The Royal Game by Stefan Zweig
"The Royal Game" is a gripping novella about a man who, while in solitary confinement by the Nazis, steals a book of past chess games and plays them all in his mind to keep his sanity. Once freed, he becomes a chess master but his mental state is fragile. On a cruise ship, he is challenged to a game by the reigning world champion, leading to a psychological battle that pushes him to the brink of madness.
The 769th greatest book of all time
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This book is on the following lists:
- 93rd on Big Read (German) (Germany)
- 182nd on The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Culture Café)
- 757th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- The 100 Best Books in the World (AbeBooks.de (in German))
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)