Books or video courses to improve my game

Have been playing chess for a while.  Probably many, many thousands of game on Playchess.  Current rating is 1328 for Blitz and 1693 for Slow games.  I don't really play Bullet.

I'm interested in improving my game-play.  However, I don't really want to become a human database.  That would pretty much kill the fun for me.  Am I dreaming?

This does not mean that I am against memorizing a resonable set of useful patterns, not at all.  I just don't have any interest in becoming a walking human encyclopedia of openings, etc.

Are there online courses or books you would recommend?

Thanks.

Well....Anything goes in club level. Just study middle games and Endgames. And why is there such a huge difference in your ratings???

I have the perfect video course set up on YouTube to improve your game and it's free. Link is on my profile here, in "about me" section and I have a group here with plenty of support systems in place. I basically teach you how to teach yourself using the methods that worked for me.

There are lots of videos on youtube that could help. I saw one with Karpov and Dzindashvili (not sure if i spelled it right im even having trouble pronouncing his name anyway) together its very nice , although the trouble is Karpov is speaking like a kung-fu master with high tone and the other like a drunken master or loaded with something but its worth the view.

Regarding the rating discrepancy.  From what I've seen this is normal.  Perhaps not the numerical difference but the fact that one's ELO is lower for fast Blitz and Bullet.  I see people who only play Blitz and Bullet who have lower Slow ratings (probably because they are not used to thinking at all).

I would definitely suggest taking a look at awww rats's videos. They are very instructive and teach you how to self teach yourself (like he said)

On my way to check it out right now.  Thanks!

Ah, the trouble is knowing what is good and what is ugly.  That's why I decided to ask here first.

Here is a set of 19 videos aimed at club level players from FM Grant Szuveges:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSClIVKbmGUcMqFQVICgYPuO_a7DtDkWy

• Welcome: FM Grant Szuveges Intro (Click "Playlists")
• The Gurgenidze System for Black
• Czech Benoni Opening For Black
• Isolated Pawns: Playing with or against and IQP
• Botvinnik-English System against the Sicilian Defence
• Chess Lesson: Good and Bad Pieces
• Chess Opening for Black: A System V Systems!
• Queen's Gambit: Exchange Variation
• Chess Strategy: The Minority Attack
• Chess Openings for White: The London System and The Torre Attack
• The King's Indian Defence (Chess Opening for Black)
• The Maroczy Bind Lecture
• Beating the French Defence
• Endgame from the Sicilian Defence
• Opening: Fort Knox Variation (French Defence)
• Knight Outposts: Nc5 in the King's Indian
• Nimzo - Larsen Attack (Chess Opening)
• A system against Alekhine's Defence