I've been a gamer since (long) before the internet (or computers - in a meaningful way) existed. I went from chess and backgammon to tabletop strategy wargames, to warhammer and D&D, and eventually to MU*s, and thereafter to various MMOrpgs and other video games (including arcade ones). Being a gamer (and bibliophile) is so integral to my personality that it has shaped me profoundly and colored most aspects of my life. I was excited to read this book and explore the clinical aspects of that portion of my life. I wasn't disappointed.
This is such a well written and invitingly warm and compassionate discussion of how gaming affects players and how they can also shape and inform our interpersonal relationships. My experiences paralleled the author's own in a lot of ways (I'm about 15 years older than he is). The chapters are arranged thematically by subject and include a lot of profound insights on the positive aspects of gaming as well as the inevitable discussions of violence and addiction as they relate to video games.
I was surprised at how honestly and frankly he speaks of his real life experiences growing up, and his narrative is so open and compelling that I really felt a connection and a desire to know how his trauma had been resolved and see if his own insights had applicability to my own life.
This would make a superlative read for gamers, of course, but even more for gamers' families, students of clinical psychology, school learners, pretty much everyone, honestly. This is a really well made book. It's an interesting and enlightening read, beautifully and exhaustively annotated and footnoted, with a solid cross referenced index included.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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