Theory of Shadows
Paolo Maurensig
Translated by Anne Milano Appel
15 January 2019Synopsis
The strange circumstances surrounding the death of the world chess champion and alleged Nazi collaborator Alexander Alekhine, as investigated by a literary grand master
On the morning of March 24, 1946, the world chess champion Alexander Alekhine—“sadist of the chess world,” renowned for his eccentric behavior as well as the ruthlessness of his playing style—was found dead in his hotel room...
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15 January 2019
9781250310316Reviews
"Theory of Shadows uses the game of chess as a vehicle to meditate on the Holocaust . . . In the brilliant darkness of his story, Maurensig investigates the cost of complicity with evil." —Elizabeth Fifer, World Literature Today
"In this slim yet complex novel, Maurensig returns to themes familiar from his debut, The Lüneburg Variation (1997): fascism and chess. In 1946, world chess champion Alexander Alekhine was found dead in his hotel room in Portugal, the official cause listed as choking on his dinner. The scene screamed coverup, and Alekhine’s life provided a bevy of murder motivations." —Bethany Latham, Booklist
