How to Play Video Games

$32.00

Forty original contributions on games and gaming culture

What does Pokémon Go tell us about globalization? What does Tetris teach us about rules? Is feminism boosted or bashed by Kim Kardashian: Hollywood? How does BioShock Infinite help us navigate world-building?

From arcades to Atari, and phone apps to virtual reality headsets, video games have been at the epicenter of our ever-evolving technological reality. Unlike other media technologies, video games demand engagement like no other, which begs the question—what is the role that video games play in our lives, from our homes, to our phones, and on global culture writ large?

How to Play Video Games brings together forty original essays from today’s leading scholars on video game culture, writing about the games they know best and what they mean in broader social and cultural contexts. Read about avatars in Grand Theft Auto V, or music in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. See how Age of Empires taught a generation about postcolonialism, and how Borderlands exposes the seedy underbelly of capitalism. These essays suggest that understanding video games in a critical context provides a new way to engage in contemporary culture. They are a must read for fans and students of the medium.

Cover image for How to Play Video Games, isbn: 9781479805921

The Privilege of Play

$30.00

The story of white masculinity in geek culture through a history of hobby gaming

Geek culture has never been more mainstream than it is now, with the ever-increasing popularity of events like Comic Con, transmedia franchising of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, market dominance of video and computer games, and the resurgence of board games such as Settlers of Catan and role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Yet even while the comic book and hobby shops where the above are consumed today are seeing an influx of BIPOC gamers, they remain overwhelmingly white, male, and heterosexual.

The Privilege of Play contends that in order to understand geek identity’s exclusionary tendencies, we need to know the history of the overwhelmingly white communities of tabletop gaming hobbyists that preceded it. It begins by looking at how the privileged networks of model railroad hobbyists in the early twentieth century laid a cultural foundation for the scenes that would grow up around war games, role-playing games, and board games in the decades ahead. These early networks of hobbyists were able to thrive because of how their leisure interests and professional ambitions overlapped. Yet despite the personal and professional strides made by individuals in these networks, the networks themselves remained cloistered and homogeneous—the secret playgrounds of white men.

Aaron Trammell catalogs how gaming clubs composed of lonely white men living in segregated suburbia in the sixties, seventies and eighties developed strong networks through hobbyist publications and eventually broke into the mainstream. He shows us how early hobbyists considered themselves outsiders, and how the denial of white male privilege they established continues to define the socio-technical space of geek culture today. By considering the historical role of hobbyists in the development of computer technology, game design, and popular media, The Privilege of Play charts a path toward understanding the deeply rooted structural obstacles that have stymied a more inclusive community. The Privilege of Play concludes by considering how digital technology has created the conditions for a new and more diverse generation of geeks to take center stage.

Cover image for The Privilege of Play, isbn: 9781479818433

Game of Go

$2.99

Passing from China, where it was developed over 3,000 years ago, to Japan, where it today commands a vast and enthusiastic following, Go is probably the oldest intellectual game in the world. Similar to chess, it leaves nothing to chance, requiring great strategy and carefully plotted campaigns to achieve an impregnable position, block enemies from lines of communication and win a series of battles. To penetrate this complicated, challenging game requires a great guide and this is it. Unsurpassable in its clarity and comprehensiveness, The Game of Go has been the classic guide to the game since it was first published in 1956.

Cover image for Game of Go, isbn: 9781462900473

Winning American Mah Jongg Strategies

$15.95

Master the fascinating and rewarding game of American Mahjong with this guide for beginners.

"Strategies, strategies, strategies! If I only knew more strategies I could win more games!" is the frequent lament of beginning Mahjong players. Following up on the success of her acclaimed book, A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg, bestselling author Elaine Sandberg's new book offers novice players the advice they need to excel at the game of Mahjong. Winning American Mah Jongg Strategies: A Guide for the Novice Player is the strategy guidebook that provides American Mahjongg beginners with the practical information they need to build hands, improve game-play skills, strategize, and win!

This easy-to-follow, comprehensive book teaches players how to overcome common difficulties and provides the knowledge to sharpen strategic skills and increase win ratios. By showing beginners how to see and utilize different strategic elements and scenarios, players learn how to elevate their skills.

