Stefan Zweig - Chess Story BOOK REVIEW
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- Опубликовано: 26 авг 2024
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Finally got prescribed meds for my adhd and now I can finally read again. I'm ecstatic!
Holla! I feel that
That's great! Glad for you!
Fantastic! I hope you have many hours of enjoyment!
Very nice congrats and good luck
ad hd?
"The World of Yesterday" is also very well worth reading, as well as his "Decisive Moments in History", a collection of small moments that changed the world forever.
Agreed 👌
My boyfriend and I have this tradition; we both read 1 Zweig book every year and then we discuss it. Last year it was this one. It was very surreal to read during quarantine. We love Zweig. His stories are always surprising and is the most beautiful german I've ever read.
Ah! Awesome tradition!
Great idea! Should try it with my partner sometime
That’s brilliant!
I'm praying for the day you would review a Lázló Krasznahorkai book; Satantango and The Melancholy of Resistance 🙏
I choose to do a Short Film based on this story back with one of my classes for adapting literature works. Brings me back!
Well Cliff, I don't think you failed in the creative creation of this channel
Pollock - 40 out of a factory
I think he won when he DIDN'T call it Cliff Notes!
Cliff -- I'm glad you enjoyed the book! Happy to have sent it to you!!
Thank you very much Connor!
Chess Story introduced me to Stefan Zweig and just made me fall in love with his writing. One of the best novellas I've ever read. Twenty Four Hours In The Life of a Woman is excellent as well. I'm a little sad I couldn't read his books in the original German.
Just wanted to watch a book review and ended up purchasing a really cool wallet (wish I actually had something to put inside though)! Thank you so much cliffy boi :)
Cliff it hurt when you said you are a failure you got me back into my love of books and your reviews and insight I look forward to. You are a hell of a teacher.
OH, this is one of the first times I've beaten you to the punch on a book. I read this right before beginning college in 2015 and It lives on in an English assignment that I used this as inspiration for. Great choice!
I see your bookshelf has moved from the neatly lined up phase, to needing to pile books up phase. A natural progression of course. Mine has the same amazing problem. Thanks again for your years of dedication to reviewing and introducing all of us to such a massively diverse set of authors and books. Truly invaluable!
Incidentally, I am reading 'the world of yesterday' at this very moment. It is his autobiography which Zweig wrote briefly before his suicide. The book absolutely guts you as he describes the sun setting on a world which, in his eyes, was succumbing to fascism.
One of my favorites. Glad you're reviewing it.
I lost u in the algorithm a while ago, been searching u like crazy and like 5 secs ago I randomly remembered your channels name lol. Nice to know u never stopped uploading, YT just trolled me
I read this book two days ago and now you release this, cool coincidence.
You enjoyed it too?
@@DTJ2024 I did. I liked the stark contrast between Dr. B and his ability to visualize the check pieces and the Chess master being completely unable to visualize it without the physical pieces in front of him. One being a natural genius at it, the other being an expert through extreme practice. Polar opposites of the spectrum of skill.
Ohh god... I love this story... Zweig is just amazing...
I am a native German speaker and for whatever reason had never come across or been introduced to Zweig before. I saw this box set collection of some of his "most important" works on Amazon and decided to buy it on a whim. I have yet to receive my parcel, but I wanted to see what other people said about the man's work.
This video of yours serves a a great encouragement for me to dive into this man's legacy. When you read the passage where the ex-prisoner describes his learning of the game of chess, I immediately began so smile. The descriptive language Zweig uses rolls off the tongue beautifully.
I'm very eager to read it in its orginial German form.
Beware of Pitty is a personal favorite and can't wait to revisit Zweig with Chess Story
Surprised to see this title! I recommend Zweig's novel "beware of pity." Although it is a bit long.
being a bibliophile is a talent in itself. Glad your are. I enjoy the synopses. Make me want to read them myself..
