Monopoly: The World's Most Famous Game--And How It Got That Way

by Philip E. Orbanes

Over 200,000,000 copies of the Monopoly(r) game have been sold worldwide since Parker Brothers first popularized it in 1935, making it the world's most popular proprietary game. Countless special and national editions of the game are now published in over sixty countries. But while Monopoly has global appeal, it is distinctly American--a symbol of America's system of economic "opportunity." In America's Game , Philip Orbanes, the leading expert on all things Monopoliana, tells the remarkable history of the game, from its predecessor's birth as a teaching tool for an economics class in the first decade of the twentieth century through its explosive growth in the postwar decades to it being a ubiquitous fixture in just about every American home today. Orbanes includes fascinating Monopoly personality portraits, little-known Monopoly legends and lore, and the extraordinary variety of advertising used throughout the twentieth century. This is the first and only book to cover comprehensively the origin, growth, and global impact of the game that has become a cultural icon. This book is not endorsed by Hasbro Games

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Games, Biography

280 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Michael Haydel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monopoly is another one of those books that I really love reading, as it falls into the category otherwise known as "monohistories". Basically, the biography of a singular item. I've read many of these types of books (salt, coffee, etc), and I always enjoy seeking them out.

What makes Monopoly, the book, interesting is to read about life before Monopoly, the game. There were numerous incarnations of money/property related games that all had the intention of imparting on the player a sense of what it takes and what it's like to own property and to effectively manage real estate. None of them really took off, and it took a series of seemingly random events and people to really make Monopoly, the game, work.

The book is authored by a former SVP of Parker Brothers, and is clearly meticulously researched (just take a gander at any one of the 10 appendices for evidence), and it's obvious that Orbanes has a love for the game. Its not without slow parts though, particularly in some of the early history of the pre-Monopoly era - which, is understandable, as most people who read this book will be interested in Monopoly, the game, and not any of its spritual predecessors.

Still, the book does pick up pace once it gets into the publishing of the first, and subsequent, editions of Monopoly, as well as its battles in court, its historians, its world championships, and its enduring appeal on the American landscape.

All in all, this book should appeal to anyone who's wondered how such a timeless game like Monopoly evolved over time. If nothing else, you'll at least learn some interesting facts to tuck away to impress your friends during your next game of Monopoly.

[William Schram · Rating 3 out of 5]

Monopoly is the game of games. It is also World Famous and the game with the most units sold. In fact, I don’t think it needs such an introduction since it is such a familiar thing to me. However, even Monopoly was invented at some point in the recent past. I had always heard that it was a man named Charles Darrow or Clarence Darrow who invented the game to alleviate the horrors of being unemployed during the Great Depression, but it goes back a bit further than that.

This book discusses the history of the game of Monopoly and its acceptance as a game worth everyone’s time. From the initial development of the so-called Landlord’s Game to a number of copies and imitations, Monopoly has a storied history. It developed as the brainchild of Elizabeth Magie Phillips. She wanted a single Tax Rate like Henry George, the man that came up with the idea. Over time she came up with several games, with the Landlord’s Game being her most famous due to its eventual adoption as Monopoly. People made their own editions of the game and it spread around. Then the Great Depression happened and people weren’t in the mood to play as many games, especially ones that involved getting rich. The other complaint against the game as it existed was that it was too complicated. Actually, there were three complaints, but the one I remember off the top of my head is that it was really complicated and didn’t have an international set of rules. Eventually, the game grew to have enough of a following to have tournaments.

The book is interesting, and I learned a bit about Monopoly that I didn’t know before. The book also contains a 32-page gallery of versions of Monopoly, from the unofficial versions to the ones played overseas. The author also talks about the math behind decision making in Monopoly. For instance, Park Place and Boardwalk might be expensive spaces, but players rarely land on them in practice. Also, sometimes getting a hotel put on a space is detrimental rather than helpful. All in all, I liked the book quite a bit. Initially it was somewhat boring but eventually when it got further in it became more entertaining.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to believe that Parker Brothers rejected the game that became Monopoly - not once but twice. Originally planned as a game to teach the causes and effects of a single tax - namely on property owners - outlined by Henry George, it was eventually used by some college economists to teach their students basic principles which provided enough entertainment that they made their own copies and variants.

