The Monopoly game, Trivial Pursuit, Clue, Boggle, and
Risk are more than games--they're part of Americana. All of
these games were published by one company, Parker Brothers,
which began as a dream inside the mind of a 16-year-old boy
over 100 years ago. In The Game Makers, industry expert
Phil Orbanes reveals how, by adhering to the principles of
its founder, Parker Brothers rose to prominence, overcame
obstacles, and forged lasting success.
Orbanes, a game historian and former executive at Parker
Brothers, draws from company archives, interviews with
surviving family members, and the newly discovered records
of founder George Parker to tell a story rich in examples
of business acumen that spans world wars, family tragedy,
the Great Depression, and global competition.
Pairing Parker's enduring business lessons with
little-known historical anecdotes, Orbanes reveals the
often whimsical origin of classic games--Tiddledy Winks,
Monopoly, Nerf, Sorry!, the modern jigsaw puzzle, and
more--and how Parker Brothers turned them into cultural
icons. Engaging and insightful, The Game Makers explains
the rules that popularized the games we play and reveals
the people who built an American business empire.
Philip E. Orbanes is president of Winning Moves Games,
located in Danvers, Massachusetts, and author of The
Monopoly Companion.
Contents
- First Moves 1883-1897
- Learnins the Game 1898-1910
- Dealing with Setbacks 1911-1933
- Rollins Doubles 1934-1952
- Runnins Up the Score 1953-1968
- New Rules 1968-1984
- Back to Go 1984-1991
- Epilogue 1991-
- Notes
- Index