Tortured Cardboard: How Great Board Games Arise from Chaos, Survive by Chance, Impart Wisdom, and Gain Immortality

by Philip E. Orbanes

Be enlightened and entertained. Be prepared for irreverence. Come on this journey through time and witness how these games came to be, why they flourish, and what you can gain by applying their “secrets.”

The term “tortured cardboard” sums up what happens to cardboard when making a board game (bound, cut, folded, punched). And, as you’ll learn, great board games often reflect whatever “tortures” culture. Each gained immortality after a chaotic beginning and a chance survival. Why? Because—be it chess, backgammon, Clue®, Monopoly®, Scrabble®, Settlers of Catan®, or one of ten others featured in this book—each is replete with “lessons” applicable to achievement in your life.

As the twenty-first century gathers momentum, our love affair with board games continues to strengthen. They involve us, they refine social skills, and they teach great lessons applicable in real life.

“Tortuous” is the journey of every great board game, from birth in chaotic times, through survival by mere chance, to raging popularity and eventual immortality. Tortured Cardboard reveals how the great ones came to endure and—all fun aside—how each teaches us something about our own behavior while providing “rules” that can work in your life.

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

Published July 23, 2019

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gives a very good history of Clue, scrabble, monopoly, parcheesi to name a few of those covered.

The early game industry, I was surprised at how important New England was to early games. This book is much much better then the History channel attempt at game history :)

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[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I love games and can be very competitive while playing them. I had no real concept of how many people love to play them and make their lives around them. This book will give you the history behind the fun board games you know and love to play. I found it fun and fascinating. A good read!

[Crystal Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the history of some of the most recognizable board games in the world. Written from an interesting perspective, the author turns this book with the potential to be dull to an entertaining and engaging read.

[Riq Hoelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have preferred a bit more detail on the games and inventors, a bit less banter between the dual narrators. The blend between origin stories and modern fandom is good, the list of games covered fairly idiosyncratic. You won't find Go or Mah Jongg here.

The idea that all great games arise out of chaos is an interesting one to contemplate.

The Monopoly chapter should have focused on Lizzie Magie, the brains behind the game, rather than Darrow, the opportunist who sold the idea without permission.

Not a big deal, but some of the editing is poor. In the Halma chapter, for example, "whaling" is spelled "wailing" and gamesandpuzzles.org is spelled "games and puzzles dot org". It reads as if the book was dictated to a computer and then not sufficiently edited. There are many photos - unfortunately all black and white in the paperback edition - but they're often not placed well amid the text, leaving large gaps of white space.

[Nathan Woll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty entertaining book covering the history of several classic board games