Games Books

An excellent addition to your library. Lots of photos, and information, to enhanse your enjoyment of the hobby!

You will enjoy this book!

The book was delivered very quickly. The seller took great care to protect the book during shipping as the book arrived in perfect condition.

David Dole has accurately researched the prewar era of Lionel Trains in detail with descriptions and great photos. If you are collector or just interested in old toy trains young or old you will enjoy this book. The pictures of the actual trains and copies of pages from the old catalogs are worth buying the book for. My grandchildren love looking at David Doyle's book on Lionel Trains.

David Doyle's new Standard Catalog Of Lionel Trains 1900-1942 is the most complete guide available for Lionel products: collectors won't want to be without it. From the turn of the century until World war II, Lionel turned out toy trains for kids of all ages: over a thousand color photos blends with pricing guidelines for different conditions to accompany a history of Lionel products. Organized by type of product, from passenger cars and ballast cars to box cars, collectors will find this quite an easy reference to use.

Very help in determining age and type of Lionel items,and value before purchasing or selling.

When I was in middle school, my friend Scott and I occupied our time on the school bus by playing a string game called "Cat's Cradle." Although repetitive, it was a fun game; it took many hours of play before we finally grew tired of it. That game is one of many described in this book.
Until I read it, I was unaware of how many different string games there were in the cultures of the world. Korea, Japan, China, India, Borneo, the Philippines, Aleuts in Alaska, the Navahos of New Mexico, the Osage of Oklahoma, pygmies of the Congo, the Pacific island of Nauru, and Uap in the Caroline islands is just a partial list of the points of origin of the string games described in this book. The construction of each figure is explained using a sequence of diagrams.
If you are interested in string games from around the world, then you will find this book to be an excellent reference. Had I known of it when I was younger, Scott and I would never have grown tired of playing string games.

I learned some string figures in my childhood and recently became interested again. I found this book on Amazon and promptly ordered it!

The book is quite fascinating. There is a huge collection of string figures which in themselves are interesting to look at and learn how to do. There is also a considerable amount of anthropological information (the author was after all an anthropologist) and some amazing photographs from around the turn of the 19th/20th century. In addition some of the stories and legends that go with these figures, many of which are very old indeed, are collected in the book with relevant figures.

My only complaint is that the string figures on the cover are from the collection of 20 or so at the end of the book for which no instructions are given because there wasn't time due to the book being in the final stages of publication! (Remember this was in the time long before computers). It's still however a collection which many can enjoy for all sorts of reasons.

I had a copy of this book as a child and bought this for my son who is 10. It's quite interesting, the instructions are easy to follow, and since we homeschool, it's made for some nice opportunities for geography and culture discussions. Adults could learn some of them for family-friendly parlor tricks at parties.

Considered by many String Figure people to be the "Bible" in this field. It has easy to follow instructions using what has become standard nomenclature. This book is referenced in recent writings probably more than any other. Anyone with interest in String Figures should have this book in their collection.

Once you master the language of manipulating the string--with a little patience-- you'll find the explanations easy to follow. The selection of string figures was wonderful. A strong collection --a legacy that has travelled throughout the world. Pass it along to your children.

I first read this book just after it was first published some 50 years ago. It was, I recall, a pleasure to read then and doubly so to re-read the account of Corbett's adventures again today. Jim Corbett's somewhat matter-of fact, understated style is a delight to read and his simple yet vivid descriptions of the Indian locale and the people, who play a part in his story are those of a man that loves and deeply understands this land and its people. Corbett is no wanton destroyer of wildlife but a protector of impoverished and often terrified communities who understands and explains with sympathy, why the prey he hunted were forced to become what they were.

Any book by Jim Corbett is an interesting read. Although, nowadays, big game hunting is a thing of the past (I reckon), yet it is through the eyes of the author that the reader can seamlessly go back to the times when it was not so.

The stories are beautifully detailed in their descriptions of the expeditions, the customs of the hill folks, their traditions, courage, and (some interesting) superstitions. More often than not while reading the book, I have wondered whether whether I would know what happens in the end because of some absolutely incredible situations and circumstances described.

