OF DICE AND MEN: THE STORY OF DUNGEONS & DRAGONS AND THE PEOPLE WHO PLAY IT FREE DOWNLOAD David M Ewalt | 285 pages | 01 Oct 2014 | SIMON & SCHUSTER | 9781451640519 | English | New York, United States Of Dice and Men Like the similar Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks by Ethan GilsdorfI was left essentially unsatisfied, only because I felt that the book merely scratched the surface of the hobby that I love. However I picked this book up off a display at Chapters and 20 minutes later I was 40 pages in and lost track of time and location. Hardcover List Price: Like me. Sep 11, Hudson rated it really liked it Shelves: non-fiction-other. Now an award- winning journalist, he writes about games for outlets like Forbes and the Wall Street Journaltalks about games on television and radio, and plays games in and around his Brooklyn, New York, home. August 15, Through each of its new editions, gamers have come and gone, but the game has essentially remained the same. So he announces to the DM: "I'm going to hurl the stone table". I gave up on this book about a third of the way through, so perhaps it gets better. Given particularly short shrift was the increasing role of women in the gaming hobby. All in all, it is a great overview of a number of interrelated subjects that helped spawn an important societal counterculture, and would be a welcome addition to many geek bookshelves. Total enjoyment. Recommended for diehard fans and curious onlookers. Reviewed by bibliosk8er bibliosk8er. An expression of devotion; a chance to seek wisdom; a time to show unity with my brethren. In The Spotlight. Some fun history, enmeshed in a painfully stereotypical and unself-aware straight white male viewpoint. Jul 31, David rated it it was ok. In a delightfully smooth change of perspective, detailed descriptions of gameplay are wont to transition to in-game narratives using the viewpoint of the character being played by Ewalt. Now roll for critical hit the DM says Ewalt and I have several things in common. Whether you know what d20 means or not you will love this book! It is an investigative report on the gamer community. Jul 31, RJ rated it liked it Shelves: nonficgames. It's like that friend who you think is mostly cool, and he likes the same geeky stuff you do, but then he brings out these busted one-liners about how hipster women are nicer to look at than nerd women, with this winking tone of "but we all know I'm no misogynist. Look, read the book. I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. And he's one I tired of quickly. And yet… Even in that chapter I got drawn in by his account of his own experience. The first was the author's injection of himself into the story, which didn't give me a better understanding of the game, its psychology, or its community friendships. Buy at Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It Store Enter your zip code below to purchase from an indie close to you. There is a group of Drow wizards however. Given the recent article about how Gary Gygax lost control of TSR, this book gives some additional information that seems more even-handed. I flew through those parts of the book, oftentimes finding myself up well after my wife had fallen asleep. It was equal parts send up of a beloved hobby by a talented author, and documentary on the evolution of a corner of nerd culture, and the combined result was thoroughly enjoyable. Hilarious and entertaining history of Dungeons and Dragons, and the people who play the game around the world. Join him or find out more at DavidMEwalt. It brought back some fond memories of evenings drenched in nerd sweat, trying to slay some beast or other. Must redeem within 90 days. I just wish there was more of it. The latter are interspersed with dramatic prose-style descriptions of games the he has played in. He stresses the fun of cooperative as opposed to competitive gaming, Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It allure of tapping into the collective imagination and having an open-ended and unlimited experience, and shows how RPGs can be a great way to make friends. Sep 14, Hilary rated it it was ok. In life not every event is pregnant with meaning. To ensure we are able to help you as best we can, please include your reference number:. This book comes as close as any I've ever read. Skillfully interwoven is the tale David's own discovery and re-discovery of the game and the changes thus wrought by his Tuesday night obsession. Ray Muzyka, co-founder of BioWare. I agree to the Terms and Conditions. Ewalt is a bit too defensive about being branded a nerd--some trauma from his school days, perhaps? Flowing text, Original pages. Thank you! About The Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It. Tolkien, Jack Vance, and Michael Moorcock. The best part of the book has to do with the history of gaming, but even in this respect I felt as though I'd be better off just reading Wikipedia. Aug 28, Tom rated it liked it. Also, for a journalist, this author had a lot of trouble with word choice. .