The Royal Game: A Chess Story
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The Royal Game: A Chess Story
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The Royal Game: A Chess Story
A new edition of this classic Zweig story - an epic chess match on a transatlantic liner during WW2 unearths a story of persecution and obsession.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! DescriptionSet aboard an ocean liner bound for Buenos Aires, Stefan Zweig's The Royal Game: A Chess Story delves into the eerie interplay of intellect and obsession. The novel introduces us to Mirko Czentovic, the reigning chess world champion, who compensates for his peculiar dullness in all but chess by effortlessly defeating any passenger daring enough to challenge him. His victories, however, come at a financial cost to his opponents, amplifying his egotistical nature and leaving many in awe of his unparalleled skill.
As the ship traverses the Atlantic, an intriguing development emerges in the person of Dr B, a quiet passenger with a mysterious past. Formerly imprisoned by the Nazis, Dr B survived torturous isolation by mentally immersing himself in the intricacies of chess, a coping mechanism that edged him precariously close to madness. The text brilliantly captures Dr B's psychological battles and heightened sensitivities triggered by his past trauma, building a palpable tension as he reluctantly agrees to face Czentovic in a match that transcends the mere movement of pieces on a board.
This enthralling narrative navigates the complexities of the human psyche, uncovering the dual nature of intellectual prowess as both a bastion of strength and a potential harbinger of torment. Zweig's masterful storytelling in The Royal Game: A Chess Story renders a compelling and haunting portrait of two men bound by their fixation with chess, each grappling with their demons in markedly different ways.
With its haunting exploration of the mind's power and the sinister shadows it can cast, The Royal Game: A Chess Story stands as a profound meditation on the limits of human endurance and the daunting spectres of consciousness. Zweig's novella not only captivates with its psychological depth but also questions the very essence of what it means to be consumed by one's inner world. Readers will find themselves engrossed in this timeless, thought-provoking tale that eloquently illustrates the fragile balance between genius and madness.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The Royal Game: A Chess Story by Stefan Zweig is widely acclaimed as perhaps the best chess story ever written. Reviewers praise it for its gripping narrative, even for those unfamiliar with chess. It is noted for its horrifying investigation into monomania and serves as a parable of the dangers of engaging with Nazism, exploring the psychological games our minds play.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781782278269
Publisher: Pushkin Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 04 November 2021
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Pushkin Press
Contributors:
- Translated by Alexander Starritt
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 112
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About the Author
Stefan Zweig was born in 1881 in Vienna, a member of a wealthy Austrian-Jewish family. He studied in Berlin and Vienna and was first known as a translator and later as a biographer. Zweig travelled widely, living in Salzburg between the wars, and enjoying literary fame. His stories and novellas were collected in 1934. In the same year, with the rise of Nazism, he briefly moved to London, taking British citizenship. After a short period in New York, he settled in Brazil where in 1942 he and his wife were found dead in bed in an apparent double suicide.
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