When her parents are killed in an automobile accident, eight-years-old Beth Harmon is placed in an orphanage, where the children are given a tranquilizer twice a day. Plain and shy, she learns to play chess from the janitor in the basement and discovers that she is a chess genius.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
Review
'The Queen's Gambit is sheer entertainment. It is a book I reread every few years—for the pure pleasure and skill of it.' --Michael Ondaatje --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
From the Back Cover
“The Queen's Gambit is sheer entertainment. It is a book I reread every few years--for the pure pleasure and skill of it.” --Michael Ondaatje
“Compelling. . . . A magnificent obsession.” --Los Angeles Times
“Beth Harmon is an unforgettable creation--and The Queen's Gambit is Walter Tevis's most consummate and heartbreaking work.” --Jonathan Lethem
“Gripping reading. . . .Nabokov's The Defense and Zweig's The Royal Game are the classics: now joining them is The Queen's Gambit.” --The Financial Times
“More exciting than any thriller I've seen lately; more than that, beautifully written. “ --Martin Cruz Smith, author of GorkyPark
“It’s advisable to tape your fingers before opening The Queen’s Gambit. Otherwise, the suspense may bring on nail-chewing right to the elbow.” --Houston Chronicle
“Tevis traps us in the breathless drama of the moment and makes us feel the same intense involvement his characters feel.” --The Plain Dealer
“There’s more excitement in Beth than in the collected works of Robert Ludlum.” --Forth Worth Star-Telegram --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
“Compelling. . . . A magnificent obsession.” --Los Angeles Times
“Beth Harmon is an unforgettable creation--and The Queen's Gambit is Walter Tevis's most consummate and heartbreaking work.” --Jonathan Lethem
“Gripping reading. . . .Nabokov's The Defense and Zweig's The Royal Game are the classics: now joining them is The Queen's Gambit.” --The Financial Times
“More exciting than any thriller I've seen lately; more than that, beautifully written. “ --Martin Cruz Smith, author of GorkyPark
“It’s advisable to tape your fingers before opening The Queen’s Gambit. Otherwise, the suspense may bring on nail-chewing right to the elbow.” --Houston Chronicle
“Tevis traps us in the breathless drama of the moment and makes us feel the same intense involvement his characters feel.” --The Plain Dealer
“There’s more excitement in Beth than in the collected works of Robert Ludlum.” --Forth Worth Star-Telegram --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By David Girod
Format:Paperback
This novel is not my usual reading fare. My father read and recommended it so I figured why not (I still had a week before Steven King's next Dark Tower novel came out). The story of chess prodigy Beth Harmon is a fantastic underdog / fish out of water type story, that will keep you riveted. I have little to no experience playing chess, but Tevis writes out the gameplay in a way that is easy to follow. Chess comes off more as a sport in this novel, and Beth Harmon's competitive nature is addictive. You will find yourself rooting for Beth as you would a favorite football team that has the odds stacked against them. There is plenty of suspense involved in the novel as well, as you really get sucked into the story and whether or not this "girl" can compete and win in a "man's" game. The only reason I did not give "The Queen's Gambit" a higher rating, it that I felt it dragged in places concerning Beth's struggle with addiction. And despite what another reviewer says regarding this novel as a "Rocky for smart people", trust me, this novel can be enjoyed by the legions of dumb people like me as well. I had no problem reading this novel, then putting it down in time to watch WWE Wrestling on my movin' picture box.
By M. Rosen
Format:Paperback
I read Tevis' brilliant "Mockingbird" many years ago, went looking for his other books, and found this one. No one had read it or heard of it, and I always considered it a lost gem, re-reading it every few years. I'm glad it's being reissued. This isn't a book about chess, you don't have to know a thing about the game to enjoy the story. It's about Beth, a young orphan who discovers her chess genius by accident, nurtures it, uses it as a lifeline to pull herself into the real world after her adoption and painful adolescence. Without her, the book would be a magazine article about a chess prodigy. With her, it's a story of a young woman who doesn't really know how to live in the world, but finds a way through the pain of an incomplete childhood. If you enjoyed books like "She's Come Undone" or "The Liar's Club" you will love this one. You want to root for her, no matter what she's doing.
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is the book I reach for most often to relieve a sleepless night. I'm probably the world's most careful reader, least hard on my books, with 10 years old paperbacks that look brand new, but this book is falling apart. I finally tracked down a hardbound copy to replace my tattered paperback.
I know enough of chess to follow the action, and in fact it deepened my interest in chess. But the main attraction is the main character, the young orphan girl who discovers chess and that this ancient game and her brain are made for each other. Perhaps partly I could identify with discovering a native talent (no, not chess) not usually associated with girls/women and/or the very young.
But primarily this is a story of the triumph of a unique human spirit housed in the form of an ordinary looking young girl with an unusual number of strikes against her. Fascinating, inspiring, a great read.
Want to see more reviews on this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 47 reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
