T. Quiring

Interesting Look At Gaming Culture, Jun 17 2009

There is much about this book which I liked, particularly the fairly in-depth look at the Korean gaming culture and how it differs from that in the west. It was also interesting to read about the political movements within games and how they have been used as protest platforms. I feel that as a person who is both a gamer and a person who works in the gaming industry, This Gaming Life brings to light many of the reasons why people play video games - for the challenges, social experiences or to simply escape the stresses of every day life. One of the other reasons given by the author is that gamers game to stave off boredom.

Jim Rossignol raises some very valid points on how the… Read more

A Must-Read For Parents of Gamers, Jan 29 2009

This book impressed me from the moment I cracked the cover and began reading. Kourosh Dini has written the most comprehensive, wide-view truth about game play and addiction book that I have read to-date.

In no way is this book stuffy or full of statistics and scientific mumbo-jumbo; instead, Dini uses a common-sense approach to the topic, but he does not limit his discussion solely to children who are addicted to video games. He begins by talking about the positive aspects of gaming, and why humans like to game - to learn and to enjoy the aspects of play in our lives. Play and Addiction gets extra points from me because the author discusses the fact that our school systems are… Read more

Video Games Aren't The Problem, Dec 30 2008

I have mixed feelings about Grand Theft Childhood - it was not what I was expecting in a book whose subtitle offers help to parents who don't know very much about video games, yet it was in its own way very in-depth and in the end, helpful. While the studies and procedures are valid - the authors spend the first four or five chapters quantifying their research and comparing previous studies done by others - I feel that they rely too much on the processes and not enough on the advice they promised, which they don't get to until Chapter 9.

Throughout the book, the authors show that kids are much smarter than we give them credit for when it comes to reality versus game environment… Read more