There is a tremendous amount of information within these pages: History of the games. The tokens through the years. The names of the properties based on streets in Atlantic City. The various taxes, chance and community chest cards. How the board design changed - there was even a round version. Development of Rich Uncle Pennybags based on J.P. Morgan and eventually re-named as Mr. Monopoly. The court battles over the years. Anniversary editions. Even a $2 million edition with real gems inlaid in the tokens, homes and hotels. The secret actions of the English manufacturer, John Wadddington, ltd. who smuggled silken escape maps, money and tools into POW camps.

Then the personal experiences of the author, the development of the Monopoly World Championships which he served as a judge. Strategies of some of the winners. Then some of the collectors and website owners.

Mr. Orbanes ends his book with a listing of the Darrow and Parker Brothers Editions; Accessories and Extension games; and games similar to Monopoly. An incomplete listing of USAopoly's affinity versions based on cities, states, corporations, movies and television series, sports teams and universities. Some of the foreign versions mentioned within the book and their producers if known. Finalizing with the 1936 Monopoly Rules; the rules from the 1904 Landlord's Game as well as the revised 1924 version; the 1913 Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit Newbie Game from Scotland and the rules for Finance.

Even with domination of video and computer games, Monopoly's popularity doesn't seem to be waning.

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[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book! Part history, part economics, part business, part game-playing. There was just the right amount of all of this that I felt I understood how the game developed and why it thrived.

The depth of research was incredible. And like so many things that have withstood the test of time, it is interesting to note that this game was rejected a number of times before it was finally given the opportunity to sit of the store shelves. It speaks to the creators' perseverence that it didn't fade away.

I found the history of the game during the war years to be particularly fascinating.

Really a book worth reading!

[Raza Syed · Rating 3 out of 5]

The history of Monopoly
Interesting read. It traces the life and development of the game, the people involved and their relationships and dynamics. The tale of Monopoly is interwoven with the major events taking place in the 20th century - how the allies used monopoly boards to smuggle 'escape tools' to the POWs in NAzI camps during WW2.
The tale goes from the birth (The Landlord's Game) to the current versions of the monopoly. The book is well researched and well written. If the author would have skipped the (unnecessary) last chapter on the 'collectors' - it would have been better (in my opinion). Otherwise, fun book to read for fans of the game and trivia aficionados.

[Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of the history of the Monopoly game from the early "prototypes" to the Atlantic City based version with unique graphics added to world-wide exposure and the organization of tournaments. In addition, there is a 10,000 foot review of American history, especially, economic history throughout the 20th Century. Since the early "prototypes" were used for economic system education, I found these parts of the game development discussion fascinating.

[Brent Mair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the history, which is much of the book. Less interested in the collection stories at the end. Overall, quite interesting.

[Obione_TdG · Rating 3 out of 5]

The history of the boardgame, probably the most famous and one of the masterpieces of the genre up to the 70s is interesting. This essay however does not cover one very important aspect. From the 80s on the game has become quite obsolete, and other family games (such as Carcassone, Ticket to Ride and Catan, to make some examples) are easier to play, better designed, and more fun for casual players, and in theory should have overshadowed Monopoly, but it did not happen. The author totally ignored this aspect, it it overly positive in describing Monopoly at the current time, and while he made some comparisons with past games, it never did so with modern boardgames, nor he critically discussed the still currant overdominance of Monopoly at the expenses of other games. And this leaves an incomplete, partial and biased picture of the scenario, especially to whoever does not know any other game besides Monopoly which I however agree was a masterpiece at the time it was introduced.

