The Game Makers: The Story of Parker Brothers, from Tiddledy Winks to Trivial Pursuit

Rating:
Summary: One of my best reads in years...
Review: I first noticed this book in a review in The Economist. The review was favorable, and I make video games for a living, so I decided to purchase and see what making games was like in ye olden days. What a delight! I read the entire book in one sitting, staying up late into the night.

Written by an executive from Parker Brothers' last independent days, the prose is clean and crisp, and the storytelling moves the events along at a good clip. The book details the rise of Parker Brothers, from George Parker selling his first home-made game through the eventual sale to General Mills late in the 20th century. There were many rises and falls along the way, and the stories about Monopoly (which the company initially refused to purchase) and the frequent successes from imported games such as Ping-Pong, were especially good.

I'd recommend for just about anyone, games fan or no.

Rating:
Summary: One of my best reads in years...
Review: I first noticed this book in a review in The Economist. The review was favorable, and I make video games for a living, so I decided to purchase and see what making games was like in ye olden days. What a delight! I read the entire book in one sitting, staying up late into the night.

Written by an executive from Parker Brothers' last independent days, the prose is clean and crisp, and the storytelling moves the events along at a good clip. The book details the rise of Parker Brothers, from George Parker selling his first home-made game through the eventual sale to General Mills late in the 20th century. There were many rises and falls along the way, and the stories about Monopoly (which the company initially refused to purchase) and the frequent successes from imported games such as Ping-Pong, were especially good.

I'd recommend for just about anyone, games fan or no.

Rating:
Summary: Makes you want to invent games yourself
Review: Philip Orbanes tells a sympathetic and interesting tale of Parker Brothers' long rise to fame and fortune between 1883 and the beginning of the 1980s, as well how General Mill's video-game-stoked greed and lack of prudence brought on the decline of the once so respected game maker. This is the point where the authors tone as well as coverage of the history of the firm change dramatically, becoming somewhat more emotional, although not less enthusiastic.

One thing that "bothers" me about Orbanes' book is that the author is not always as elaborate as he could be. For example, he could have been more explicit on how Parker's Banking game was actually played, rather than just a basic outline of the game. Or the history of the Mah-Jongg game could have been more detailed. Also, an early example of the clear and concise wording of game rules that George Parker was famous for would have been interesting. None of these shortcomings seriously compromise the quality of the book, but it left me somewhat hungry for more material.

Much to my amusement, from the moment I passed the first few pages of Philip Orbanes' Parker story I have been housing the notion of making games myself. I can only imagine the satisfaction of creating intelligent and fun games. I find the concept of take a set of concise, simple rules and turning them into challenging and lasting game quite intriguing. Parker certainly mastered this principle in the past with games such as Risk or Monopoly, to name two of the most prominent.

Rating:
Summary: Sanguine but credible history
Review: The author is a former employee and diehard fan of Parker Brothers which makes his viewpoint a double edged sword. On the one hand, his account is complimentary although never gushing. He does not shy away from relating some of the nasty corporate politics especially those during the company's recent years during which he worked for them. Some of the early history though, seems a bit too rosy especially when you consider US labor conditions in the early 20th century.
On the much brighter side, Orbanes' passion and connections to the company have afforded him dilligence and sources no other author could have attained. The book is well documented with accounts from George Parker's own private papers as well as interviews with lifelong employees from the upper and lower reaches of the organization.
Being a game fan, I can't be completely objective about the historical quality of the book. Orbanes injects as much historical context as he can and documents these references as well. Personally, I couldn't put the book down and found every chapter fascinating.