Challenges covered in this Mahjongg book include:

Finding the best hand
The use of defensive tools
To Expose or not to Expose and why
Determining an opponent's hand
And many more…

Winning American Mah Jongg Strategies is a gem of a book that is the perfect gift for Mahjong players of all ages!

Cover image for Winning American Mah Jongg Strategies, isbn: 9781462908431

Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg

$16.95

Learn the fascinating game of American Mahjong with this expert guide.

This affordable best-selling book is one of the only available game strategy guides that is specifically geared toward American Mahjong (Mah Jongg) and follows the official National Mah Jongg League rules. Offering first-time players an easy-to-follow guide to this complex game, A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg includes simple, easy-to-follow instructions and clear diagrams to walk the reader through each step of the game, including how to select a hand, how to play and how to develop winning strategies. A key feature is the color text which clearly shows various hands and tiles.

This Mahjong guide includes:

Step-by-step instructions for gameplay.
Hands-on "Do It" exercises
Tips and quizzes for easy learning
Mahjong background and history
An explanation of tile symbolism
Glossary of Mahjong terms

A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg is the perfect guide for all skill levels to learn Mahjong—from Mahjong beginners to pros.

Cover image for Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg, isbn: 9781462904907

Winning Go

$9.95

Master the game of Go with this expert guide.

Go is a two player-board game that first originated in ancient China but is also very popular in Japan and Korea. There is significant strategy and philosophy involved in the game, and the number of possible games is vast—even when compared to chess.

This is the first comprehensive strategy guidebook in English to cover the entire game of Go by illustrating the nuances and finer points of Go strategy. Its 203 problems and their commented answers demonstrate to players of all level of skill not only successful moves, but also the incorrect moves and why they are wrong. This enables players to identify strengths and weaknesses in their games. From opening play to the endgame, Winning Go is an essential tool in helping serious players master the sophisticated sequence and flow of advanced Go play.

Useful Go strategies include:

The opening (fuseki)
The middle (chuban)
The endgame (yose)
Clever moves (tesuji)
Life and death (shikatsu)
Winning corner skirmishes (joseki)
Accurate counting

Players will learn about not only creating good shapes, but also how to avoid or take advantage of bad ones, along with the right and wrong order of moves. This makes Winning Go the ideal choice for a first problem book because it enables both players and teachers to improve upon their Go game. From opening play to endgame, Winning go is an essential tool in helping serious Go players master the sophisticated sequence and flow of advanced Go play.

Cover image for Winning Go, isbn: 9781462900749

Mah Jongg: The Art of the Game

$24.95

"I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Whether used as a reference or a beautiful keepsake, it's a very worthy addition to the world of Mah Jongg." —Ruth Unger, President, National Mah Jongg League

This is the first book to fully capture the story of the exotic and exciting game of Mahjong or "Mah Jongg", offering an intimate look at the history of the game as well as the visual beauty of the tiles. When authors Ann Israel and Gregg Swain began playing Mahjong, they were unaware of the vintage collections that existed not only in the United States but also across the globe. Slowly, they started to collect their own sets of Mahjong and as their collections grew, so did their appreciation of the history of, and interest in, the game.

Finding few references, Israel and Swain set out to create a book that chronicles the early beginnings of the game and documents Mahjong sets from the most basic, made simply of paper, to the most precious materials such as ivory and mother-of-pearl. Recognized and respected scholars and game experts have collaborated with Israel and Swain, contributing important chapters on the game's history and its pieces as well as technical information on the tiles. Lastly, great collectors from around the globe have shared their incredible sets and memories for the first time in one book for everyone to enjoy.

With hundreds of beautiful new images by renowned photographer Michel Arnaud, and including historical documentation and ephemera, Mah Jongg: The Art of the Game fills the void between the past's and today's game, providing vision, inspiration and resources. Anyone who has ever been intrigued by a Mahjong tile will find in these pages visually stunning photographs that will entice them into becoming an enthusiast of the timeless game of Mahjong.

Cover image for Mah Jongg: The Art of the Game, isbn: 9781462915279

Shogi Japan's Game of Strategy

$12.99

Master the game of Japanese Chessor shogi with this easy to follow shogi guide.