HOW THIS MAN COULD MOVE THROUGH THE JUNGLE SO EASILY I DON'T KNOW..HE MUST HAVE HAD BAZOOMAS LIKE BASKETBALLS...LOL

In a few words Jim Corbett can transport you back 60-100 years & make you feel like you are right there beside him tracking a Tiger in India. There is no bravado, he comes across as very humble. I had read his "Man-Eaters of Kumaon" several years ago & thought it was without a doubt one of the best books I had ever read. Even knowing how good his books were I was still highly impressed with this book as well. It isn't just the tigers he describes but the whole Indian country-side & the people & animals that habitat the place. He takes you there. Don't hesitate to read one of his books.

Once again in this book Jim Corbett has proved it, he was a awesome incredible gentleman. I have never seen anyone who could write like him. Amazing man with amazing courage. His modesty is revealed throughout his book. He goes through so much suffering and pain, but never once writes about it. From his book you can feel how much concern he had for people. People trusted him with with their lives. His book teaches us a lot about jungles. I would recommend this to anyone who likes animals. Once again Jim Corbett you were and still are the best writes of adventures.

I have nothing to add to all the other five star reviews, just that this book is amazing, a real labor of love, huge amount of illustrations and history, and impossible to put down. it's worth every penny of the list price as a fascinating coffee table book, and you can get it for ten percent of the list value, used,as well. apparently there were two publishers with two titles, 'timeless toys', and 'playmakers' seems to be the same book.

I happened upon this book browsing through a used book store. I sat down and started flipping through the pictures and descriptions of familiar, famous toys, and COULD NOT put the book down! I bought it that night, of course, and was even more spell-bound the more I read. I was astounded by Tim Walsh's research; the large, bright photographs; and the intimate history of the development of so many toys that are part of any American children's heritage. Learning that Mr. Potato Head originally came without the potato (children used a real one!), seeing all the variations of Candyland (found my own version: 1970's), and reading about what made the Cabbage Patch Doll craze (4th grade - I remember so clearly!) was fascinating. It was my treat to read every day coming home from work until sadly, I finished it! But, as a 5th grade teacher, I promptly took the book to school and watched with delight my students' reactions as they discovered interesting and arcane facts about toys they all knew about as well (how long some toys have been around got the biggest reactions). It was passed around the classroom for several weeks. I cannot recommend this book too highly!

The author has created an excellent book covering the most popular toys of the 20th Century. As you go through this book, you are going to come across many toys you remember from your own lifetime. While some have faded with time, many are still popular and have entertained ever since they first appeared.
The book takes a rather wide view of what a toy is; and includes many games,puzzles,and other things that have entertained young as well as those who are young at heart,if not in years.
The first toy discussed was the Flexible Flyer sled.It brought back a memory to me ,since I had one as a kid.Mine had the straight-runner,and I ran into a gutter grate and punctured my thigh. It seems it happened enough that the runners were rounded.Then, there is the Big Wheel. The kid next door had one and he loved it so much ,he wore completely through the plastic wheels.
Here, you will not only see great pictures of the toy or game ;but also the story behind its being invented and marketed. You will also learn about the person who invented it,details about patents,how many were sold;and lots of other interesting details. It's highly likely that you will find your favorite toy or game covered.
At the back of the book you will find an extensive Bibliography. The book covers many games and puzzles.I have been a long time fan of puzzles and if you are interested in them ,I suggest a search under Jerry Slocum,[...]or The Slocum Puzzle Foundation,Beverly Hills,California.
Overall,a wonderful book that would be interesting to just about anyone who enjoys toys,games or puzzles.

As someone interested in toys and collecting, I've read lots on the subject. But Tim Walsh still told me things I didn't know. The best part is that someone with no interest in the subject will still find this lavish, inviting coffee table book an enthralling read. The reason is the author, Tim Walsh. Most toy collecting books start with no criteria as to what goes in and what stays out of the book. Tim did. One criterion was that the toy had to be created or invented by an outsider. Thus, a lot of well- known toys already didn't make the cut.

The ones that did have stories a lot better than the title, Timeless Toys, makes them sound. By that I mean that this isn't one of those nostalgic "see how much better these simple toys were than all your overdone gadgetry?" books that abound in collecting circles. You might come to that conclusion, but Tim started somewhere else. When he made his own games, he started asking questions about others. Why is the box like that? Why is this that color? Where did they get that name?

