“Chess can seem abstruse and forbidding to the uninitiated, but Himelfarb’s account of it is as readable and comprehensible as any more familiar sports story—or, for that matter, any narrative in which a bunch of ambitious people pursue a single goal. What stands out, in fact, is not Himelfarb’s illumination of the mechanics of chess but his insights regarding the psychologies of people. Stories like the one that Himelfarb tells are reminders that the thing we really care about is not the end result—a simple set of plays or sequence of words—but what happens in the hearts and minds of the people involved in them.”

– Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker

"Comprehensive historical precision and a flair for dramatic storytelling." 

– Toronto Star

“Interregnum is a gripping story about the quest for dominance in the ‘game of kings,’ in which two players are engaged in a strategic battle of wits. Award-winning Canadian journalist Himelfarb’s well-composed narrative is brimming with eclectic characters and enough intrigue to imbue this sports book with more than a hint of high-stakes drama.”

– Booklist

“Rollicking good sports writing. Where a player places a bishop or how they might maneuver a knight feels positively thrilling. The behind-the-scenes glimpses into the sacrifices necessary to play chess at the highest level only underscore the glory of a win—or, on the other side of the table, the pain of a loss.”

– The Globe and Mail

"A fascinating and deeply human look at the battle to reach the pinnacle of chess. Himelfarb masterfully captures the drama and the grueling ambition that drives the world's greatest players. An essential read for any fan of sport and competition."

– Stuart Stevens, author of It Was All a Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump and The Last Season: A Father, A Son and A Lifetime of College Football

"A chess book that’s not just for everyone, but for the ages."

 

– The Hindustan Times

"Interregnum is a beautifully written chronicle of the modern quest to become world chess champion. With rare access and deep empathy, Himelfarb captures the inner lives of today’s elite chess players, their diverse backstories, glamorous lifestyles and rigorous training methods. His honest, heartfelt reporting on the international chess tour can’t help but make readers feel more passionate about their own goals and ambitions in life."

– Jennifer Shahade, three-time national chess champion, author of Chess Queens an

"For chess fans, Interregnum is a gripping account of the lead-up and conclusion to the 2024 World Championship, one of the most exciting and consequential in the history of chess. For everybody else, it’s a portrait of how the forces reshaping the world—artificial intelligence, celebrity culture, geopolitical insanity—can throw even the oldest game in the world into turmoil.”

– Stephen Marche, author of The Next Civil War 

“A masterful work of literary reportage, Interregnum captures the beauty and torment of human genius in the age of the algorithm. With a novelist’s eye and a philosopher’s insight, Himelfarb skillfully brings us into the lives and minds of the world’s greatest chess players with insight and empathy—haunted prodigies and reluctant champions—for whom victory offers no peace. Moving from Soviet discipline to digital obsession, from Carlsen’s cold supremacy to Nepomniachtchi’s tragic brilliance, this is not just the story of chess at its highest level, but of the human struggle for meaning, mastery, and grace in an era defined by machines. It is simply spellbinding.”

– James Hamilton Hibbard, author of The Art of Cycling and Racing the Reich

"A crackling, irresistible portrait of a game—and the brilliant, eccentric minds remaking it. Whether you live and breathe chess or are simply drawn to high-stakes struggle and larger-than-life personalities, Interregnum delivers a thrilling, deeply humane look at what it takes to rule the chess world."

– James R. Hansen, author of First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong and Completely