Chess Queens: The True Story of a Chess Champion and the Greatest Female Players of All Time

Like The Queen's Gambit, this isn't really about chess, but power... [Shahade] wants to provoke discussion and show how chess is just a starting point for wider liberation. - The Sunday Times

An intriguing behind-the-scenes insight into the elite world of female competitive chess. Shahade gives us a tour of the history, geography and gender politics of chess, accompanied by the uplifting stories of chess heroines, of triumph after triumph over stunning misogyny and stifling cultural expectations. Chess Queens is an exhilarating read for anyone interested in the highs and lows of competitive games, especially those who are told they don't belong!

Jennifer Shahade is a brilliant, insightful thinker who never fails to entertain and engage. I'm always amazed by the novel approach she's able to bring to any intellectual challenge and discussion. She's even made me want to learn to play chess - something I swore I'd never do. Jennifer is a true role model to any woman who has ever thought about taking on the worlds that have traditionally been branded male.

Amazing. I was transfixed throughout, and learned so much. Chess Queens is a meditation on why women have always been so under-represented in the game, and the remarkable lives of those who played on against the odds. An astoundingly intimate, thoughtful and inspirational book by a person who has seen it all from the inside.

A wild ride exploring the enchanting true lives of women competing and winning at the world stage. But more captivating than the glamorous jet-setting when we take a deep look inside their vibrant inner lives, revealing what it truly takes to win in a male-dominated field. A book that is so much bigger than chess that by the time you get to the end of it your understanding of the human mind and our world will have changed forever, for the better. I could not put it down.

Jennifer's book gives readers an insider look into the complex realities of being a female chess player, while also showcasing the badass women knocking down these barriers. Highly recommended!

The fascinating true stories of the lives of champion chessplayers. All women should take up the challenge and pick up a board!

If you loved The Queen's Gambit you'll love this way more. It's so damn funny and interesting.