Social Games

When Pete Etchells was 13, his father died from motor neurone disease. In order to cope, he immersed himself in a virtual world - first as an escape, but later to try to understand what had happened. Etchells is now a researcher into the psychological effects of video games, and was co-author on a recent paper explaining why WHO plans to classify "game addiction" as a danger to public health are based on bad science and (he thinks) are a bad idea. In this, his first book, he journeys through the history and development of video games via scientific study....

Sinn Féin is the most popular political party in both Northern Ireland and the Republic. A movement once synonymous with a paramilitary campaign is on the brink of taking real power through purely democratic means. But if Sinn Féin has mastered the art of electoral politics, it remains strangely opaque. Who really runs the party? How is it funded? And what can we expect of it as a party of government? Aoife Moore, Irish Journalist of the Year in 2021, explores these and other burning questions in The Long Game.

I'm Elizabeth—caught between a past shrouded in betrayal and a future built on rebellion and dangerous love with Calix. In a world of broken memories and hidden powers, every step toward freedom reveals yet another burning secret that could set us all aflame. I never thought that my life, once defined by chains and forced contracts, could be rewritten by one fateful night—and the man who dared to defy destiny with me. I’m Elizabeth, and as I awaken to the burning revelations of my past, every step I take in this dystopian nightmare pulls me closer to a dangerous truth: my rare gift ...

Dani Stevens knew senior year was going to be something else-with her last season on the soccer team, the possible strain of losing a friendship, and crushes? All the crushes. But she didn't expect to be on the lookout for a sex trafficking ring in her town. When a young girl in her neighborhood seems to be in trouble with a pimp, Dani will do whatever she can to find out what she can and get the girl safely back home. Unbeknownst to Dani, there could be another predator on the loose. And if she doesn't watch her back, she could just end up being his next victim.

The Endgame is Michael R. Gordon and General Bernard E. Trainor's most ambitious and news-breaking book to date. A peerless work of investigative journalism and historical recreation ranging from 2003 to 2012, it gives us the first comprehensive, inside account of arguably the most widely reported yet least understood war in American history - from the occupation of Iraq to the withdrawal of American troops.

For more than a decade, New York University president John Sexton has used baseball to illustrate the elements of a spiritual life in a wildly popular course at NYU. Using great works of baseball literature as well as the actual game’s fantastic moments, its legendary characters, and its routine rituals - from the long-sought triumph of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers to the heroic achievements of players like the saintly Christy Mathewson and the sinful Ty Cobb to the loving intimacy of a game of catch between a father and son - Sexton teaches that through the game we can touch the spiritual dimensions of life.

Set against the backdrop of the turbulent late 1960s and early 1970s, this compelling audiobook provides the first comprehensive history of the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, notorious for the abduction of Israeli Olympians by Palestinian terrorists and the hostages' tragic deaths after a botched rescue mission by the German police. Drawing on a wealth of newly available sources from the time, eminent historian David Clay Large explores the 1972 festival in all its ramifications.

Whether it’s playing through blockbuster-esque adventures, diving deep into hidden bits of story and lore, or building relationships that change the fate of the world itself, video games are bringing stories to life in ways that are immediate, interactive, and immersive. Focusing on some of the best and most memorable experiences in gaming, The Greatest Stories Ever Played examines the relationship between gaming and storytelling in a new way.

When we think about the future, it can be difficult to feel that we have any control. We aren't confident that we can take actions and make decisions that help determine what happens next. We want to feel prepared, hopeful and equipped and to face the future with optimism. Or, better yet, change the future. But how do we map out our lives when it feels impossible to predict what the world will be like next week, let alone next year? Jane McGonigal, a renowned future forecaster, reveals that 'unimaginable' events aren't unimaginable before they happen.

Become a master of Spades and dominate every game! Have you always been enthralled by the game of Spades? Do you wish you could find a resource to explain it in detail? Are you sick and tired of losing and prepared to take over every game like the boss you know you can be? This clear and concise guide will take you by the hand and show you the A to Z of Spades. It will demystify every concept and show you how to walk away from most tables holding your head high because you’ve won a game for the umpteenth time. In this book, you will: Discover the fascinating origins of the game of Spades....