My life has improved immensely since buying a Ridge card holder and some Central American coffee. Next I'll get business cards made with off white colouring, maybe a water mark, and some beautiful understated lettering. I'll make sure that the overall design is more sophisticated than Paul Allen's. This would make me complete and at ease with the universe.
I have to add my name to the chorus who admire your creative hard work and devotion to your channel, Cliff. Thanks for sharing it with us.
I have just finished reading The world of yesterday, so this would be a good follow up.
Yes!!!
Read this today in just a few hours! Incredible!!
If you want to read more Austrian/Austro-Hungarian books I recomend Robert Musil, maybe start with Young Törless then The Man Without Qualities (I warn you it is scary long))
The Man Without Qualities is not only long, but also really difficult to read. Moreover, Musil died before finishing it. It´s a remarkable book, though.
@@Desdeotraparte Spot on, it says something about it that he wrote for years and years and didn't manage to finnish it before his death (altough it is kindoff a ''book without end'' book.)
@@therealignotus7549 There is kinda like an ending (something Musil wrote somewhere else), but it leaves you even more clueless. Once I finished it, I thought I would never find another person who has read it. It´s been five years now and counting hahahaha!
Duuuuuuude this Author is AMAZING. Try on his other novels (all short stories) specially "24 hours in the life of a woman" just as amazing as (if not better than) Chess Story
I'm heading to the Nevada Desert this summer and want to pick up as many books on the desert as I can before I head out there. Fiction, science, anthropological, anything really. I was looking but couldn't find anything that piqued my interest, so naturally I thought to come here. Got any books on/in the desert? The only thing I've read is Fear and Loathing.
Read America by Baudrillard
Roberto Bolaño's has a few books that play in the desert. Although is not his main setting.
I love zweig. his biographies are great also
In the midst of the moment, time stops. Yet the game goes on: win, lose or draw. It's all up to "focus" / will of the players.
One of your best reviews, Cliff! Something I’d like to add that I’ve been sitting on upon finishing the book is that *spoiler warning…*
the very last line ties the story full circle to Czentovic’s own cluelessness about the second game. It establishes a stark contrast between him, whose savant syndrome granted him impeccable prowess with the game’s mechanics but very little knowledge/recollection of previous games; and Dr. B, whose prior circumstances granted him impeccable knowledge/recollection of previous games but very little mechanical ability. It’s two extraordinarily heightened skills put against each other and ultimately collapsing with the dearth of the other skill
Just picked it oneday in the library and sat down. 3 hours later I was mindblown
Hi man! Ive just recently started to watch your shows and I immediately fell in love with it! Well as a non-native speaker working desperately to become good at english, i picked up the hobby of reading 2 or 3 years ago. Im currently reading Pride and prejudice and i find it quite challenging tho not too far beyond my english levels. Since I have some problems memorizing the stuff in books, i decided to underline the keypoint as i went through the story. It makes my book looks incredibly awful yet i find it of little help lol. Im just curious if anyone here has the same habit to underline words while reading the story, like is it weird or not lul
It's not weird. Read the way you like to. I underline passages I really like f. e.
One of my favourite books! When you read it you won’t forget it.
These are so incredibly enjoyable and so generous on your part. Inspirational as well when you consider how one has to come out of the closet these days to embrace intellectual thought. But never too high brow, coupled with the proletariat in the trenches. Big thanks brother.
Loved this book and this edition! So cool to see you review it.
Look here man! You're the best booktuber on RUclips; and that is a new art. Cut yourself some slack. Give yourself a break. I think you are too hard on yourself.
A similar premise in William Golding's Freefall, an author ripe for examination on this channel. Best known for Lord of the Flies which may have lost some its edge by being used as a school text he operates at so many levels and is equally rewarding.
Hey Cliff, been a fan of this channel for a while. I just sent a book to the PO box listed on your Patreon: There There by Tommy Orange. It's about living as an Urban Native American, but is incredibly relatable for anyone who's dealt with trauma. It's explosive, profane and tragic, but also very human and hopeful. Should be arriving tomorrow so keep an eye out, hope you enjoy it.
