My Bookshelf: A sampling
// August 16th, 2010 // By LordBron // iDevBlogADay, Purpose, Storytelling
Since I missed these “What’s on your bookshelf” theme the first go around, I’ll go ahead and publish my thoughts now that @Quebarium has restarted it for the #iDevBlogADay site.
My bookshelf is a bit different than most. This is Tom speaking here. Smiley can post his thoughts later, but I can tell you his has a lot of comics! 
Speaking of comics, Amazing Spiderman #161 has to be first on our list. Without it, Area 161 (and the friendship behind it) may have never come to be. It won’t help you make better games, but hey…we hadda put it up first!
Next up has to be Jesse’s The Art of Game Design. Bar none, hands down, this is THE book every game maker should get. I’ve bought it 3 times given it away twice. Jesse is our modern day genius when it comes to game design. Read it, but be sure to have a notepad and pencil nearby. The ideas just start flying when you read this book, so you’ll want to capture them before they escape.
Stephen King’s On Writing is a must read for anyone involved in the creative process. Sure, sure, he writes about writing. However, you can apply the concepts and ideas he shares to game making just as easily to writing. I’ve wore out my first edition because I read it so much. What I like best about this book is the insights he gives to the business side of a creative career.
Titan: The Biography of John D. Rockefeller by Ron Chernow is another must read. Regardless of what you feel about oil, monopolies or robber barons, you should read this book. Rockefeller at one time owned the entire oil ecosystem: wells, distilling, transportation, distribution, etc. This is how he became notorious. The most interesting aspects of the book though are his humble beginnings, his rise to power, his singular love (and respect) for his wife, and the fact that he always knew he’d give most of his wealth away. This was one of the rare paperback books I owned, so I wore it out quickly. For a present, my wife bought me a hardback first edition.
Lastly, insert title of your favorite spiritual or metaphysical book here. I personally like this one from my old pal, Jimmy. You can insert a book by His Holiness the Dalai Lama or the Pope or the Koran or the Bible or even a book on Karma. Just pick something that puts your thoughts out and off of yourself. The more you think of your fellow man, the better person you become. The better person you become, the more successful you will be.
That’s it for me. Next week, I’m thinking I may post for my first technical post! :)
Hey, I have Amazing Spiderman #161 too! I’ve been collecting Amazing Spiderman comicbooks since the 80′s.
Although I’m probably the only one who haven’t read “The Art of Game Design” yet–I should check it out. Thanks for the tip!
Yeah, The Art of Game Design is a great book. When I first got it, i was like, “Really? A book on game design?” Those doubts were quickly put to rest.
Sweet on the Spidey collection. Sadly, my comic collection has not grown since high school.
This is eerily close to my own bookshelf. On Writing and The Art of Game Design are more recent additions, but Titan was one of my preferred biographies from my youth- I remember many a passed afternoon boring through the behemoth of a volume, immersed in Rockefeller’s life, borrowed from my father’s bookshelf.
Yeah, I don’t remember when I read it the first time, but I’ve read it a few times since. I’m not sure what it is about him that draw my towards studying his life: His adoration/respect for his wife, dedication to his religion, his generosity in philanthropy, his keen business sense, etc. I could go on. Despite his faults (as I’m not saying he was perfect), there is still much to be admired in the life and ways of Rockefeller.