American Mah Jongg for Everyone: A Complete Beginner's Guide to the National Mah Jongg League Game

by Gregg Swain, Toby Salk, Gladys Grad (Foreword)

Whether you're an American Mah Jongg newbie or an intermediate player looking to gain an edge over your opponents, American Mah Jongg for Everyone is the perfect book to help you start practicing your game!

Experienced international Mah Jongg instructors Gregg Swain and Toby Salk walk you through the basics of American Mah Jongg--introducing readers to the tiles, rituals, history, rules and winning strategies of the game. Using the humor, warmth and professional tips they share with their own students, this narrative-style instruction book offers an accessible way to learn this popular game.

Topics
National Mah Jongg tournament director Gladys Grad contributes a foreword that explains why so many people love the game. Grad also has written a chapter that outlines the rules of Siamese Mah Jongg, a fun two-person game she created that you can't find in any other Mah Jongg book!

This book comes with everything you need to get started playing,
From the many different types of tiles and how to recognize them, personal stories about the game and historical trivia, American Mah Jongg for Everyone has something for anyone interested in this fascinating game.

144 pages, Hardcover

Published April 28, 2020

About the author

Gregg was born in New York City, where she spent her childhood. She graduated from Smith College with a degree in Art History, and earned a doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Baylor University. After a few years in the Southwest, she returned to New York where she lives with her husband, Woody. Woody and Gregg both share an interest in art, and they have a great and broad appreciation for many different styles, ranging from Ancient Egyptian to Contemporary Chinese.
Growing up Gregg remembers her grandmother playing mah jongg, and walking down the streets of the City seeing people play the game at card tables set up along the sidewalk. She became entranced by the exotic artwork on the tiles, and wanted to learn to play. She liked the idea that games were short, and allowed for conversation and laughs every 15 minutes or so. It's those aspects of the game that really drew her to the tiles.
Finally she learned how to play mah jongg with a group of friends, including co-author Ann Israel. She quickly fell under its spell, and enjoyed the wonderful strategic decisions she had to make, the mental flexibility required and the way each set of tiles, with their own imagery, made the “hands" look.
Within a year of learning how to play, Gregg bought her first two hand-carved bone and bamboo sets on eBay. The second set she purchased had eight 50-year old Joker stickers, to update the set to play by National Mah Jongg League standards. It doesn't take much to visualize what an old 50-year old sticker looks like; she quickly peeled one back and underneath was a particularly beautiful tile of an intricately carved portrait of a warrior or nobleman. She was immediately struck by the wonderful carving, and the details on what she felt was actually a miniature piece of art. She wondered about the image and some of the other things she'd seen on tiles, and Googled the internet for more information.

There was nothing on the web about Mah Jongg tile art.

She called her friend Ann Israel, and together they decided to write a book. Ann knew Michel Arnaud, internationally famous for his shots of interiors and work in Vogue and Town & Country, who agreed to be the photographer, and his wife Jane Creech became their book agent. Woody, an award winning advertising art director, lent his time and talent to art direct the book. He and Michel hit it off and the final result Mah Jongg The Art of the Game speaks for itself.

Gregg has become an enthusiastic promoter of mah jongg art, and hopes that through her efforts and Ann's, and the inspiration of the beautiful sets showcased in Mah Jongg The Art of the Game, people will remember old sets left in their attics and basements, and that those sets will be rescued before time and mildew take their toll.

Gregg continues to study the images found on tiles, and relate them to Chinese art and graphic design principles on her blog www.mahjongtreasures.com
Gregg feels that mah jong art is the best art form that almost nobody knows about— until her book Mah Jongg: The Art of the Game!
More information about the book can be found on
www.mahjonggtheartofthegame.com

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book to learn how to play American Mah Jongg. The instructions are clear and easy to understand. History and anecdotes are also included to keep it interesting. Although I am finding that actually winning a game is very hard. The book comes with a practice card and paper tiles so you do not need to buy the game to try it out. Usually a four player game, two and three player versions are also included.

[Audrey Glick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly written. While intended for beginners there are solid advanced strategies shared. Bonus, sample card and a complete set of paper tiles to cut put.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although meant for beginners, this was a great brush up for me. I haven't played in person for several years and wanted a refresher.