The Book of Games: Strategy, Tactics & History

Some 65 international games are described and demonstrated in this colorful book. Ranging from dominoes to mancala and shogi to Yut, each entry highlights the game’s origins, versions, and playing rules. Additionally, culture and history are explored through games, as in the entry for “The Royal Game of Ur,” one of the oldest board games ever found. Color illustrations and diagrams are used liberally to illustrate strategic moves and the variations of game boards and pieces, while photographs show the games being played.  The index lists the games, with subheadings for history, moving pieces, opening moves, etc., but does not index all of the volume’s content. A geographic index, time line, and world map showing the development of games would have made this a much more useful reference source. However, the illustrations and histories make for interesting browsing and reading. Libraries should consider this for their circulating collections. --Sue Polanka