Subscribe
History, myths, and stories of the digital playground.
Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America
By Jeff Ryan
How did a portly plumber in red overalls become one of the most recognizable characters in contemporary culture, rivaling Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny? Jeff Ryan unpacks the history behind Mario's advent, from his humble beginnings jumping over barrels in Donkey Kong to his commercial triumph, selling more than 40 million copies of Super Maria Bros. The flawed men and serendipitous happenstance behind his creation make it all the more surprising that Mario became such a global sensation.
By Ernest Cline
In the distant future, everyone plays OASIS (imagine a massive, multiplayer game so real it feels like dreaming). Wade Watts is one of the countless players who would love to find the secret lottery ticket hidden in the game by its enigmatic creator -- and the power and wealth it supposedly grants. The key lies in nostalgia for the pop culture of the late twentieth century. Screenwriter Ernest Cline delivers a engrossing adventure steeped in geek.
Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter
By Tom Bissell
Bissell, a self-declared video game addict, notes that his emotions while mashing buttons are "as intensely vivid as any I have felt while reading a novel or watching a film." Plenty seem to agree; an estimated 184 million Americans spent $18.58 billion on video games in 2010. The author explores the trend in a work that combines memoir with reporting from the virtual frontier.
The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokemon and Beyond
By Steve Kent
Using hundreds of interviews, gaming historian Kent traces the rise of video games from the arrival of the arcade version of Space Invaders -- which actually created a coin shortage in America-- through the year when Atari was felled as the dominant home video game maker by Nintendo, and on to the cultural juggernaut's continued effect on society today.
By William Gibson
This critically lauded and massively influential cyberpunk science fiction novel of 1984 foresaw the digital future (and inspired a home video game of the same name). Gibson, who coined the term "cyberspace", tells the story of a washed-up hacker's last shot at glory in a game-like world.
Email
Print
Share
With dates announced for his upcoming Old Ideas concert tour, we celebrate the inimitable Leonard Cohen: bard, survivor, legend. His most recent album is a return to form for the balladeer, exploring signature themes of lust and longing, spirituality and struggle, all overlaid with a droll sense of humor as familiar as Cohen's prophetic voice.
When Jack Luxton hears that his estranged brother has been killed in combat, long-buried memories begin to well up like groundwater, and difficult choices Jack thought he reconciled himself to years ago turn out to be close at hand. Man Booker Prize-winner Graham Swift's novel plumbs timeless themes of regret, renewal, and the bonds of love.
The opening story in Matthew Battles's electric collection, "The Dogs in the Trees", documents the inexplicable appearance of arboreal canines. Further gorgeous fantastika follows, producing a volume sure to draw comparisons to Borges and George Saunders.
Please sign in to add a comment on this article.