By Anne Gerlach
While it may not immediately come to mind when thinking about autumn, it makes sense that Photographer Appreciation Month would be when crisp blue skies and vibrant changing leaves are a clarion call to photo enthusiasts. Also that November (a time when folks gather for Thanksgiving) would be picked for recognizing International Games Month – for what better way to pass the time while digesting pumpkin pie than with board and card games? While MCPL has loads of books on these two topics, may this small sample of distinctive titles prove to be winners for you:
“Monopoly X: How Top-Secret World War II Operations Used the Game of Monopoly to Help Allied POWs Escape, Conceal spies, and Send Secret Codes”
by Philip E. Orbanes
Where is the movie or TV series on these riveting, true tales of espionage that took place during the popularly-portrayed era of World War II?! Game designer, founder of Winning Moves Games and senior vice president of R&D at Parker Brothers, Philip Orbanes is a foremost expert on the history of Monopoly. Here he reveals all about this top-secret project developed by England’s MI-9 and used by America’s MIS-X, which went undiscovered by the Nazis and remained secret for decades after the war’s end. This exposé is replete with photos of maps, “game-changing” game pieces, and various influential figures surrounding these missions that contributed to the successful escape plans of over 11,000 servicemen incarcerated by the Third Reich. Clear, gripping writing style makes the book hard to put down! Orbanes leaves you with a substantial index and bibliography for further pursuit on the ultimate games of chance that were played.
“Annie Leibovitz at Work”
by Annie Leibovitz
Journey with the author in memoir and bold photographs from her 1970s college days through her career in Rolling Stone Magazine, Vanity Fair and beyond.
“The Apparitionists: a Tale of Phantoms, Fraud, Photography and the Man Who Captured Lincoln’s Ghost”
by Peter Manseau
Cinematic writing style and intriguing characters, detail the Civil War and aftermath, technology’s evolution and the unsolved mystery of Mumler’s spiritual photography.
“The Ultimate RPG Character Backstory Guide: Prompts and activities to Create the Most Interesting Story for Your Character”
by James D’Amato
An interactive guide using chance, choice and reflection, to create well-rounded characters for role-playing games or potentially for writing fiction.
