Books About Monopoly Part Two

I thought that the history of Monopoly would have been thoroughly covered in the Game Makers book and the Billion Dollars Monopoly Swindle. But it seems that there is more to tell about Monopoly's story. There is yet another book that I have to get. It has not arrived to Australia yet, but it's available in the USA. It is called Monopoly: The Story Behind the World's Best-Selling Game, and it was written in 2004 by Rod Kennedy.


Not having read the book itself, I had to rely on the reviews found in Amazon. Basically, this book is a bit more than just a compilation of the history already disclosed by the previously discussed books.

Perhaps it is a third approach? A mid way sort of thing? I would really like to know.

I mean, Marvin Kaye disclosed back in the 1970s that the origins of Monopoly dated back beyond the years when Charles Darrow claimed to have come up with the idea for this game.


Kaye's book is called Story of Monopoly, Silly Putty, Bingo Twister, Frisbee, Scrabble, Etcetera, and it is a very instructive book that tells the story not only of Monopoly, but also of other very well known games as well. One of the most amazing stories I read in that book was how the creator of Lionel Trains was also the inventor of what later on became known as the Eveready Flashlight. Well, he invented a prototype for a light that would illuminate flower pots (!?), and whilst the invention was selling, a friend of his saw another use for it, bought the rights for the gadget, and promoted it as a torch!).