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The Philosophy of Board Games

Series: Philosophies
Brief Description
Throughout history, people have wanted to conquer, plot and travel across the world in two dimensions. From the murky origins of humanity's earliest pastimes, where fortune-telling and play blur, to modern ventures into Monopoly, board games have shaped everything from how we conduct war to the... Read More
Format: Hardback
$2999
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The author of The Philosophy of Christmas creates another 'stocking filler' for the festive season, telling the story of boardgames from ancient Egyptian tombs to modern boardgame cafes. A beautifully designed gift book on a subject that grossed over 10 billion in sales globally in 2023.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Throughout history, people have wanted to conquer, plot and travel across the world in two dimensions. From the murky origins of humanity's earliest pastimes, where fortune-telling and play blur, to modern ventures into Monopoly, board games have shaped everything from how we conduct war to the art we create.

What is it that makes them so addictive, so constantly inviting to playful reinterpretation and reinvention? Caroline Taggart brings her signature warmth and wit to The Philosophy of Board Games, a playful cultural history that lays the checkered past of board games bare. Covering various subgenres of games including: early games, race games, chess, combat games, puzzle games, word games, quiz games, role-playing games, and collaborative games.

Series: Philosophies

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  • The Philosophy of Gin
    Few if any alcoholic drinks have the dramatic and multi-faceted history of gin. In this fascinating new instalment of the British Library's pocket philosophies, gin is explored through its origins in Holland, where it was popularised by William of Orange; its roots in medicine; its capacity to provide an albeit destructive escapism during the Gin Craze; its influence on language...
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  • The Philosophy of Beer
    Have you ever wondered about the difference between a lager and an ale? Or marvelled at how, with only four basic ingredients, there are around 150 different styles of beer? In The Philosophy of Beer, Jane Peyton, the UK's first Beer Sommelier of the Year, distils practical advice from the incredible history of the nation's favourite beverage. The book spans...
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  • The Philosophy of Coffee
    The Philosophy of Coffee is a short, entertaining, and illuminating introduction to the history and culture of coffee. From the humble origins of the bean in northeast Africa over a millennium ago, coffee has evolved into a global phenomenon that is enjoyed around the world. This book is the perfect gift for coffee lovers, featuring chapters on the rise of...
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  • The Philosophy of Puddings
    Just what is a pudding? We all have our favourites, whether it is a school-dinner jam roly-poly with custard, or a Yorkshire pud with onion gravy, a Burns' Night haggis or the Christmas plum pudding. The humble pudding started out as a savoury meal boiled in either animal intestine or in a cloth. With the advent of pudding bowls and...
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  • The Philosophy of Tea
    How did drinking the infusions of a unique plant from China become a vital part of everyday life? This gift book presents an entertaining and illuminating introduction to the history and culture of tea, from its origins in the Far East to the flavours and properties of different varieties, and the rituals of tea preparation and drinking around the world....
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  • The Philosophy of Wine
    A companion volume to The Philosophy of... Beards and Coffee, this witty history of wineβ€”its cultivation and enjoymentβ€”sheds light on the rich traditions of wine from around the world. An apt gift for oenophiles everywhere, it includes chapters on the development of wine production, from the use of casks to bottles to the switch from feet to presses, as well...
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  • The Philosophy of Tattoos
    Tattooing is an ancient practice with profound religious and cultural significance. While Western tattooing centres on three main traditionsβ€”Polynesian, Japanese, and Euro-Americanβ€”it has been recorded more or less everywhere. Beginning with the birth of the tattoo, John Miller explores this unique expression of personal, cultural, and national identity, the tension between tattoo’s status as a fashion item and its roots...
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  • The Philosophy of Board Games
    Throughout history, people have wanted to conquer, plot and travel across the world in two dimensions. From the murky origins of humanity's earliest pastimes, where fortune-telling and play blur, to modern ventures into Monopoly, board games have shaped everything from how we conduct war to the art we create. What is it that makes them so addictive, so constantly inviting...
    Hardback
    $2999
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  • The Philosophy of Beards
    'The absence of Beard is usually a sign of physical and moral weakness.' 'Take two drawings of the head of a lion, one with and the other without the mane. You will see how much of the majesty of the king of the woods, as well as that of the lord of the earth, dwells in this free-flowing appendage.' 'There...
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  • The Philosophy of Whisky
    The true pioneer of civilization is not the newspaper, not religion, not the railroad but Whiskey! - Mark Twain From illicit distillation to worldwide export, whisky has a powerful and multi-faceted history. Writers including Robert Burns, James Joyce, and Haruki Murakami have all mused on it, and there are strong opinions on every aspect, even down to how the word...
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  • The Philosophy of Cheese
    Patrick McGuigan is a British food journalist and cheese writer, who contributes to The Telegraph, Delicious and The Financial Times, among many other titles. He has travelled the world, from the Swiss Alps to the hipster cheese bars of New York, to write about cheese makers, maturers and retailers. A senior judge at the World Cheese Awards, Patrick also teaches...
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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780712355988

Publisher: British Library Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 23 October 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: British Library Publishing

Illustration: 30+ colour illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 200.0mm

Weight: 600g

Pages: 112

About the Author

Caroline Taggart worked in publishing for many years before writing I Used to Know That, which became a Sunday Times Bestseller. Since then, she has written over thirty books, including 500 Words You Should Know,Humble Pie and Cold Turkey. She is the author of the British Library publications, The Book Lover's Bucket List and The Book Lover's European Bucket List.

Also by Caroline Taggart

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  • The Book Lover's European Bucket List
    Following the success of The Book Lover's Bucket List, Caroline Taggart sets off on a tour of Europe to select 100 literary landmarks across the continent, providing practical advice for visiting these inspiring locations. Discover the inspirations in Austria for Mary Shelly and in Sweden for Astrid Lindgren; visit Cervantes' statue in Madrid dating back to 1835 and explore the...
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  • The Book Lover's Bucket List
    With a foreword by Tracy Chevalier Start with Chaucer, Dickens, Blake and Larkin in Westminster Abbey. Hop on a bus through Zadie Smith's North London or spend an afternoon at Colliers Wood Nature Reserve in Nottinghamshire and look at the lake 'all grey and visionary, stretching into the moist, translucent vista of trees and meadow' that D. H. Lawrence described...
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  • A Midnight Treasury of Frightening Words
    From the abysmal and cadaverous to wraith and zombie, readers can discover over 300 of the most grisly, ghostly, and gruesome words ever to creep into the English language and beyond. Equally sinister terms from other languages include the Japanese tsujigiri (a deadly crossroads killing) and the Dutch bokkenrijders (ghostly goat-riding thieves), each with a story as dark as the...
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