The game of shogi is a chess-like game of strategy long played in Japan. This book is the ultimate strategy guide on shogi for beginners and experienced players alike. The step-by-step instructions an easy to follow diagrams lead the reader through the strategies and intricacies of one of Japan's most popular war games.

The book includes explanations of:

The shogi board
The moves of the different pieces
The effective use of the various pieces in game situations
The use of "paratroopers" (pieces captured from an opponent)
Defenses against attacks
The relative value of each of the pieces
A sample game and commentary
various possible openings and their results
How to read a Japanese score

The books author, Trevor Leggett, head of Japanese-language broadcasts for the BBC, is an expert guide, holding a rank of fourth dan in shogi making him the ideal teacher for a Western audience.

Cover image for Shogi Japan's Game of Strategy, isbn: 9781462902439

Winning Pachinko

$3.99

Pachinko, a game played by over 30 million Japanese, is synonymous with glaring lights, mind-rattling noise and smoke-choked parlors. To the uninitiated, the game's phenomenal popularity is nothing less than an enigma. The unofficial truth is that pachinko is one of Japan's biggest forms of gambling. For non-Japanese, the hush surrounding this money-making aspect has contributed to misunderstandings about the game. Now, with Winning Pachinko Eric Sedensky opens parlor doors to the English-speaking world and guides readers through the essentials of play - where to buy balls, how to select a machine, and most importantly, how and where to claim one's booty of cool cash. A glossary of pachinko terms, useful diagrams, and photographs accompany the text.

Cover image for Winning Pachinko, isbn: 9781462904310

Mah Jong Handbook

$18.95

Master the game of Mahjong with this must-have game strategy guide for Mahjong beginners and enthusiasts.

Originally played with cards, and then piece carved from ivory or bamboo, the Chinese game of Mahjong or "Mah Jongg" is well over a thousand years old. Said to have originated in the court of the Emperor of Wu, for centuries Mahjong remained a diversion exclusively for the royal class of China. Mahjong has been called "the game of a hundred intelligences." When played by experts it can be fast and subtle—even difficult to follow.

A Mah Jong Handbook is the all-comprehensive Mahjong guide, offering a clear and concise introduction to the classic Chinese, Western, and Japanese rules of the game and outlining its many variants. A great way to learn Mahjong—it presents the complex rules in a clear format, introducing those unfamiliar with the game to its rules and techniques. It will also allow more experienced players to expand their understanding of winning strategy quickly.

Part One covers the rules of the game. Part Two provides alternatives, variations, and additions to the game. Part Three explores the fundamentals of successful strategy. With illustrations of sample hands, scoring charts, and a glossary of terms, A Mah Jong Handbook is an invaluable resource—a complete guidebook to the ancient but always fascinating game of Mahjong.

This Mahjong guidebook includes:

176 page, full-color book
Play basics like scoring, wall-building and rules
Essential tools to improve and enhance game-play skills
Winning strategies to be on the offensive and play defense
Tips to master the game through actual examples and scenarios

A Mah Jong Handbook is the book that readers will need to become a knowledgeable, confident and winning Mahjong player.

Cover image for Mah Jong Handbook, isbn: 9781462905003

Chinese Chess

$14.95

Learn the ancient and fascinating game of Chinese Chess with this expert guide.

Chinese chess, or "elephant chess," has intrigued the powerful and the quizzical for centuries. Although its rules are similar to the well-known Western game, subtle and fascinating variations must be mastered in order to understand the strategies it requires. A great way to learn Chinese Chess, this book is simple enough for Chess beginners but contains a wealth of information and tips that experienced players will find useful as well.

In Chinese Chess, author H.T. Lau explains the game's fundamentals—the rules, the board, and the basics with dozens of insightful diagrams. With the aid of 170 diagrams, Chinese Chess walks players through the board, the movement and values of the pieces, basic rules for capturing and defeating an opponent, techniques and game-winning tactics. Once he's covered the basics, Lau introduces advanced tactics, methods for escaping difficult positions, and cunning strategies for winning.

This book includes eighty mid- and end-game exercises designed to sharpen playing skills and strategy and concludes with two appendices devoted to the elegantly constructed games found in The Secret Inside the Orange and The Plum-Blossom Meter, two classic seventeenth-century works on Chinese chess.

