I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
How did some of our worlds most popular board games come to exist? And how do they continue to earn their legendary status? Find out in author John-Michael Gariepy’s “Winning Streak: Tales and Trivia of the 40 Most Popular Board Games”.
The Synopsis
Did you ever wonder:
♞ What makes Clue the best movie based on a game franchise?
♝ What does the doubling cube in backgammon do?
♜ How trains are even supposed to operate in Ticket to Ride: Antarctica?
♛ How the designer of the board game Pandemic feels now that he’s lived through an actual global pandemic?
♚ Whatever happened to the Monopoly game show from the 90s?
Based on Ranker’s poll of almost 400,000 votes, these games define us. From multiple-award winning masterpieces of the past decade, to indestructible classics still going strong after 5,000 years of play, these are the games you must play before you die. Well, except for Sorry!. That game is a blight upon this list and mankind as a whole.
Excuse me. What I’m trying to say is that I wrote this book about games, and I thought you might like it.
The Review
This is one of the more unique and fascinating non-fiction reads you will find out in the world right now. So many of us take for granted the power that a really good board game can have on us. The feelings of nostalgia or the power of diversion they can cause in our lives as we escape into made-up realms like Candy Land or the fun yet the cutthroat world of real estate in Monopoly, all-cause us to turn to board games at one point or another in our lives.
What really stood out to me was how it became so clear that the author not only had done extensive research into the games listed here but had evoked a sense of passion in the writing itself. The book flows naturally and yet hits readers with a zeal for life and a touch of humor that keeps the reader planted firmly in the book. The history and purpose behind some of these games are incredibly neat to dive into and give off a sense of history as well, at least the history of these games and as a result the culture of the times. As a fan of history, this speaks to me immensely.
The Verdict
An entertaining, engaging and evenly-paced read for fans of board games and history, author John-Michael Gariepy’s “Winning Streak” is a must-read nonfiction title. The concept of board games and gaming, in general, is not only a passion of mine and clearly the authors, but the book is well written and easily captures the raw essence and power behind the history of these iconic games. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Hi! I’m John-Michael Gariepy. Over the past decade I played and reviewed over four hundred board games for three podcasts: The Myriad Games Session Impressions, Power to the Meeple, and the Nerd Fountain. On occasion, I also put together a game review for my blog, DialD4DM. I also produce the movie/media conversation show, Popcorn Roulette.
I also just edited a jewelry and photography art book/memoir, design fake Magic: the Gathering cards, and am the director of a medical audio drama called Say Hello to Black Jack. I have a wide range of interests, a tremendous love of learning, a goofy sense of humor, and attack problems from multiple angles. It shows in my writing.
https://winningstreakbook.com/
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