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migalu23's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.5
I love when an impulse reading decision pays off - I borrowed this on a whim and was fascinated to learn the real story behind my most hated board game.
erincataldi's review
3.0
I had no idea behind the origins, evolution, and scandal of this beloved game. It was fascinating to learn more about such a pop culture item. Who doesn't have at least one edition of this board game in their house. I thought the book could have been shortened because the legal aspects towards the end really dragged on - but other than that I really enjoyed getting a behind the scenes look at such an "ordinary" item. When the game was first created at the turn of the twentieth century - the creator called it the landlords game and it came with two sets of rules. On one set of rules the goal was to spread the wealth because only when everyone has the same opportunities does someone wine. The other set of rules was the monopoly version that we all know and loved. The goal was to make people see how bad monopolies are - winning because one person has accumulated all the wealth shows how vile monopolies are... right? Wrong. The "bad" set of rules became an underground sensation. People were making their own canvas boards and adding their own distinctive names and rules. The set we know and love got all the place names from Atlantic City where is took off. Decades passed and a man named Darrow claimed it was his own and sold it to Parker Brothers where it became an international sensation. Only it clearly wasn't his - having been played in pockets all over the country for three decades. The Monopolists gives the inside scoop on all these incidents and ends with the fight over the Anti-Monopoly game - an attempt to go back to the creator's anti-monopolist roots. Fascinating - but a bit long at parts.
karenleagermain's review
4.0
I love board games nearly as much as I love stories, so when I saw Mary Pilon's book on the sordid origins of Monopoly, I immediately wanted in on the scandal. Thank you to Bloomsbury USA for an advanced copy of The Monopolists in exchange for an honest review.
PLOT - In The Monopolists, Mary Pilon investigates the origins of arguably, America's most popular board game. For years, game manufacturer, Parker Brothers, has perpetuated the myth that Monopoly was created by Charles Darrow as a diversion for his children when their family was poor during the depression. Darrow sold the game and the fantasy to Parker Brothers and for years this story was printed on all Monopoly boxes.
During the 1970's, Ralph Ansbach invented a game called Anti-Monopoly and was sued by Parker Brothers for copyright infringement. It was a David and Goliath battle and Ansbach never backed down, eventually winning the case on an appeal. During the trial, it came out that Darrow was not the original creator of Monopoly. Pilon's book explores the origins of the game, the cover-up by Parker Brothers and Ansbach's court battle.
LIKE - The best part of the book was learning about the origins of Monopoly. Pilon is a deft writer and this book is well researched, but really the material is so interesting that it would seem it could practically write itself. The phrase, "You just can't make this stuff up" comes to mind.
The origins of Monopoly are just crazy, especially when the story focuses on the Ansbach lawsuit and the Parker Brothers reaction. I enjoyed learning about Atlantic City and how it relates to the spaces on the Monopoly board. Also interesting, were the notes by the champion players on winning strategies. As mentioned in the book, most people ( myself included), play by their own set of rules. I was surprised to learn that if played by the rules, the game usually lasts 90 minutes. I've never had a game last less than half a night! I need to try playing by the rules next time. It was fascinating to learn that the origins of the game are against monopolies and that it was devised as a economics teaching tool. I left having gained a solid History lesson and a new appreciation for Monopoly.
DISLIKE - Overall, I enjoyed The Monopolists, however there were times when it was a bit of a dry read. This was especially true during the Ansbach trial, where I caught myself skimming, rather than engrossed in the text.
RECOMMEND - I'd recommend this for board game fans and History buffs. If you read The Monopolists, I guarantee that you'll never look at a Monopoly board the same way again.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
PLOT - In The Monopolists, Mary Pilon investigates the origins of arguably, America's most popular board game. For years, game manufacturer, Parker Brothers, has perpetuated the myth that Monopoly was created by Charles Darrow as a diversion for his children when their family was poor during the depression. Darrow sold the game and the fantasy to Parker Brothers and for years this story was printed on all Monopoly boxes.
During the 1970's, Ralph Ansbach invented a game called Anti-Monopoly and was sued by Parker Brothers for copyright infringement. It was a David and Goliath battle and Ansbach never backed down, eventually winning the case on an appeal. During the trial, it came out that Darrow was not the original creator of Monopoly. Pilon's book explores the origins of the game, the cover-up by Parker Brothers and Ansbach's court battle.
LIKE - The best part of the book was learning about the origins of Monopoly. Pilon is a deft writer and this book is well researched, but really the material is so interesting that it would seem it could practically write itself. The phrase, "You just can't make this stuff up" comes to mind.
The origins of Monopoly are just crazy, especially when the story focuses on the Ansbach lawsuit and the Parker Brothers reaction. I enjoyed learning about Atlantic City and how it relates to the spaces on the Monopoly board. Also interesting, were the notes by the champion players on winning strategies. As mentioned in the book, most people ( myself included), play by their own set of rules. I was surprised to learn that if played by the rules, the game usually lasts 90 minutes. I've never had a game last less than half a night! I need to try playing by the rules next time. It was fascinating to learn that the origins of the game are against monopolies and that it was devised as a economics teaching tool. I left having gained a solid History lesson and a new appreciation for Monopoly.
DISLIKE - Overall, I enjoyed The Monopolists, however there were times when it was a bit of a dry read. This was especially true during the Ansbach trial, where I caught myself skimming, rather than engrossed in the text.
RECOMMEND - I'd recommend this for board game fans and History buffs. If you read The Monopolists, I guarantee that you'll never look at a Monopoly board the same way again.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
bubbajones1221's review
5.0
tldr: lizzie magie (also the quakers), not charles darrow invented monopoly.
Framed around the story of a lawsuit for the game "Anti-Monopoly", this book is a interesting overview of the gilded age and progressive areas seen through the eyes of this board game's fascinating history.
Framed around the story of a lawsuit for the game "Anti-Monopoly", this book is a interesting overview of the gilded age and progressive areas seen through the eyes of this board game's fascinating history.
allysonstrable's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
This book was absolutely fantastic. You can tell it was published with so much knowledge of the history of one of the world’s most prolific board games as well as the care for all of the lives impacted by the monopoly vs antimonopoly case back in the ‘70s and even before then. The way Pilon respected every individual she came across on her journey to author this book never ceased to amaze me and it makes me believe that there are others like her just waiting to get their time to tell about another story like this one in meticulous detail and care like the way Pilon did this book. Such an amazing story that is very well told… highly recommend!