Cover image for Chinese Chess, isbn: 9781462903481

Beginning Go

$8.95

The must-have resource guidebook for those looking to learn the ancient Asian game of Go

Beginning Go is a clear, concise and thorough introduction to the intricacies of Go that is perfect for first time players. The straightforward, easy-to-follow instructions and detailed examples make it simple to understand how to play. Players will learn the rules, how to keep score, as well as effective winning strategies and tactics to make the game more competitive and fun.

By the time players finish the instructional sections, they'll have all the confidence, skill and techniques they'll need to enjoy playing this fascinating game. What's more, Go's unique handicapping system, which the book explains, allows even absolute beginners to play competitive games with experienced players.

Cover image for Beginning Go, isbn: 9781462907564

Go! More Than a Game

$16.95

Master the fascinating game of Go with this expert guidebook.

Go is a two-player board game that first originated in ancient China but is also very popular in Japan and Korea. There is significant strategy and philosophy involved in the game, and the number of possible games is vast—even when compared to chess.

Go has enthralled hundreds of millions of people in Asia, where it is an integral part of the culture. In the West, many have learned of its pleasures, especially after the game appeared in a number of hit movies, TV series, and books, and was included on major Internet game sites. By eliciting the highest powers of rational thought, the game draws players, not just for the thrills of competition, but because they feel it enhances their mental, artistic, and even spiritual lives.

Go! More Than a Game is the guidebook that uses the most modern methods of teaching to learn Go, so that, in a few minutes, anyone can understand the two basic rules that generate the game. The object of Go is surrounding territory, but the problem is that while you are doing this, the opponent may be surrounding you! In a series of exciting teaching games, you will watch as Go's beautiful complexities begin to unfold in intertwining patterns of black and white stones. These games progress from small 9x9 boards to 13x13 and then to the traditional 19x19 size.

Go! More Than a Game has been completely revised by the author based on new data about the history of early Go and the Confucians who wrote about it. This popular book includes updated information such as the impact of computer versions on the game, the mysterious new developments of Go combinatorics, advances in Combinatorial Game Theory and a look at the current international professional playing scene.

Cover image for Go! More Than a Game, isbn: 9781462900060

Great Mahjong Book

$19.95

Master the game of Mahjong while learning about its legends and history with this entertaining and useful guide.

An excellent way to learn Mahjong or "Mah Jongg"—The Great Mahjong Book is the perfect resource for beginner or experienced mahjong players. Richly illustrated and easy to follow with detailed instructions and clear examples, it can help all players improve their game. Mahjong beginners get a solid introduction to the rules and equipment they need to get started, while better players will find invaluable tips for mastering the game.

The Great Mahjong Book also includes the entire history of Mahjong as it spread around the globe, the equipment and accessories used in the game, basic rules, how and where the game first developed and all the international variants of Mahjong—including China, the U.S., Holland, the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Hong Kong. Filled with hints, fun facts and numerous illustrations of memorabilia and artifacts, this authoritative and thoroughly enjoyable book is a perfect gift for anyone interested in this ancient and beguiling game.

Mahjong players love the game because it's colorful, exotic, and fun! Whether you're a first time player or a pro, The Great Mahjong Book is a perfect companion to the wide world of Mahjong.

Cover image for Great Mahjong Book, isbn: 9781462904969

Go Fundamentals

$14.95

Go Fundamentals is the easy-to-follow guidebook explaining the fundamental principles of the ancient Asian game of Go, the oldest game in the world.

Go is a game played by two contestants. The game is played with black and white "stones" on a checkered board. The players are usually classed as strong and weak, based upon degree of knowledge and skill. The stronger player takes the white stones and the weaker player takes the black stones. Handicaps are given to the weaker players by mutual agreement before commencement of the game. The game of Go may be one of the most difficult to learn, but this fact makes the game highly interesting. Once techniques are mastered, the beginner will find it difficult to put the game aside.

From the basic rules of play, the author leads beginner-level players in easy stages to the more advanced techniques and strategies of gameplay. Over one hundred diagrams, with twenty problems and answers, a glossary of terms as well as other resources for strategy, make this a complete introduction to one of the most fascinating and rewarding games in the world.

