Chess Story, Stefan Zweig, 1942 (reissued as NYRB book, 2006)

Zweig, born in Austria in 1881, fled the Nazis and committed suicide in South America in 1942. This was his final novella, a tale of a man who taught himself chess while imprisoned by the Gestapo in isolation.  The amateur chess player has a nervous breakdown, (Chess Fever), and stops playing until he comes in accidental contact with the world champion on a boat to Rio from NYC.  The amateur becomes obsessed again and chess fever’s recurrence feels like the beginning of a fatal ending.  Zweig’s life is reflected in this story.  NYRB brings out of print classics back into active publication.