When I ordered the latest edition of Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America for the library a while back, I knew it would enjoy some attention when it finally hit our shelves. Author Jeff Ryan goes into exacting detail on the history, iconography, and cultural impact of the Super Mario game, and how its popularity catapulted Nintendo and its video game system to the top of the nascent video game industry.
Seeing Ryan’s book also got me to thinking about some of the other great books on games and toys we’ve acquired over the last few years. Here’s a short list:
- Changing The Game: How Video Games Are Transforming The Future Of Business by David Edery
- The Game Makers: The Story Of Parker Brothers From Tiddledy Winks To Trivial Pursuit by Philip E. Orbanes
- A Million Little Bricks: The Unofficial Illustrated History Of The Lego Phenomenon by Sarah Herman
- The Real Toy Story: Inside The Ruthless Battle For America’s Youngest Consumers by Eric Clark
These books confirm that the world of games and toys is really serious business.
–Scott
Eleventh Stack 