Thank you very much for the gift Daniel, I appreciate it!
Stefan Zweig is naturally readily available here in Germany
and just checking on my local bookshop's website
it is definitely taught in the equivalent of High School here.
The language is seen as easy but there are, as you alluded to,
some well drawn parts and things that make you think.
As our bookshops are currently closed I cannot browse
to see if they have them out on the tables like they do
with the set books for Abitur
the exams at age 18 in Germany
(I suppose like SAT tests but assessed with essays)
You can look for his books on the kindle app. His books are public domain now and you can download them for free. Auf Deutsch natürlich :)
@@celiampena
I might be old fashioned
and I do prefer paper books.
I have a 2€ copy from Reclams Universal-Bibliothek
in their distinctive yellow and tiny print.
I use my local bookshop however
in this kind of case as informing me
about the set books in the local schools this year
So in English "A Raisin in the Sun"
has suddenly appeared in the bookshop(s)
here in Bielefeld
They are in student friendly editions
with others with critical apparatus.
The implication is that it is on the syllabus this year
at least in one school.
I was really not surprised by the "... then the book turns to a kind of psychological horror story of obsession and madness" since I'm currently revisiting Zweig's novellas and obsession is present in some way or another in most of them. I didn't like his early writings (1906-1913), but "Confusion of feelings" (1927) is amazing.
The premisse of Chess Story reminded me of The Queen's Gambit, also about chess, genius and madness. I didn't read this one yet, but I plan to, anytime soon.
By the way: the people responsible for Zweig's house (now a museum) here in Brazil are about to start organizing online talks (in Portuguese) about him this year, if anyone is interested. Their channel is Casa Stefan Zweig.
Damn, I saw this book in a bookstore once. I was intrigued but decided against it in the end...
Have you ever considered the fact the distractions are what probobly keeps you sane and functioning ?
How about beware of pity? Stefan Zweig another book. Was it a great book? In a sense that makes you see other things when you read it. I really love when i can see other things when i read a novel.
I just finished the book last week. It was a re-read and it just gets better and better.
Angst is my favorite book of his it's a really thrilling story
Don't know why people love it so much
Interrsting tibit;i was in an Israeli book club in Zurich,Switzerland around 2002 with stephan zweig's nephew Adam who was then a retired psychiatrist. He was a very nice man. I googled him and he died this April My son is reading this book for class in German. I will listen to the English audio book now that you sparked my interest.
This sounds right up my ally, very much sounds like a book in the same vein, but more grounded obviously, as Steppenwolf.
YOU certainly survived. For a time I did not like to read work from 'suicides', for "obvious" reasons. I think you are BRAVE. It seems to me, I would enjoy a beautiful person to learn me the game of 'GO', and to be able to write. However, I do NOT want to 'end up' as Hunter Thompson, Ernest Hemingway, or Stephan Zweig!!! Keep Writing, Young Man. One day we can read your work.
Mr Sargent, I find myself waiting for your reviews almost daily...I'm starting to question my own sanity! Also, you need another shelf to display your books!
Great review. Have you ever read any Flemish literature before? I would highly recommend War and Turpentine by Stefan Hertmans and The Sorrow of Belgium by Hugo Claus.
Amazing. Please review A fine balance by Rohinton Mistry
Brilliant book
@@irena7777777 So glad someone here has read it.
I need to learn how to completely deprive myself of everything except that which is essential because I’m a college student taking my 4th term completely online...kill me
Good luck man! You got this!
My exams are online too, I'm an engineering student
Great review. You should take a look at Hans Fallada Every Man Dies Alone. It is based on real gestapo case wherein they hunted down someone who posted anti war post cards around Berlin in WWII.
I read the whole book in a night! This video fitted like a glove in my life right now, I've been actively playing chess since January and since November/2020 I've been reading about isolation and stories about confined spaces (I even managed to write some stories about it). Chess Story was almost a surreal fit in my expectations. I literally devoured the whole piece without skipping a beat, and how I loved it!
