The Game of Authors Compendium - historical reference work on a classic card game
Between 1861 and the mid-twentieth century, the Authors Card Game was a popular parlour game in America. Players collected sets of four cards per author and learned about classical literature in the process. This book documents what that game looked like.
William G. Miller collected over 300 American editions and brought them together in this compendium. Each page shows full-color reproductions: card designs, box artwork, portraits of authors. You see how printing techniques, typography and illustration styles changed through the decades.
What you find in the book
The book is divided into five chapters, each devoted to a period in the game's history. You start with the earliest editions from 1843 and move through to versions that appeared in the mid-twentieth century.
Alongside the images are quotations and poems from forty authors who appeared on the cards. Think classic names from English and American literature. The texts are short, but give context to the portraits.
The format is generous: 216 x 279 mm. Each image gets space. The printing is sharp and the colors are rendered clearly.
Who this book works for
This is not a set of playing cards. It is a reference work. You can use it to identify editions, trace designers, or simply browse and look at the design.
Collectors of antique card games find information here that they will not find anywhere else in this form. Graphic designers see how typography and illustration evolved. Literature lovers discover a piece of cultural history that few people still know.
Open the book at an edition from the late nineteenth century and compare it with a version from the 1940s. The shift in style is tangible.
About William G. Miller
William G. Miller has been collecting historical card games for decades. His expertise lies in documenting game history and making archiving accessible to a broad audience. This compendium is the result of years of research and bringing together rare editions.
Specifications
- Product type: Hardcover book
- Format: 216 x 279 mm
- Weight: 840 grams
- Printing: Full-color reproductions
- Publisher: U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
- Language: English
- Author: William G. Miller
Questions we often get
Does this book include physical playing cards?
No. This is solely a book with images of historical card editions. It is meant to be read and viewed, not to play with.
What period does this book cover?
The book begins with the earliest Dr. Busby games from 1843 and continues through to editions from the twentieth century. The focus is on the period between 1861 and around 1950.