Cover image for Go Fundamentals, isbn: 9781462902620

Chess Variations

$4.99

Learn the many varieties of chess the world over with this concise chess guide.

Chess Variations is a must for all chess enthusiasts and an outstanding book which promises many hours of pleasurable entertainment for all others. With more than 40 variations of the popular board game, this book contains, among others, the oldest known form of chess (Chaturanga), the game created by Edgar Rice Burroughs and introduced in his Martian series (Jetan), as well as regional forms currently played in Korea, Malaya, Burma, Thailand, and Japan.

For those games that require boards or pieces other than those issued in playing modern chess, the author presents guidelines on "The Construction of Sets." Also included in the book are charts, diagrams, and sample games played by the author and his friends.

The excitement of playing these exotic chess variations increases with the knowledge of their historic beginnings as well as with the movements of such strange-sounding pieces as the Zarafah, Ashwa, and Firzan.

Cover image for Chess Variations, isbn: 9781462912209

Japanese Chess

$18.95

Learn and master the fascinating game of Japanese Chess or "Shogi" with this expert guide and Chess set.

Japanese Chess: The Game of Shogi is the ultimate strategy guidebook for players of any skill level to improve their game and winning strategies. Played by millions around the world, Shogi is the uniquely Japanese variant of chess. It is the only version in which an opponent's captured piece can be dropped back onto the board as one's own. This makes for extremely exciting, dynamic gameplay in which momentum can quickly shift back and forth between players.

Trevor Legett, expert player and longtime resident of Japan, gives you all the information you need to play the game, form its basic rules to winning tactics.

Also included in this book are:

Sample game and commentary
Discussion of various opening strategies and game positions
Explanation of how to read a Japanese score
Fold-out Shogi board
Sturdy paper playing pieces

Japanese Chess features everything you need to get started playing this challenging and fun game!

Cover image for Japanese Chess, isbn: 9781462903580

Mah Jong, Anyone?

$7.99

Mah Jong, Anyone? unlocks the mysteries of Mah Jong for Westerners.

Mah Jong, the ancient game of China, is enjoying another burst of popularity in America, as well as in Asia. Often seen as a mystery to Westerners, Chinese Mah Jong includes the combination of skill, chance and social interaction of Western games like dominoes, bridge and dice.

Authors Strauser and Evans unlock this mystery with an easy-to-follow instructional guidebook which outlines the rules and strategy of the game for Westerners. The perfect primer for the new player and a convenient manual for old hands, Mah Jong, Anyone? gives basic information on equipment, accessories, terminology, rules of play, scoring, penalties and bonuses. Experienced Mah Jong players will especially welcome the section on special hands.

Cover image for Mah Jong, Anyone?, isbn: 9781462904556

Mah Jong for Beginners

$8.99

Mah Jong for Beginners is one of the first books to explain the game to English language readers. It remains a classic, both for its authenticity and clarity, and as a wonderful introduction for anyone who wants to know more about the fast-paced and complex game of Mah Jong. It contains everything you need to know to get started playing this Chinese tile game. Drawing directly on the rules and regulations of the Mah Jong Association of Japan, it offers easy-to-follow stepsaided by simple illustrationsthat will help both beginners and players get ready for more advanced challenges. Its instructions on play and strategy not only explain the basic rules, but also demonstrate the differences between the many regional variations of the game.

Cover image for Mah Jong for Beginners, isbn: 9781462916870

Stepping Stones to Go

$6.99

Learn the Asian strategy game of Go with this user-friendly, expert guide.

Go was invented some four thousand years ago in China, and is the oldest game in the world, still enjoyed today. Played with black and white stones, it is easy enough to be enjoyed by any beginner, yet sophisticated and complex enough to baffle an expert. Like chess, it is a game of skill, not chance; whereas chess is a battle.

Japanese go expert Mr. Kishikawa's easy-to-follow book explains the fundamental principles of the game for the Westerner. From the basic rules of play, the author leads the reader in easy stages to the more advanced subtleties of go. Over a hundred diagrams, with twenty problems and answers, make this a complete introduction to one of the most fascinating and rewarding games in the world.