Sophomore high school student Lorali Mathews has one goal: win a scholarship to play volleyball at a Division One school. The only thing standing in her way? A losing streak. A toxic teammate. A murderous man. A distracting boy. Yucky kale chips .... oh yeah, and about four inches in height.And it doesn't help that her aunt-- who inspired her love for volleyball-- passed away in an unfortunate accident. What good will Lorali do to her aunt's legacy if she doesn't take her dreams all the way to college? But with a teammate harboring a dangerous secret, one that could endanger that teammate's...

One Friday morning, Annabel's wish comes true when she wakes up and realizes she's turned into her mother! But after a major washing-machine mishap, losing Ape Face, and a terrible teacher conference, Annabel starts to suspect that being an adult is not as much fun as it seems. One thing's for certain: this is one freaky Friday she'll never forget!

Bill McKibben’s groundbreaking book The End of Nature - issued in dozens of languages and long regarded as a classic - was the first book to alert us to global warming. But the danger is broader than that: Even as climate change shrinks the space where our civilization can exist, new technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics threaten to bleach away the variety of human experience. Falter tells the story of these converging trends and of the ideological fervor that keeps us from bringing them under control.

Life is boring: filled with meetings and traffic, errands and emails. Nothing we'd ever call fun. But what if we've gotten fun wrong? In Play Anything, visionary game designer and philosopher Ian Bogost shows how we can overcome our daily anxiety; transforming the boring, ordinary world around us into one of endless, playful possibilities. The key to this playful mindset lies in discovering the secret truth of fun and games.

Le début de l’été n’a pas été de tout repos pour les BFF. Torbinouche (comme dirait Émy), la seconde moitié s’annonce tout aussi difficile ! Il suffit parfois de peu de choses pour basculer dans la dépendance. Pour Nadeige, un simple jeu vidéo est à l’origine de bien des dérapages. Nuit et jour, elle rêve de massacrer des monstres, de terminer des niveaux et de gagner des bâtons lumineux. Mais pendant ce temps, elle passe à côté de la vraie vie.

It’s bad enough that Mom and Dad are going on a trip without Judy and Stink and leaving them in the care of Aunt Awful (er, Opal). Now two of Judy’s friends are going Splitsville, too! Just when it looks like her summer is going to be the boringest, snoringest ever, Judy concocts a THRILL-a-delic plan. Judy Moody and Frank Pearl dive headlong into nonstop action in pursuit of the Judy Moodiest summer ever! Based on a screenplay by Megan McDonald and Kathy Waugh, Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer will take listeners on a totally awesome adventure – RARE!

She doesn't need a hero. She is a hero. On a planet called Etheria, two forces battle for control. The Horde, with its skillfully trained soldiers and advanced technology, has one goal: to conquer all of Etheria in the name of Hordak. The other force, the Rebellion, is made up of princesses and has been fighting to maintain harmony and freedom for all of Etheria's people. Hidden among them all is a hero to be. Her destiny was written by the First Ones a thousand years ago. Now she is about to rise again.

In a time of sweeping media change, the four major networks struggle for the attention of American viewers increasingly distracted by cable, video games, and the Internet. Behind boardroom doors, tempers flare in the search for hit shows, which often get on the air purely by accident. The fierce competition creates a pressure-cooker environment where anything can happen.

George R. R. Martin's New York Times best-selling epic fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, and the HBO television show adapted from it, have earned critical acclaim and inspired fanatic devotion. This book delves into the many philosophical questions that arise in this complex, character-driven series, including: Is it right for a "good" king to usurp the throne of a "bad" one and murder his family? How far should you go to protect your family and its secrets?

Over 90 percent of couples experience some level of tension around money. In fact, money issues are the number one stressor in relationships. So many books try to fix the surface problems, such as how to budget and what to prioritize when it comes to finances, but the issues go much deeper than just a simple spreadsheet. How do men and women view money differently? What do most couples fight about? How can they get on the same page?