Empire of Imagination: Gary Gygax and the Birth of Dungeons and Dragons

The life story of Gary Gygax, godfather of all fantasy adventure games, has been told only in bits and pieces. Michael Witwer has written a dynamic, dramatized biography of Gygax from his childhood in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin to his untimely death in 2008. Gygax's magnum opus, Dungeons & Dragons, would explode in popularity throughout the 1970s and '80s and irreversibly alter the world of gaming. D&D is the best-known, best-selling role-playing game of all time, and it boasts an elite class of alumni--Stephen Colbert, Robin Williams, and Junot Diaz all have spoken openly about their experience with the game as teenagers, and some credit it as the workshop where their nascent imaginations were fostered. Gygax's involvement in the industry lasted long after his dramatic and involuntary departure from D&D's parent company, TSR, and his footprint can be seen in the genre he is largely responsible for creating. But as Witwer shows, perhaps the most compelling facet of his life and work was his unwavering commitment to the power of creativity in the face of myriad sources of adversity, whether cultural, economic, or personal. Through his creation of the role-playing genre, Gygax gave two generations of gamers the tools to invent characters and entire worlds in their minds. Told in narrative-driven and dramatic fashion, Witwer has written an engaging chronicle of the life and legacy of this emperor of the imagination. The first comprehensive biography of geek and gaming culture's mythic icon, Gary Gygax, and the complete story behind his invention of Dungeons & Dragons. The life story of Gary Gygax, godfather of all fantasy adventure games, has been told only in bits and pieces. Michael Witwer has written a dynamic, dramatized biography of Gygax from his childhood in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin to his untimely death in 2008. Gygax's magnum opus, Dungeons & Dragons, would explode in popularity throughout the 1970s and'80s and irreversibly alter the world of gaming. D&D is the best-known, best-selling role-playing game of all time, and it boasts an elite class of alumni--Stephen Colbert, Robin Williams, and Vin Diesel all have spoken openly about their experience with the game as teenagers, and some credit it as the workshop where their nascent imaginations were fostered. Gygax's involvement in the industry lasted long after his dramatic and involuntary departure from D&D's parent company, TSR, and his footprint can be seen in the role-playing genre he is largely responsible for creating. Through his unwavering commitment to the power of creativity, Gygax gave generations of gamers the tools to invent characters and entire worlds in their minds. Witwer has written an engaging chronicle of the life and legacy of this emperor of the imagination. Telling the Story of a Storyteller LEVEL 1 Here There Be Dragons LEVEL 2 Sunday in the Park with Gary Tactical Studies Anyone? LEVEL 4 The Art of Making LEVEL 9 xxiv Trojan Horse xxviii LEVEL 8 xlvi The End of the Road lxi The Legacy lxvi The Road Goes Ever lxxix Gary Gygax A Lifes Work xcvii Notes cxii Fun and More Games LEVEL 6 The Dictator x Index 1992 Copyright A comprehensive biography of geek and gaming icon Gary Gygax. Witwer chronicles his life from childhood in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to his creation of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons to his untimely death in 2008 This comprehensive biography of geek and gaming icon Gary Gygax chronicles his life from his childhood in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to his creation of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons to his untimely death in 2008