Those are the same questions one asks playing with toys. The cynical answers are that marketing research showed that more people would pick up the package if it were blue, and a computer poll of all co-eds showed they liked the letter "Z". But Tim shows, thank heaven, that those cynical answers are wrong. Lots of great toys came from accidents, and many inventors began with a sense of wonder.

Tim doesn't stop there. Those outsiders need insiders to make a toy. Tim covers all that, including the most famous toy designer, Marvin Glass. As with Andy Warhol, the Glass name covered a design team, and Tim introduces some of the faces behind the scenes. Many toys were inspired by other toys, and Tim traces the roots back. His findings usually don't jibe with the urban legends surrounding their creations, and when there are multiple tales, Tim tells them all.

The most interesting parts to me are some that might be overlooked. They are small sidebars showing the origins of a toy and some of the companies that have made it. Often the company names change because the companies are bought by other firms. A decade ago Tyco was bringing back all the classic toys that ever existed, having bought those companies or their toy molds. Where's Tyco now? I wondered, until Tim revealed it was bought by Mattell.

Tim also tells the origin of many toy companies, including one started by two guys named Matson and Elliot. I've read about Wham-O before, and even interviewed an animator who made Superball commercials, but Tim reveals the secret of how Wham-O made so many great toys. Tim also breaks it all down with by decade timelines. He often shows the box art of toys that were revived in various decades. Toy art in the '50s and '60s, much of it done by comic book artists, is a wonder to behold, while the overdone, throwaway art of today really does look like the result of committees on market research.

The bad news is that this 300 page book is only about 75 toys. But that may be a good thing. Those interested might track down Bill Bruegman's Toys of the Sixties or related volumes to read on. Don't buy The Playmakers, though, because Timeless Toys is the new title of the same book. Tim Walsh convinced me that creative souls, even today, even if by accident, may still have a chance. If toys be the fruit of wonder, play on!

As a toy inventor I was surprised when I first saw the book by how beautifully designed it was as well as the extraordinary quality of the photography. On further examination, it greatly surpassed my first impression with its fascinating stories and (truly astonishing), that it got its facts right!

In addition to the fun of seeing all those cool looking toys and taking a nostalgic look back over the last century, it's an historical tribute to American and American immigrant's genius and hard work that has given us all so much pleasure.

treat yourself and your friends to this fine book.

Jamie is a great columnist of dojo this book is wonderfool for all MTG fans all ower the world best regards from Russia

I spent $100 to buy this book and found it well worth it. Other MTG books age, this does not. Jamie Wakefield is very entertaining.

Many current experienced M:tG writer were influenced by Jamie Wakefield. This book makes a wonderful autobiography of someone struggling to be one of the best Magic players around.

You will not be sorry if you buy this book.

Magic has got to be one of the most fun games ever created, and even reading about someone elses partaking in that fun makes for an enjoyable reading experience. Jamie's book is pretty much a personal dairy completely pertaining to his preparation for and in Magic tournaments.

He'll give you some idea about what makes a tournament winning deck, of course, only your practice will ever perfect this. He opened my eyes to the fact that a majority of the decks are built around the key cards of each color. i.e. If you're playing black, you're probably facing Necro. What this means for you--even if you don't get to play frequently--is you can browse the internet to find out the trend decks or cards and be pretty certain you'll face them on the tournament scene. Right now, Masticore and Cursed Scroll seem to be biggies for several of the top decks.

In a sentence, you can learn a lot about what to expect at Pro Tours without ever leaving your home. This book was a fun read.

Jamie Wakefield's tournament reports draw you into his life. The book inlcudes some strategy advice, but mainly engrosses you in the story of Jamie's experiences at Magic tournaments. If there is a volume 2, I will buy it.

I think Dave Morris and Jamie Thomson have started something that won't stop until they've created a whole universe. The game is a little hard at first, but that's not enough to lose it any more than one star. It's a really great idea. They've actually produced something that no one has ever thought of before.

I once owned "war torn kingdom" and "cities of gold and glory"
but I lost them both in a house fire. I have always wished to own the entire series. But I would be happy with one for the time being. Info on where to get any would be great.

