I still play board games once in a while- Settler’s of Catan when I am at my friends cabin in Maine (it’s an amazing game- and a beautiful design) or an occasional drunken round of Monopoly that never gets finished even though the winning player (never me) is trying to keep it going so bad. This book is a tribute to board games or more specifically beautiful board games of the 19th and early 20th century. Each page has one or more large photos of the board, box, cards or pieces. From games about making money, to shopping at department stores to trips to Coney Island, the obstacles will make you laugh. (I can’t wait until the future when Girl Talk makes it into a book like this.) The games featured in this book come from the Liman Collection at the New York Historical Society which has a collection of over 500 games. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never checked out the Historical Society. If you are like me, you can just get the book here.

© Julia Rothman 2007