An interesting but ultimately somewhat tedious company biography of the luminous Parker Brothers, perhaps the single greatest American board game manufacturer of the 20th century.

The star of the book - and you can tell the author knows it - is George S. Parker, the blue-eyed youth who started the company in the 1880s - with the help of his older siblings - and steered it over fifty years. That first half (nearly exactly half, in fact) of the book is sensational, a full-bodied depiction of a family business governed by lauded guiding principles, with the origins of a number of notable games including "Rook," "Mah-jongg," "Sorry!" and of course "Monopoly." We also get a good look at a number of forgotten games, including "Pillow-Dex" (an unlikely hit that soared) and "Diabolo" (a surefire hit that flopped). There's a lot of glowing talk about "Parker pride," George's personal approval of every product, and how stable the company was for Salem, Massachusetts. The idealism may be a little exaggerated, but it's hard not to be stirred by it all, especially when our modern conception of business is so much different and far less personal.

Sadly, it doesn't last. Once World War II concludes and George Parker dies, a lot of the personal feeling of the book disappears, too. In large part that's simply due to acceleration, both of technology and American corporate interests. When the second president of Parker Bros., Robert Barton, agrees to be purchased by General Mills on page 150 (in early 1968), the book is essentially over. The remaining 65 pages are a blinding succession of push-pull business strategies, endless faceless executives, and a little of the author's own experience. Good luck getting much meaning out of any of it, unless you're interested in a losers'-eye-view of the nascent electronic games industry. ( )

I enjoyed this book very much. Reading it was like a trip down memory lane as I recalled playing Monopoly, Clue (I was ALWAYS Miss Scarlett), Soma et al.

The author has also compiled an interesting history of Parker Brothers. It is an inspiring story about a George Parker, who started the company at 16 years of age, with about $50. Throughout its history, Parker Brothers held to a set of values and principles that served it well. So, this book will interest both game lovers and business students. ( )

Parker Brothers is a familiar brand to everyone who has played American mainstream board games. This book by Philip Orbanes recounts the history of the company from 1883 when it was founded by George Parker to the end, when the company was swallowed by Hasbro (originally Hassenfeld Brothers, by the way) in early 1990s.

It is an interesting story to anybody who is familiar with Parker Brothers games. Orbanes appreciates games and spends plenty of time writing about games and how they were made. It's all very fascinating, the origins of the games and how the company developed. The Game Makers certainly beats your average corporate history. Anybody interested in classic American board games will do themselves a favour by reading this book.

(Original review at my review blog) ( )