You're right, these books are genius. Books 1-6 in the series were released in the UK under the name "Fabled Lands". I own books 1, 2, 4, and 5 and would be very interested to know where i could get 3 and 6.

I got this book for my birthday, but didn't play it until 3 months later. I loved it!!!! I found out that Cities of Gold and Glory are part of the Series, all I want to know how many more their and and where I can get them and their name!!!!

My wife found this in a clearance rack at our local Safeway store and thought I might like it. I actually forgot about it until 2 months later. I was drawn into it last week, and could not put it down. I think it is a wonderful role-playing adventure. I only have this one, and am searching for more books. There was a web-site that had the entire series, but it was taken off the web. If anyone can, please let me know where I can find more in the series. Thank you!

i love this book very simple to follow very easy yet the outcome so fantastic. This is good book for quilters of all ages and all levels of skill.

Excellent book of Christmas applique designs! I did take my book to a copy shop and enlarged the designs, but this is easily and inexpensively done. Beautiful and colorful use of fabrics. Applique designs are simple to make. This books inspires fun and creativity. Definitely, one of my very favorite quilt books.

This purchase was made for my wife who states:-

Having had the book for a few weeks now, I find the contents very informative, and the instructions easey to follow. I can recommend this product to any would-be enthusiast.

I found this to be a charming project. Very versatile for making one block or many. Also, the possibilities were endless for decorating and using materials, buttons etc on hand. Instructions were clear and it could be easy (iron on ) or more experienced (hand appliqued completely.) I will be making several for next year. (Not enough time for this year)!

I can't wait to make this quilt. I saw one made up at a quilt show or something very similar and couldn't wait to find the pattern. It is just so clever and fun. My quilt group is planning on making it as a block of the month. I am so happy I bought this book, it makes me smile every time I look through it.
Sincerely, LPotts

The book is very well written, and easy to read. I enjoyed the Craps and the Baccarat section. It explains the house advantage of various games including Blackjack and some of the poker games to name a few. It includes most if not all Vegas games.

As a casino dealer in Atlantic City I see people play stupid all the time. For the most part it is not because they are not intelligent, but they do not know how to play the games so the house has the lowest advantage over them. Siblerstang does an excellent job explaining how to play with the lowest house edge, but at the same time the book is a little outdated. It was only written in 1997, but in the craps section he talks about Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas as the only place to offer 10X odds in craps. Last time I checked 100X odds is not too hard to find in Vegas, and 5X odds is not to hard to find in Atlantic City. Even with that said the book is more than worth the money. The next time you gamble and stick with what the author says to do and you find yourself ahead more often than behind you will be happy you bought the book. (And remember that gambling is a negative expectation game: You will lose in the long run! Do not gamble with money that you cannot afford to lose!)

I live in New Mexico where you can't find a table with less than 5x odds on craps at the Indian Casinos. After years of marginal returns, my play is now much cleaner and profitable using Silberstang's techniques (play the line & Come, w/max odds). The dealers love when we arrive at the table. I play on the line for the dealers with 5x odds, along with my bets. (The energy is unmatched when there are at least 4 others at the table hoping you hit your point!). I've run into craps dealers and they confirm off the record that the propositional bets are pure profit "CHUMP" bets for the house.
My husband is a PhD mathematician and agrees with the statitics and odds stated in this well written book.

I read Edwin Silberstang's book a long time ago and I am pleased that his analyses and ideas are still around. This man knows the math of the games and he also recommends usually good ways to play. He understands the gamblers too and knows that most of them are looking for "action" which is really just "more losses."

Any gambling library should have this book.

Author of Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution!

I purchased this book while attending a wedding in Las Vegas. I saw it in the hotel gift shop and did the touristy thing-- I bought a book about gambling in Las Vegas. I'm glad I did.

Silberstang has written an easy to follow primer on the most common gambling games that you will find in a casino. His book covers the classic table games-blackjack, craps, roulette (both American and European versions), baccarat, and keno. He also explores recent casino additions-Caribbean Poker, Let It Ride, and video poker. Slot machines, casino operation, and credit are even discussed.

Unlike some of the drivel I have read about gambling, Silberstang dispels some of the myths associated with gambling "systems." He clearly explains the games with examples, and gives the odds and demonstrates which bets favor the house (and by how much).