[Scott Gillespie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I played Monopoly a lot when I was much younger, though I can’t recall playing it in at least 30 years. I remember much of the game. I also recall how much fun it was at first, but my interest would begin to wane toward the end.

This is a perfect analogy for the book about the game. I enjoyed learning it’s origins, almost a century of history, and the quirky developments that created the game as we know it today. However, the book lost me in the last quarter. The final chapters, appendices, etc. were a slog and unless you’re a diehard fan of the game, you can stop about a hundred pages shy of the end and miss nothing.

The rest of the book is quite interesting and recommended for anyone that enjoy the game and/or have fond memories of playing it. The author tells the game’s history and the historic socioeconomic parallels in the real world it’s played.

[Ryan Bullard · Rating 2 out of 5]

The part focusing on the game development was interesting (if wallowing a little too much in obscure detail); the book however focuses mainly on the economic events surrounding the various stages of game development. This would be fine if it provided context and knowledge, but it seems like this economic history was written by someone with a high -school level grasp of economics and US History.

[Scott Beddingfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and informative read describing the origins of the well known family game. The author’s inclusion of US and world-wide historical moments (e.g. world wars, economic rises and falls, etc.) adds perspective and reminds us of the game’s relevance. Many of the important characters involved with development of the game or its prototypes are brought to life with interesting anecdotes and helpful biographical information.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book about the world’s most popular board game. Plenty of facts (many not well known) and written in an easy to read style. Highly recommended for fans of Monopoly and board games in general. Also includes rules for Finance and The Landlord’s Games.

[Emma Efing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cool history and overview of monopoly, I definitely have more things I want to learn about the game now.

[Nathaniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. It's an extended commercial for Monopoly written by a senior executive at Hasbro (nee Parker Brothers) who ended up as "Monopoly historian" as a side project. I don't doubt the author's passion for the game, but the book itself is uneven and its structure is questionable. The author's grasp of American and world history other than that directly pertaining to Monopoly is often lacking, and he seems to be going out of his way to distort various small incidents that the game played throughout history (such as serving as a way to send coded messages to Allied POWs during WWII) in a way that makes a mountain out of a molehill for the sake of good PR. Additionally, the first half of the book, concerning the various different Monopoly-like games that occurred before the war, is very dull and could have been about half as long. Other than the author's jarring use of the first person in places to talk about his own experience working for Parker Brothers (in a way that doesn't quite fit with the rest of the narrative), I feel as though most of this "history" would be more accurate, balanced, and fun to read if you just looked up the game on Wikipedia....plus, Wikipedia doesn't have those awful alliterative chapter titles. I did learn a little bit about the game that I didn't already know, as well as becoming slightly more aware of Mid-Atlantic history in the process, but this isn't a book that most people with an internet connection who are capable of typing in the URL for Wikipedia should need to read in and of itself.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting history on Monopoly and even made me want to play the game (with the actual rules) again. Given the many painful experiences with Monopoly, that's saying something.[return][return]However, the high point of the book is the early history. The end of the book lacks a bit of the charm of the beginning. I wish it had ended with the description of contests as the final chapter on Monopoly collectors bored me more than anything else. It's hard to peg exactly why I didn't like it, but it just didn't have the nice flow of the earlier book and could really have been describing collectors of anything, not just Monopoly.[return][return]In fact, had the last few chapters been removed and it just focused on history and had a better appendix on the statistics behind the game I'd probably like it better and would have probably given it a 4. The parts investigating the contests weren't bad, but also stretched on a bit long.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book. Definitely an awesome book (higher rating) for those really into Monopoly or game-history.

My godfather gave me this book because he and I have played Monopoly together since my first visit to their home in West Virginia when I was fourteen.

Our most recent game was when I drove to visit them in their New Hampshire home in 2004. Our inside joke is that he always accuses me of cheating when I "steal" the lead.

Overall the book was an interesting insight to the story behind the game, the people involved of making what it is today, and the history and economics that weaved around the games success. There were a few typos (bad editor!! bad!!!!) but for the most part was a well put-together and researched book.