If any of you guys could recommend something like this book I would be very happy to read it, as I love writings about ordinary disturbing facts, like the "chess sickness" portrayed in this book, or like Shirley Jackson writes her stories, like The Lottery.
I look forward to reading some more of Stefan Zweig, as well as his life and how he ended up dying in the country that I was born.
I apologize for the unsharpened English, hopefully, my future readings can fix that. Cheers, and thank you!
Have you read Death of a salesman or The Crucible by Arthur Miller
You might like those
@@bradleymcdonald6273 Thank you so much! I'll put them on my list right away
@@LeonardoFazan I'd say out of those two novellas... The crucible would be the one I'd recommend more
it is a dramatized and partially fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692-93.
@@LeonardoFazan chess though is hard to beat in my opinion... It was really well written, the pace was great and I never felt bored at any point... Loved how it built up to the climax, by the end I felt like I was going mad with the narrator
@@LeonardoFazan I'm currently reading impatience of the heart by Stefan Zweig
I know this has nothing to do with anything, but have considered reading the works on the SCP wiki? It's a collaborative writing project of fiction, with very similar themes as the works of H.P. Lovecraft. I recommend reading at least a few to get the overall feeling, and i think the project as a whole needs more attention.
I watch chess videos every night. It is very relaxing. It also brings some order to my usually chaotic days.
The world of yesterday next... Pleeeaaassseee
You should absolutely read The world of yesterday
your appearance reminded me of him
Hola señor Sargento, le recomiendo The time of the hero by Mario Vargas Llosa, es una novela emblemática de la literatura latinoamericana
Love this guy
This was the last book of Stefan Zweif before commiting the suicide.I think, there is a relationship with Dr.B and Zweig. Dr.B was playing with himself in order to defeat and also win the game. Playing with black and white pieces...Both of them show his mind and at the end of the day he went mad. The last game with Czentovic led him to understand both of them were him so he would like to end up not only the chess game but also his life game that is also fake.
There’s a brazillian author called Lima Barreto who wrote several short stories. Do yourself a favor and read just one: “A nova California”
"I never have to leave the room, i have the internet"-- God i felt that
By the way. It's not OCD you have but ADD
Doctor?
Well please don't tell the CIA or the KGB.
Would you consider to review Pushkin's Eugene Onegin? Charles Johnston's translation into English is particularly beautiful. You may enjoy it. Spoiler alarm: the book contains foot fetish. An excerpt:
From early on Cliff loved romances
They were his only food... and so
He fell in love with all the fancies
Of Richardson and of Rousseau.
I finally get three days off work to descend into this solitude of the arts. Oh yes...
Another great one.
I loved this novella.
Great review! Random question, where can you get that chess set you showed at the beginning 0:21?
An excellent read.
Sounds like Oldboy but with chess instead of MMA
Do you read Mo Yan ? If don't I really recommend you to read his works.
It is the best China author who get Nobel in 2014.
I have a theory, the slav chess champ can be lenin and Dr B. Can be Hitler maybe.
The Bet by Chekhov
Did Cliff just confess he gets ASMR with cheese?! Haha.
great review as always, reminds me of queens gambit
also just to let you know the nazis didn't take over england.
Dude literally looks like Stefan Zwieg lol.
You recommend books faster than I can read them. And I buy them faster than I read them too.
ja the same old thing: life imitates art, but here it is even worse he committed suicide one day before the end of the WW2 ( in Exile...
Yep, I agree with all those points. Didn't like it though... Just about as boring as the actual game of chess.
The people who have played chess more or less seriously for more than a year will probably realize that this book whose plot device is chess is written by someone who probably knew very little about chess.
What's so disturbing about this review is that this guy is an absolute dead ringer for Stefan Zweig!
You look like Stefan Zweig, btw..
The book’s premise too ridiculous
Sounds like the queens gambit
Similiar
You lost any hope of credibility with: "Gooooood afternoon..." Better than food, huh? Good luck with that.
You talk tooo fast not good at all
Talk about the novel pleas. Please zip it up.