{ "item_title" : "The Story of Fun and Games", "item_author" : [" Lusas Merrick "], "item_description" : "The Story of Fun and Games: A Journey Through TimeFrom Senet and the Royal Game of Ur to mahjong, Monopoly, Scrabble, and D&D-discover how play shaped culture, cognition, and community.Spanning 5,000 years, this richly written, research-driven book traces how simple tools-dice, tiles, cards, boards, and character sheets-became engines of fairness, strategy, and storytelling. You'll travel from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia to the Silk Road, from the rise of chess to the industrial boom of mass-market classics, and into today's cooperative and role-playing renaissance.the-story-of-fun-and-games-a-jo...Inside, you'll find:Clear timelines & vivid stories: Senet, the Royal Game of Ur, Go/Weiqi, chaturanga→shatranj→chess, pachisi & Snakes and Ladders, Mamluk playing cards→European suits, dominoes, mahjong, and modern icons like Monopoly, Clue, Scrabble, Catan, Pandemic, and Ticket to Ride.Design made simple: how materials (wood, ivory, faience, paper, plastics) shaped rules-and how great component design teaches before a rule is read.Chance & skill demystified: from knucklebones to probability, risk management, and how randomness can be engineered to feel fair.Play with purpose: classroom-ready Action Steps, prompts for families and clubs, and insights for designers and educators.Cultural meaning: games as moral storytelling, civic ritual, and tools for attention, negotiation, and cooperation.Perfect for: curious readers, teachers, museum and library programs, tabletop fans, and game designers seeking timeless patterns.What you'll take away: a sweeping history you can use-a toolkit to read any game (scarcity, uncertainty, information flow, affordances), plus practical ideas to host better play and design clearer experiences.Open the box. See how small rules created big worlds-and why play still organizes people, time, and possibility.", "item_img_path" : "https://covers1.booksamillion.com/covers/bam/9/79/826/888/9798268889116_b.jpg", "price_data" : { "retail_price" : "17.99", "online_price" : "17.99", "our_price" : "17.99", "club_price" : "17.99", "savings_pct" : "0", "savings_amt" : "0.00", "club_savings_pct" : "0", "club_savings_amt" : "0.00", "discount_pct" : "10", "store_price" : "" } }

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