THE ESSENTIAL SOSONKO

The Essential Sosonko is an extensive hardcover chess book in English, bringing together 840 pages of portraits, profiles and historical essays by Genna Sosonko. It offers a close look at chess history and the wider culture of the Soviet era through the work of one of its most perceptive chroniclers.

What this book covers

Sosonko writes from a rare position: he knew many of the people he describes personally, yet he also approaches them as a careful observer. That gives the book a strong sense of immediacy. Figures such as Mikhail Tal and Viktor Korchnoi appear not as distant names from chess history, but as vivid personalities shaped by their character, struggles and achievements.

The same is true of players like Capablanca, Max Euwe and Tony Miles. Sosonko’s portraits bring out the human side of these figures while also keeping the broader context in view. The result is a book for readers who want more than game analysis alone.

Collected from Sosonko’s writing

The Essential Sosonko gathers material previously published in New In Chess Magazine, along with texts from Russian Silhouettes, The Reliable Past, Smart Chip From St. Petersburg and The World Champion I Knew. Additional material on David Bronstein, Garry Kasparov and Boris Spassky helps round out this substantial collection.

For readers interested in chess history, player biographies and the culture that surrounded the game, this is a book to spend time with. It preserves a wide range of voices, memories and perspectives from a formative period in modern chess.

About the author

Genna Sosonko is the author of this collection and one of the most distinctive chroniclers of modern chess. His writing combines first-hand knowledge with sharp observation, which is exactly what gives these portraits their lasting appeal.

Key details

• Product type: hardcover chess book
• Author: Genna Sosonko
• Language: English
• Binding: hardcover
• Page count: 840 pages
• Content: chess portraits, profiles and historical essays
• Source publication: includes texts previously published in New In Chess Magazine