Of Dice and Men

Updated with an introduction by Joe Manganiello and extensive new content for the 50th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, the fascinating and authoritative history of Dungeons & Dragons that “tracks D&D’s turbulent rise, fall, and survival, from its heyday in the 1980s…to the 21st century” (The Wall Street Journal), by award-winning journalist David M. Ewalt.

Even if you’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons, you probably know someone who has: the game has had a profound influence on our culture, and 2014 marks the intriguing role-playing phenomenon’s 40th anniversary. Released decades before the Internet and social media, Dungeons & Dragons inspired one of the original nerd subcultures and is still revered by more than 30 million fans. Now, the authoritative history and magic of the game are revealed by an award-winning journalist and lifelong D&D player.

In Of Dice and Men, David Ewalt describes the development of Dungeons & Dragons from the game’s origins on the battlefields of ancient Europe through the hysteria that linked it to satanic rituals and teen suicides to its apotheosis as father of the modern video-game industry. As he chronicles the surprising history of the game’s origins (a history largely unknown even to hardcore players) and examines D&D’s lasting impact, Ewalt weaves laser-sharp subculture analysis with his own present-day gaming experiences, “writing about the world of fantasy role-playing junkies with intelligence, dexterity, and even wisdom” (Ken Jennings). An enticing blend of history, journalism, narrative, and memoir, Of Dice and Men sheds light on America’s most popular form of collaborative entertainment.

Author Biography

David M. Ewalt is an award-winning journalist, author and speaker and an authority on the intersection of games and technology. He is the author of the books Defying Reality: The Inside Story of the Virtual Reality Revolution and Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and The People Who Play It. He previously worked as the Editor in Chief of Gizmodo and wrote for The Wall Street Journal, Reuters and Forbes. Find out more at DavidMEwalt.com. 

Joe Manganiello holds a BFA in acting from The Carnegie Mellon School of Drama. He won critical and popular praise for his role as werewolf Alcide Herveaux on HBO’s hit series True Blood. Joe has appeared in films such as Magic Mike and What to Expect When You’re Expecting, and played Flash Thompson in the Spiderman film series. He went toe-to-toe with his childhood hero and Evolution foreword author Arnold Schwarzenegger in David Ayer’s film Sabotage. He can be seen in the highly anticipated Magic Mike XXL and starring in Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens on FOX.