Of Dice and Men

Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and thePeople Who Play It
David M. Ewalt
Scribner August 20, 2013 288 Pages Nonfiction

David Ewalt gives an historical account of the making of Dungeons and Dragons and the tremendous effect it has had on popular culture. He blends personal anecdotes of his own experience with the historical context of the game to illustrate the evolution of D&D from its origins in board and war games to the collaborative entertainment form it is today.

As someone who is new to gaming, I really enjoyed Ewalt’s perspective on D&D. His writing is entertaining, and translates the jargon of the hobby into understandable terms for the laymen. While I wish the historical analysis drove deeper, Of Dice and Men delivers a clear history of the hobby and sneaks in a brief history of gaming in general. The last chapter veered into autobiographical territory and discussed how Ewalt feels about his hobby, and it was nice to hear his perspective despite the tonal shift. This is a great read for those who are new to gaming or are just curious to find out more.

 JMS