The Queen's Gambit has not a single chess diagram in it, not a single chess move in any sort of recognized notation. This book may be something you give to your sister to explain what you do.Written before the Polgar sisters came to the stage, the book posits, in a way, what might have happened if Bobby Fisher had been, say, a girl? The book follows the childhood of orphan Beth Harmon as she discovers and is taught our game she finds being played by a janitor in the basement of her orphanage. Beth develops her abilties, but developing as an orphan and a girl in what is essentially a man's world is not easy. As Beth develops as a player she struggles against sexism, drug abuse, alcoholism, and death.
We watch as Beth wins - and loses - her way up the ladder of chess championships as she develops and starts to pursue her dream of becoming World Champion...very much like a boy we all know did so very long ago.
Non chess-players can read, understand, and enjoy this book with no problems. Chess-players likewise will enjoy this book as long as they don't take it too seriously. There are technical details in the text that will irk players. Just slide past them, seriously.
