, and other romantic fantasy novels. Her work has won a Scribe Award and has been translated into over ten languages. She holds an MA in English Literature from Tulane University and teaches creative writing at Wilkes University. In her free time, she practices aerial circus arts. She lives in West Virginia with her partner and an Italian greyhound named Marzipan.
Saft's new novel is Immortal Game.
At The Nerd Daily the author tagged five of her "favorite books about chess players." One title on the list:
The Queen’s Gambit by Walter TevisRead about another entry on the list.
You’ve most likely watched Netflix’s version of Beth Harmon’s story, but the novel it’s adapted from is just as brilliant. The show follows the bookpretty closely. The Queen’s Gambit is an exploration of single-minded obsession, addiction, and the power and solace broken people find within the sixty-four squares of a chessboard. Chess players will be rewarded because it’s clear that Tevis loves chess; the games Beth plays are lovingly rendered, move by move. But if you don’t play, the glimpse we get into Beth’s mind is fascinating and devastating. The high point for me is, of course, her relationship with Borgov. We can so viscerally feel her fear of him, and how much emotional weight she places on the outcomes of their games.
Also see K.W. Colyard's list "books like The Queen's Gambit that prove chess is far from boring" and Aisling Twomey's list of seven books for fans of The Queen’s Gambit.
The Queen’s Gambit is among Louise Erdrich's six favorite books that will transport you.
--Marshal Zeringue