Social Games

Let’s face it: the digital age has changed the way we parent. So, instead of ignoring what your children are playing or removing the games altogether, Know Thy Gamer offers an opportunity for parents to understand their children and the kinds of games they are playing. By discussing some of the most important movements in the gaming world, Drew guides parents to understanding and loving their gamers through a Christian lens.

The Ender Dragon, infected by the Herobrine virus, has escaped into the Overworld! Gameknight999 and his father, Monkeypants271, traveled all the way to The End and banished the evil virus Herobrine to the only place they knew nothing could survive: the Void. They thought they had finally destroyed the enemy...But through the Void, Herobrine's viral lines of code were able to spread all throughout The End, infecting the horrible Ender Dragon.

Even in the #MeToo era, studies show that women in the workforce continue to harbor misconceptions about sexual harassment and are unprepared to respond when it happens. Lawyer and former ESPN anchor Adrienne Lawrence has learned to advocate for herself and other women. This essential guide helps women navigate the complicated realities of sexual harassment and teaches them how to be their own best advocates in toxic work environments.

Jonathan Rowson’s competitive success as a Grandmaster and his work as a philosopher of public policy have given him a unique perspective on why the great game is more important than ever for understanding the conflicts and uncertainties of the modern world. In 64 witty and addictive vignettes, Rowson takes us on an exhilarating tour of the game of life, from the psychology of gang violence, to the aesthetics of cyborgs, the beauty of technical details, and the endgame of death.

One of Michiko Kakutani's (New York Times) top 10 books of 2016. A funny thing happened on the way to the digital utopia. We've begun to fall back in love with the very analog goods and ideas the tech gurus insisted that we no longer needed. Businesses that once looked outdated, from film photography to brick-and-mortar retail, are now springing with new life. Notebooks, records, and stationery have become cool again.

Those who have been lured by the sound of skate blades slicing into fresh ice and everything-or-nothing attitude of the game know that hockey can seem like its own world. Yet in another light, that tight community can turn insular; the values of teamwork and humility can manifest as collective silence in the face of abuse and discrimination. In Game Misconduct, reporters Evan Moore and Jashvina Shah reveal hockey's toxic undercurrent which has permeated the sport throughout the junior, college, and professional levels.

Considered a sign of the "coming of age" of video games as an artistic medium, the award-winning BioShock franchise covers vast philosophical ground. BioShock and Philosophy: Irrational Game, Rational Book presents expert reflections by philosophers (and BioShock connoisseurs) on this critically acclaimed and immersive fan favorite.

Through the stories of gaming's greatest innovations and most-beloved creations, journalist Harold Goldberg captures the creativity, controversy - and passion - behind the videogame's meteoric rise to the top of the pop-culture pantheon. Over the last 50 years, video games have grown from curiosities to fads to trends to one of the world's most popular forms of mass entertainment.

Simon, Michael, and Lily are playing on a multiplayer server when a strange lightning storm hits their town. In the middle of an intense game, a bolt of lightning strikes, sucking the three friends into the game! They discover that they've been transformed into their Minecraft characters. They try to escape, but they are trapped in the Overworld.

In the world of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, inspired by the lasting impact that books like Harry Potter have had on readers, Kimmy writes a book to help boys grow up to be good men.

Four sports. Four friends. In Game Face, each girl gets to narrate her own story, focusing on their sport of choice. Whether it’s a softball tournament or a hockey tryout, Rana, Maya, Alana, and Louie each face their weaknesses and find their strengths. They’ll confront the overwhelming pressure of sports and the ups and downs of friendships. But with focus, perseverance, and support, these middle-schoolers won’t just win the big game, they’ll win over listeners!

In Game of Life, Kin Lau examines disparate ideas from philosophy, psychology, and religions from both East and West that can engage the individual on a common path. The game of life is to be played in two modes. One mode is playing as a human, which is the mode we are exerting all of our time and effort. For a more complete and integrated way of living, human beings need to rediscover the other mode. The other mode is about our being, which involves understanding the nature of reality.

It’s easy to overlook the underlying strategic forces of war, to see it solely as a series of errors, accidents, and emotions gone awry. It’s also easy to forget that war shouldn’t happen—and most of the time it doesn’t. Around the world, there are millions of hostile rivalries, yet only a tiny fraction erupt into violence. Too many accounts of conflict forget this. With a counterintuitive approach, Blattman reminds us that most rivals loathe one another in peace. That’s because war is too costly to fight.

In today’s society, games are fulfilling real human needs in ways that reality is not. Hundreds of millions of people globally - 174 million in the United States alone - regularly inhabit game worlds because they provide the rewards, stimulating challenges and epic victories that are so often lacking in the real world. Jane McGonigal argues that we need to figure out how to make the real world—our homes, our businesses and our communities—engage us in the way that games do.

Corey plays a special role on his baseball team—he’s their first deaf player! He and the coach communicate on the field by using sign language. Will Corey help the Northfield Huskies win the game and go on to the championship?

Whether it’s playing through blockbuster-esque adventures, diving deep into hidden bits of story and lore, or building relationships that change the fate of the world itself, video games are bringing stories to life in ways that are immediate, interactive, and immersive. Focusing on some of the best and most memorable experiences in gaming, The Greatest Stories Ever Played examines the relationship between gaming and storytelling in a new way.

Language is perhaps humanity’s most astonishing capacity - and one that remains poorly understood. In The Language Game, cognitive scientists Morten H. Christiansen and Nick Chater show us where generations of scientists seeking the rules of language got it wrong. Language isn’t about hardwired grammars but about near-total freedom, something like a game of charades, with the only requirement being a desire to understand and be understood.

Raam Patel is eager to prove himself ever since he didn't make the middle school's basketball team. So, when Hoop Con comes to town he is determined to be there and take his shot. His big moment proves to be unforgettable . . . but not in the way he'd hoped. Raam gets schooled by the camp's golden boy right in front of his NBA idol. To make matters even worse, this fail goes viral.

Danny Owens is dedicating his seventh-grade season to his Super Bowl champion father, who recently passed away. Danny promises everyone that, just like his dad, he’ll dominate the big game at the end of the season and earn a spot on the high school varsity team. Then his English teacher catches him cheating on a test. Even though Danny can retake it, he knows there’s no point. He can’t read. And if Danny can’t pass this class, he won’t be eligible to play in the championship game that could unlock his future.

In this riveting suspense thriller, two children race the clock to stop a futuristic murderer and his plan to enslave the world. In 30 days, a coldhearted corporate tycoon will unleash a deadly biological computer virus on the entire world. As the public eagerly awaits his invention that promises ultimate relaxation, harmony, and community, the evil big-business sorcerer plans to put an end to freedom. Can he be stopped?