Playful like a thriller, a dark psychological portrait, a political and social allegory, this small masterpiece takes place on a passenger ship traveling from New York to Buenos Aires.

Among the passengers is the world chess champion Mirko Čendović, whose presence will trigger another traveler, the enigmatic Austrian lawyer Dr. B, to recount his adventure. Imprisoned and hunted by the Nazis, the true protagonist of the novella unfolds the dark period of fascist barbarity 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 condensed writing and Zweig's mature literary mastery create a fascinating, multi-layered reading experience that is hard to put down. "The Chess Novella, written with simplicity and wonderful psychological insight, reads as if it was written just yesterday and lends itself to multiple reflections and readings." Kostas Katsoulakis, author Bookpress