Playful like a thriller, a dark psychological portrait, a political and social allegory, this small masterpiece unfolds on a passenger ship traveling from New York to Buenos Aires. Among the passengers is the world chess champion Mirko Čentović, whose presence will trigger another fellow traveler, the enigmatic Austrian lawyer Dr. B, to narrate his adventure.

Imprisoned and hunted by the Nazis, the true protagonist of the novella reveals the dark period of fascist barbarism through the personal story of his mental and spiritual collapse. The Chess Novella, the most widely read work of Stefan Zweig, was published after his death. The author sent the final manuscript to his publishers just one day before he committed suicide.

The art of concise writing and the mature literary mastery of Zweig create a captivating, multi-layered read that cannot be put down. "The Chess Novella, written with simplicity and wonderful psychological insight, reads as if it were written just yesterday and lends itself to multiple thoughts and readings."

Kostas Katsoularis, author, Bookpress