A Book of Historic Board Games

I gave it 4 stars only because it is not as in depth or as all inclusive as it could be, but that can be as much an advantage as a fault. I am glad I have the book. The author's website went off line around the 13th of December. I wonder if Damian Walker is still with us.

This look at historic game construction, rules, and strategies is done with professionalism and humor. I found so many games in here with which I was not familiar, and I've enjoyed learning about them and seeking out both analog and electronic options for playing them today. We host a monthly family game night, and I've added a monthly historic game component to it. We will now be learning one "new" old game each month. A legacy of games has been left us by our ancestors, and this book explores the archeological finds that led to each discovery as well as how our forebears played and amused themselves. I loved discovering that some games were carved into drying roof tiles by workers waiting for the sun to do its work, so many little tidbits of humanism in this also scholarly text. A great read, a terrific find.

Walker is very thorough and analytical in making ancient boardgames accessible. Most of these games have very little written about them. Walker presents the evidence and through logical analysis he fills in the gaps long lost to history.

Excellent review of classic games that are not as widely known. Each game has its own chapter, and after reading each chapter I wanted to build and play my own version of the game discussed. Great work!

What a thorough, well-documented book, and yet it's accessible for the novice! This book will be equally useful to those who already know of these games and to those who've yet to discover the delights of engaging their friends and loved ones in a classic game of strategy. Belongs on everyone's reference shelf.

Excellent book ideal for what I wanted

Some excellent writing and very reliable. Four stars for overall brevity, although the games covered are complete.

Very nice book: well composed in fairly good paper, even the binding is good enough for a paperback.The content is clear and well organized, and the details are worthy.Just two side marks:- the margin on the center of the book (gutter) is a little too small,- some references included in the text are not in the bibliography.