father was still alive(and knew about it). And Alonzo's death almost caused Paul's absence in that tournament, didn't it? It would be incredible but yes also possible to see Paul Morphy after winning the tournamnet the way he did to just come home and start his law career. I wonder if some other chessplayers(of the world?) didn't try to meet him and play him, knowing his result and the way he played in the Congress. Maybe he would play Steinitz then!? - Well, what a fiction with so many posssible endings... But maybe he wouldn't have a successful law career anyway, who knows? Happy for his chess though!