Of Dice and Men

The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and The People Who

David M. Ewalt

• Publisher: Scribner
• Year: 2013
• Topic: Social Sciences
• eBook ISBN:
  9781451640526
• Subtopic: Popular Culture
• Index: Social Sciences

Updated with an introduction by Joe Manganiello and extensive new content for the 50th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, the fascinating and authoritative history of Dungeons & Dragons that “tracks D&D’s turbulent rise, fall, and survival, from its heyday in the 1980s…to the 21st century” (The Wall Street Journal), by award-winning journalist David M. Ewalt.

Even if you’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons, you probably know someone who has: the game has had a profound influence on our culture, and 2014 marks the intriguing role-playing phenomenon’s 40th anniversary. Released decades before the Internet and social media, Dungeons & Dragons inspired one of the original nerd subcultures and is still revered by more than 30 million fans. Now, the authoritative history and magic of the game are revealed by an award-winning journalist and lifelong D&D player.

In Of Dice and Men, David Ewalt describes the development of Dungeons & Dragons from the game’s origins on the battlefields of ancient Europe through the hysteria that linked it to satanic rituals and teen suicides to its apotheosis as father of the modern video-game industry. As he chronicles the surprising history of the game’s origins (a history largely unknown even to hardcore players) and examines D&D’s lasting impact, Ewalt weaves laser-sharp subculture analysis with his own present-day gaming experiences, “writing about the world of fantasy role-playing junkies with intelligence, dexterity, and even wisdom” (Ken Jennings). An enticing blend of history, journalism, narrative, and memoir, Of Dice and Men sheds light on America’s most popular form of collaborative entertainment.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Foreword
• I Am Not a Wizard
• Chapter 1: You’re All at a Tavern
• Chapter 2: Little Wars
• Chapter 3: Grognards
• Chapter 4: Druids with Phaser Guns
• Chapter 5: Strength of Character
• Chapter 6: Temple of the Frog
• Chapter 7: The Breaking of the Fellowship
• Chapter 8: Why We Play
• Chapter 9: Arneson vs. Gygax
• Chapter 10: The Satanic Panic
• Chapter 11: Death or Glory
• Chapter 12: Resurrection
• Chapter 13: The Inn at World’s Edge
• Chapter 14: D&D Next
• Chapter 15: The Song of Marv and Harry
• Chapter 16: Pilgrimage
• Afterword
• Acknowledgments
• About the Author
• The Wall of Heroes
• Notes
• Index
• Copyright