David Shenk

Howard Goldowsky interviewed David Shenk for Chess Life Magazine.

The first question:

Howard Goldowsky: What inspired the structure for your book — every other chapter focusing on the history of chess, and every other chapter a combination of memoir and explanation of The Immortal Game?

David Shenk: The Immortal Game is an extraordinary human drama and also a great excuse to walk through the fundamentals of chess. When I began researching chess history, I knew almost immediately that I wanted to convey its astonishing intellectual and cultural breadth and also to pay a lasting tribute to the game itself. Chess insiders don't need any lesson from me on how the game works or why it's so great, but there are millions of others who are more casually interested in the game or who are related to a serious player. I aimed to write a book that would hold the attention of the most serious player but also never confuse or bore the complete neophyte.

Read the entire interview.

David put The Immortal Game to the Page 69 Test over at the Campaign for the American Reader.

--Marshal Zeringue