Cover image for Stepping Stones to Go, isbn: 9781462904631

Theory and Practice of GO

$12.99

Of important historical notoriety, this Go guide is a must-have for enthusiasts of this ancient Asian strategy game

Oscar Korschelt's treatise on the game of Go was the first published at the end of the nineteenth century, but fell into obscurity until the editors Samuel King and George Leckie rescued it, translated it from the German and added numerous illustrative diagrams.

The result is a systematic analysis of the game, famous plays, problems and theories of practice - an indispensable handbook for the novice as well as the experienced player.

Cover image for Theory and Practice of GO, isbn: 9781462904655

Complete Book of Mah Jongg

$15.95

Master the exhilarating game of Mahjong with this introductory guide.

This complete, easy-to-follow instructional Mahjong handbook includes over 150 full-color photographs and illustrations to introduce players to this captivating game. This is the first Mahjong book to cover the Cantonese or "old rules" game fully. It also includes all of the most popular variations, such as the Shanghai game, the 16-tile or Taiwanese game, and the 12-tile game. Included are the rules, tactics, techniques, strategy and the rituals only the most experienced players know.

This Mahjong book includes:

Easy-to-follow instructions
Full-color illustrations and photographs
Instruction on:
1. Authentic Chinese Mahjong play
2. Cantonese Mahjong play
3. Shanghai Mahjong play
4. American Mahjong play
5. The 12-tile versions of the game

The Complete Book of Mah Jong is the perfect guide for all skill levels to learn the different styles of Mahjong—from Mahjong beginners to pros.

Cover image for Complete Book of Mah Jongg, isbn: 9781462917136

Play American Mah Jongg! Kit Ebook

$9.99

Learn and play the fascinating game of Mahjong with this comprehensive kit.

Mahjong or "Mah Jongg" is not called "The Game of a Thousand Intellingences" for nothing. It's relaxing, social, and allows people to focus on something completely unrelated to everyday concerns. And it's thrilling—there's nothing more exciting than when, with your heart racing, your adrenaline pumping, and your palms sweating, you call "Mahjong!"

Play American Mah Jongg! kit contains a complete deck of 152 full-color, durable Mahjong playing cards, along with the best-selling book A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg by Elaine Sandberg.

The included full-color paperback book, A Beginner's Guide to American Mah Jongg features color text to clearly show various hands and tiles. It is the only book available which is specifically geared toward American Mahjong and follows the official National Mah Jongg League rules. It offers first-time players an easy-to-follow guide to this complex game. Play American Mah Jongg! kit is ideal for beginner and experienced players alike and can be enjoyed both at home and for travel.

This Mahjong kit contains:

96 page, full-color book
Simple instructions and clear diagrams
152 Mahjong tiles

Cover image for Play American Mah Jongg! Kit Ebook, isbn: 9781462916412

Book of Mah Jong

$16.99

Master the exhilarating game of Mahjong with this introductory guide.

Said to have originated in the court of the Emperor of Wu, for centuries Mahjong remained a diversion exclusively for the royal class of China. Mahjong has been called "the game of a hundred intelligences." When played by experts it can be fast and subtleeven difficult to follow. Author Amy Lo, with the help and consultation of many master Mahjong players of different forms of the game, comes The Book of Mah Jong.

This complete, easy-to-follow instructional mahjong handbook includes over 150 full-color photographs and illustrations to introduce players to this captivating game. This is the first Mahjong book to fully cover the Cantonese or "old rules" game. It also includes all of the most popular variations, such as the Shanghai game, the 16-tile or Taiwanese game and the 12-tile game. Included are the rules, tactics, techniques, strategy and the rituals only the most experienced players know.

This Mahjong book includes:

112 page, full-color book
Easy-to-follow instructions
Full-color illustrations and photographs
Instruction on authentic Chinese Mahjong
Cantonese, Shanghai, and 12-tile versions of the game

The Book of Mah Jong is the perfect guide for all skill levels to learn Mahjong.

Cover image for Book of Mah Jong, isbn: 9781462914029

American Mah Jongg for Everyone

$18.99

Whether you're an American Mah Jongg newbie or an intermediate player looking to gain an edge over your opponents, American Mah Jongg for Everyone is the perfect book to help you start practicing your game!