This was an interesting and enlightening read.

Rarely have I found a book reviewing pawn structures as they relate to actual tournament experience. Alexander Baburin has written, what has clearly been recognized already, as a classic! The ideas are developed around the typical pawn structures arising from many opening leading to the isolated queen pawn (IQP) and it's derivatives (pawn couples, hanging pawns, etc.) which occur in most openings like the Queens Gambit, Caro Kann, etc.. He develops his concepts and teaches ideas and plans with examples from very well annotated full length games from actual competition. Reading this book, is almost as good as having a private coach!

Definitely a 5 star rating for this book!!!

The quality of Baburin's work is off the charts. This book opened my eyes to the Isolated Queen's Pawn structure, which I try to get in as many games as I possibly can because this book showed me how to demolish people with it (at my level, Class "A," and even somewhat above my level).

One could call this a "specialized" middlegame text, but because the presence of the IQP is so ubiquitous in chess, this is just an extremely important work, and one that I feel doesn't get as much attention as it deserves.

The whole book is fantastic, but Part 1 (basically, Attacking with the IQP) is absolutely exceptional. THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR BEGINNERS, and you MUST know "basic" kingside attacking motifs to get optimal value out of it. But tournament players who go through it will have their eyes opened for sure. This book trains you to play IQP positions with calculation and general principles together! Baburin shows you the plans (even multiple plans in the same opening system) and when faced with such positions you will know almost exactly what to do.

If you like to learn how to handle chess positions with the isolated Queen's Pawn ("Isolani") this is the book! Baburin explains the methods to play the isolated pawn positions clearly. This book would be very beneficial for players between USCF 1700-2000. While learning about the isolated pawn positions your middle game technique will improve in general as well.

Please be careful with this book. Its basically a very advanced text on Isolated Pawn structures, in fact its the most advanced text on this subject in the English language. I really do not think that you would be able to read it cover to cover unless you are at least ELO 2000. Its a brilliant piece of work and I hope the author continues the series to cover passed pawns,doubled pawns etc. The only way i would advise anyone below ELO 2000 to buy this book is to use it as a game reference with your opening book. You would need to play one of the following openings Caro Kan, Queens Gambit, the Nimzo Indian defense or the French defense. It makes you realise that the Isolated pawn is a great source of strength or a fundamental weakness and occurs a lot in certain types of openings. As an advanced player you need to know how to play each side of this equation as it will often be the central issue that will decide the game.

Yes, this is a great book on the IQP. How can I add anything to the splendid reviews by Hashimm4 and A.J.Goldsby I? I can't, except to say, the book's title, "Winning Pawn Structures," is suspiciously misleading. How about something like "The Isolated Queen's Pawn: Winning Strategies"? Surely the title is a crass attempt by the publisher to increase his market of chess readers.

But my REAL complaint (with a segue back to Baburin's work) is with A.J.Goldsby's misrepresentation of Nimzowitsch's "My System", which happens too often for me to let this one go by (especially by a top 1000 reviewer who presents himself as a chess authority -- which he probably is). To quote Goldsby's review:

"This book was a major revelation to me. Having grown up under the influence of Nimzovich, I had mostly assumed that the positions containing an Isolated Queen's-Pawn, like any isolated pawn; was weak and should be avoided at all costs. (I almost never allowed myself to be saddled with an IQP, mostly as a result of what I had learned from Nimzowitsch's "My System.") This is a fallacy."

I am yet again amazed by a chess critic's misinformation regarding "My System" (while, admittedly, the later "Chess Praxis" tends to tarnish the IQP's reputation). It's as if they've never even read this classic!

In "My System," Nimzowitsch has a chapter entitled: "The isolated d-pawn and its descendants." In it he addresses both the potential weaknesses of the IQP and the inherent strengths. He refers to the IQP as "permeated with dynamic strength." He COMMANDS that the student experience "how dangerous an enemy isolani may be." He says the IQP's strength "lies in its lust to expand (advance)," and that it "protects and indeed creates the White outpost stations at e5 and c5 [noting the enemy has only one outpost, and that White's at e5 "would have a sharper effect than is ever possible to an opposing Knight on d5."]. He shows how to take advantage of the extra open file that comes with the IQP. And he even has a section entitled, "4. The isolani as a weapon of attack in the middlegame." While, yes, he fully explains how the IQP can be weak, especially in the endgame (suggesting as a countermeasure that you make a timely use of the IQP's attacking possibilities in the middlegame), the fact is that Nimzowitsch gives a FULL understanding of the IQP's advantages... as well as weaknesses.

