the sub-title tells it all about this book; eighty short chapters describe games old and new worldwide. the author gives enough of a description to understand a game (backgammon now makes some sense) and discusses the mathematics underlying the game. he also gives hints on strategies to win. this book offers a wide range of games, including ancient ones, games played with cards, and games played on boards and computers. it includes a selection of both competitive and cooperative games. persist to the end for a thoughtful discussion of the role of games in life and culture and the impact of computers playing games with humans and with themselves.