Experienced international Mah Jongg instructors Gregg Swain and Toby Salk walk you through the basics of American Mah Jongg—introducing readers to the tiles, rituals, history, rules and winning strategies of the game. Using the humor, warmth and professional tips they share with their own students, this narrative-style instruction book offers an accessible way to learn this popular game.

Topics include:

Recognizing Mah Jongg tiles in different types of sets
Building the walls and dealing the tiles
Organizing your tiles and planning your play
Understanding table rules and etiquette
Winning strategies for various types of hands

National Mah Jongg tournament director Gladys Grad contributes a foreword that explains why so many people love the game. Grad also has written a chapter that outlines the rules of Siamese Mah Jongg, a fun two-person game she created that you can't find in any other Mah Jongg book!

This book comes with everything you need to get started playing, including:

A timeless sample Mah Jongg scoring card
A paper set to cut out and use while learning
Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions
Over 80 color illustrations
Helpful practice exercises and quizzes that reinforce the lessons
Access to a website that provides up to date information about the game
A glossary of terms that every Mah Jongg player needs to know

From the many different types of tiles and how to recognize them, personal stories about the game and historical trivia, American Mah Jongg for Everyone has something for anyone interested in this fascinating game.

Cover image for American Mah Jongg for Everyone, isbn: 9781462921218

Magic Tricks & Illusions

$6.99

This classic magic tricks book has long been out-of-print, but is now again available to magic enthusiasts and collectors.

Of enormous importance to the field of amateur magic, Magic: Tricks & Illusions feature over 250 feats and tricks. All routines are outlined and illustrated, with a springboard of derivations offered for the ambitious entertainer.

Ranging from simple routines to elaborate maneuvers, these tricks will appeal to the person with a penchant for performing as well as to the individual with a curiosity about how magic works.

Classic magic acts include:

The Vanishing Bird Cage
The Chinese Egg Bag Trick
The Flying Coin
The Bodiless Lady Illusion
The Flying Coin
The Talking Scull
And hundreds more!

Cover image for Magic Tricks & Illusions, isbn: 9781462909803

Go Basics

$16.99

Learn the fascinating game of Go with this expert guide.

Go is a two-player board game that first originated in ancient China but is also very popular in Japan and Korea. There is significant strategy and philosophy involved in the game, and the number of possible games is vasteven when compared to chess.

It's not surprising that Go is one of the oldest games still being played todayit's also one of the most challenging, stimulating, and fascinating games around.

With its easy-to-follow instructions and over 600 diagrams showing examples of how to play, you'll be ready to enjoy this classic game right away. It starts by focusing on smaller 9 x 9 games, making it easier to understand and learn Go tactics and techniques, and introduces fundamental game-winning strategies and tips. It also explains Go's unique handicapping system, making every game even those between beginners and experts exciting.

Useful go strategies include:

Invading
Sacrificing
Using ko
Thinking territorially
And many more!

Go Basics also includes downloadable material developed by the American Go Association that will help you build your skills before testing them against other players.

Cover image for Go Basics, isbn: 9781462902644

Luck of the Draw

$14.95

Money. Gobs of it. In the blink of an eye - or the drop of a ball— it's all yours.

Everyone dreams about striking it rich by winning a lottery. We all feverishly line up to purchase our tickets, and watch TV or scan the newspapers to see if we have won, even though the odds are better that we will be struck by lightning. Still, we perservere, because no matter what else happens this week, you can be sure that someone, somewhere, will win the big one.

Lotteries are an unparalleled popular phenomenon. But what happens after the winners are revealed, and the checks have been issued? How does winning a lottery change one's life?

Luck of the Draw profiles past winners of big lotteries, and how their windfall impacted their lives, mostly for the better, but interestingly sometimes for the worse, such was the case of a Florida widow who won $5 million in 1984; three years later, she lost her mansion and fancy cars, and owed the IRS $500,000 for back taxes. Eventually she was arrested for trying to hire a contract killer to take out her daughter-in-law, whom she blamed for her lottery misfortune. The book also depicts the past, present and future of lotteries in North America and the world over, and includes a special chapter on the revived phenomenon of big-time TV game show winners. Who wants to be a millionaire? Seemingly, everyone.