Which brings us back to "Winning Pawn Structures." Just like Nimzowitsch, Baburin discusses both the advantages and disadvantages of the IQP. How to attack WITH it and AGAINST it. Nimzowitsch covers this topic (and that of isolated pawn couples and hanging pawns!) in about 10 pages. Very effectively, I might add.

Thus, if you already have a good grasp of positional chess, then read Baburin's great book. Otherwise, pick up a more general book on positional chess that includes, but does not dote on, the IQP....

How about this little gem: "My System"

I am another person who bought this book who doesn't even play Warcraft but is just a lover of Fantasy art. I've always loved the Warcraft universe, which seemed like an expansion of/variation on the fantasy universe first created by Tolkien.

When I got this book I was surprised by just what a hefty volume this is. This is a very thick book printed on the finest quality heavy-duty stock.

Not only did this book live up to my expectations, but I found that the great variety of styles and artists included has also helped me to clarify my own tastes in Fantasy art, and has even introduced me to some great new artists I had never heard of before.

The spectrum includes everything from the breathtaking photo-like hyper-realism of Clint Langely (check out his great new solo book "The Art of Clint Langely" by the way!), to the brilliant use of colour in the works of Jim Murray (very Bisley-esque) and Michael Komarck, to well-established artists like Todd McFarlane (--why are both of the pieces credited to him signed as "Greg Capullo"???) and Udon Studios, to the cartoony cuteness of the works of the book's editor Samwise Didier (sorry Samwise, but just gotta say YECH~!)

It was also interesting observing the differences in the variety of mediums used (--I found I preferred good ol' non-digital art.) And a few pieces of preliminary sketches are also included to give us a brief taste of the process from concept to finished work (In some cases I found I liked the initial sketch better than the finished product. Samwise Didier, you ninny, what were you thinking? [...])

The book is organized into sections according to Warhammer race of the subject of the painting. And in the back it also includes indexes of the works by title and by artist, making it easy to look up other works by an artist you may find you particularly like.

I am happy to highly recommend this book, and look forward to further volumes in this series (this book says "Volume 1" on it, hooboy!). I really feel like I got my money's worth with this one. Well done people!

And to all you publishers out there, I hope that other series of trading card art will be made into beautiful art books like this. (--Hear that Wizards of the Coast?) It's such a waste just having it on those tiny little cards. It deserves to be enjoyed properly like this!

And to you people over at Blizzard, how about some art books for Diablo and Starcraft too? I love them too!

I bought this as a gift. The person who received it just loves the book. He really enjoy the art work. So if you need a gift for someone who plays world of warcraft I'd recommend it as a good gift.

This is a wonderful book, and any fan of fantasy art, or Warcraft, would absolutely love it, I've had it for over a month, and i still open it up and just stare at some of the wonderful artwork. Just buy it, you won't be disappointed.

I am not a World of Warcraft gamer, but the beautiful art in this book drew me to it the moment I saw it on the shelf in my local book store. This book is filled with page after page of gorgeous renditions of highly stylized creatures and monsters that entrance the viewer. Discovering some of these artists for the first time was a treat for me, so much so, that I had to go online to find out more about some of them. This is a wonderful book with some great art in it. I highly recommend it for both WoW gamers and non-gamers alike!

I was looking for the perfect book to display the beautiful works of art I had seen in the world of warcraft franchise. This book certainly delivered. There is nothing low quality about this book. It included many of the pictures I'd already seen on the internet and many beautiful paintings I had never seen before. I'll let each buyer see for themselves, but the book is organized in a very simple and interesting way. It is so full of paintings, even after a month, I can look through and find a painting I'd never noticed before, and as an amateur artist, I find plenty of inspiration. A valuable book for any fan of warcraft or fan of fantasy art.