And I'm all the wiser for it in the event I play jeopardy or trivial pursuit now.

[Ensiform · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the turn of the last century, when Elizabeth Magie patented her Monopoly-like Landlord’s Game, to the 2006 Mega Edition, Orbanes chronicles the story of Parker Brothers’ biggest and most perennial hit. Paralleling the story of the board game with American financial and political history, he chronicles the appeal of the game from the Depression, through the Cold War, the excesses of the Eighties and beyond.

One of the biggest surprises this book reveals to the casual Monopoly player is that Charles Darrow, credited by Parker Brothers as the sole inventor of the game, was not in any sense the inventor, but at best a savvy marketer with an understanding of the importance of eye-catching icons. On the whole it's an interesting topic, exhaustively researched, told in the chatty style of an uncle telling you about his favorite hobby, and packed with historic illustrations.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the origin of the game. This book takes you through the complete and often troubled history of Monopoly. The author, former SVP of Parker Brothers, looks at those that had a significant role in the development of the game. With so many key figures, it's easy to get confused. However, each chapter is centered on one person, making it easier to follow. I was surprised to learn about more finance related games and enjoyed a peek at the inner workings of the game board industry. Ten appendixes are included to show various variations of the game as well as a checklist for collectors of the many editions of Monopoly.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give it a generous three stars because there is definately the material and brilliant idea for a book, it just was not assembled well. The author throws too many unecessary individuals into the story, creating a lot of chaos and confusion as so many names pop in and out of the story line. Also, the second page of every chapter has these weird illustrations and graphics, it's distracting. Finally, while it was a noble effort to make a case that Monopoly somehow impacted every American President since its inception, and that it played even a tiny role in gobal politics, I'm just not buying it. This book would have been better left as a gathering of fun facts about a fun game, not an essay on how the game shaped the globe.

[Gordon Zane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This history of the board game Monopoly follows the games development through multiple manufacturers and creators, until the game takes the shape we know today.

The best parts of the book are the tangents about history and history that put the game in context, although a few tend to wander off. Half a page devoted to The Beatles "Revolution #9" is especially pointless and grating.

The book drags a little toward the end, especially once the author begins to talk about tournaments and strategy, but the book is worth a read.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic look at a great game. The author presents a fascinating history, dating back before the depression. The reader also gets a look at the interworkings of game publication and development. The final chapters revolve around world tournaments and strategies. I love Monopoly, and this was an exciting book for me. Highly recommended.

[Ernest · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun and informative book that outlined the history of Monopoly. As a fan of this board game, it was interesting to see how the game developed. Of particular interest are descriptions of old rules and pictures of Monopoly’s predecessors. The author’s interest in this board game is clear and translates to a fun and easy read.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Monopoly, will be celebrating its 80th birthday in 2015. The book is an overview of the history the game, starting with its predecessors, that were hand made and played in economics classrooms, until the game finally was released - the book also covers the various economics of the decades that influenced the game as it grew in popularity

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very decent overview of the history of the game. It's not particularly hard hitting, but I guess it's about a board game after all. Dabbles into the parallels of world economics/politics and into game strategy which is particularly interesting. Would like more on the latter, but that's a different book entirely.

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only really good for game geeks, not that that's a bad thing. This is my typical 2-star book, only for those interested in the subject. See my review here: http://trebro.livejournal.com/287477....

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read about Monopoly's complex origins and various revisions over the course of the 20th century. Lots of pictures. For serious Monopoly fans only. Includes appendices of original rules, as well as rules of some affiliated games.

[Omar · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15514714/

[Jeff Fredericksen]

I loved this book. Was an easy read and the history of my favorite board game was insightful.

[John Randolph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything you ever wanted to know about how the game became so popular.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was more to this book than just the history of Monopoly. I also learned some economic history of the US in the 20th century. The book made me want to play Monopoly more. :)