In a country where eighty percent of adults have played a lottery, creating a multi-billion dollar industry, Luck of the Draw is an insightful inside look at lotteries, its winners, and its losers.

Cover image for Luck of the Draw, isbn: 9781551523286

The Far Shore

$10.95

The genius and artistry behind Superbrothers and the making of an indie video game, from inception to its highly anticipated launch.

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery was released in 2011 at the forefront of an exciting era of “indie games” – with the aesthetic of punk rock and the edge of modernist fiction, indie games pushed gaming into the realm of the avant-garde. Superbrothers (Craig D. Adams) was hailed as a visionary in the video game world.

Now, his long-awaited follow-up, JETT: The Far Shore, has been released for Sony PlayStation and Epic Games Store. In the decade from inception to launch, Adams brought author Adam Hammond along for the ride, allowing unprecedented insight into the complicated genesis of Jett.

The Far Shore offers a portrait of the enigmatic Adams and his team, the genius and artistry, the successes and setbacks, that went into building the world of JETT, in which you’re tasked with scouting a new home for a humanoid people after they’ve decimated their planet. To provide context, Hammond recounts the history of indie games and how their trajectory has followed that of independent art and literature. A riveting insider’s look at one of our most popular art forms.

Cover image for The Far Shore, isbn: 9781770566682

The Book of Vintage Board Games

$9.99

Discover and Delight in Old-Fashioned Board Games from the Past

Discover the world of old-fashioned board games from Wall Street Journal acclaimed Adrian Seville, an international expert on the cultural history of printed board games.

The golden age of board games. Explore the world of vintage board games in this lavishly illustrated book that traces their evolution and cultural significance. From geography and moral lessons to just fun, discover the diverse array of old-fashioned board games from a bygone era.

Step back in time. Delve into a bygone era of gaming with this remarkable illustrated board game book. It showcases the exquisite artistry and ingenuity of these games, which covered themes ranging from educational to gambling to simply pure entertainment. Learn all about the moral board games that aimed to instill proper behavior or immerse yourself in the excitement of lottery board games, all while gaining insights into the cultural influences that shaped these games. The Book of Vintage Board Games offers a glimpse into where games started in Europe and the emergence of board games in America.

Inside explore:

The history of geography board games and more
Distant lands through war or journey board games
A treasure trove of beautifully designed boards each reflecting its unique historical context

If you enjoyed board game books such as Board and Table Games from Many Civilizations, Oxford History of Board Games, or Seven Games: A Human History, then you will love Adrian Seville’s The Book of Vintage Board Games.

Cover image for The Book of Vintage Board Games, isbn: 9781684813926

Win-Win Games for All Ages

$14.99

Everyone Wins, a Parent Choice Award-winner, has been on New Society Publishers' best-seller list over 10 years. Now, the authors of the original cooperative games book have developed a sequel designed to enhance harmonious human relationships.

Win-Win Games for All Ages is all about people getting to know one another better and deepening relationships. This exciting resource offers ways to hear values, demonstrate skills, and express oneself in safety — critical social skills that will last a lifetime.

Included are 40 all-new games and activities such as "Fashion Victim," "Do You Believe in Lies," and "Monster Mash." Thirteen Initiatives like "Outer Space Decision Exercise" and "Nuclear Waste" focus on group problem solving activities. Three Holistic Learning Adventures explore trust-building in week-long experiences.

Risk is a central factor in learning to open oneself and trusting others — each type of engagement in Win-Win Games for All Ages requires increasing risk. For facilitators that wish to deepen a group's dynamics and cooperation, each activity is followed by a debriefing section to help participants discuss and understand the risks that have taken together and as individuals.

Most of the activities are designed for groups of children, but many can be adapted for adults as well as for all ages playing together. This value-based game sourcebook is perfect for educators, parents, and anyone who works with children!

Marketing for Win-Win Games for All Ages:
• National print advertising
• National Publicity
• Promotional mailing to teacher stores and educators

Sambhava and Josette Luvmour created and developed Natural Learning Rhythms—a family-oriented approach to human development. They are co-founders of EnCompass, the first holistic learning center for the whole family. Their previous titles include Natural Learning Rhythms (Celestial Arts), Tiger by the Tail (EnCompass Press), and Everyone Wins! (New Society Publishers).