Of Dice and Men

The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and The People Who Play It

By: David M. Ewalt

Narrated by: Rob Brinkmann, Pavi Proczko

Updated with an introduction by Joe Manganiello and extensive new content for the 50th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, the fascinating and authoritative history of Dungeons & Dragons that “tracks D&D’s turbulent rise, fall, and survival, from its heyday in the 1980s…to the 21st century” (The Wall Street Journal), by award-winning journalist David M. Ewalt.

Even if you’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons, you probably know someone who has: the game has had a profound influence on our culture, and 2014 marks the intriguing role-playing phenomenon’s 40th anniversary. Released decades before the Internet and social media, Dungeons & Dragons inspired one of the original nerd subcultures and is still revered by more than 30 million fans. Now, the authoritative history and magic of the game are revealed by an award-winning journalist and lifelong D&D player.

In Of Dice and Men, David Ewalt describes the development of Dungeons & Dragons from the game’s origins on the battlefields of ancient Europe through the hysteria that linked it to satanic rituals and teen suicides to its apotheosis as father of the modern video-game industry. As he chronicles the surprising history of the game’s origins (a history largely unknown even to hardcore players) and examines D&D’s lasting impact, Ewalt weaves laser-sharp subculture analysis with his own present-day gaming experiences, “writing about the world of fantasy role-playing junkies with intelligence, dexterity, and even wisdom” (Ken Jennings). An enticing blend of history, journalism, narrative, and memoir, Of Dice and Men sheds light on America’s most popular form of collaborative entertainment.

Such great nostalgia!!

This book has great stories, well written and hugely entertaining. Highly recommend to anyone even remotely interested in the gaming universe.

Connection

In the end, DND is a fun way to connect with yourself and the people around you. Thanks for the excellent listen

Nice overview

I am glad the author has updated the book to reflect current happenings with WOTC and the OGL fiasco. Overall, a solid read that offers a framework for the history of D&D and other Tabletop RPGs.

Point of view was personal.

A book I’ve had on my to be read list for quite some time. I’m glad Audio had it available.

Nerdy history

As a long time fan of dnd and history, this book was amazing. The narrator did a great job c9nveying the information and the author provided a history text worth reading. TSR and wizard did some stuff Im not personally happy about, and thankfully the book didn't gloss over that history. It did a great job covering both the glorious and low moments of the game. it even goes into brief discussion about the most recent 2024 version (not a big fan. I still say 3.5 was best edition)