The Book of Fun An Illustrated History of Having a Good Time

In The Book of Fun, Polygon co-founder Russ Frushtick divulges the hidden backstories and fascinating facts about your favorite video games, theme parks, festivals, sports, and more. With 80+ digestible, entertaining entries, it's not justfodder for your next dinner party - you might also discover your next great pastime, be it jousting, stunt acting, cheese rolling, or Swedish Bunny Hopping.
For fans of pop-history, pop-science, and the many things mankind has invented to waste time, The Book of Fun explores:Board Games: The world's oldest tabletop games(Senet, Go,Chess) and its most enduringly popular (Monopoly, Dungeons & Dragons, Settlers of Catan)Toys: The history of yourfavorite playthings, like Barbie,Beanie Babies, Slinky,Furby, and LEGOVideo Games: The console wars of the '90s, the birth of game streaming, and unexpected Pokémon Go consequencesTheme Parks: Stories behind Coney Island's Cyclone, Disneyland's opening-day woes, and the bizarre parks built in a nuclear power plant and a Soviet bunkerSports: The most fascinating athletic endeavorsacross the globe, from gladiatorial battles to Lucha Libre, pumpkin boat racing, and sumo wrestlingStunts: Harry Houdini, Evel Knievel, Jackie Chan, and the incredible stunt artists you may not knowFestivals: From Carnival celebrationsaround the world to the stories of Woodstock, Burning Man, and a Spanish baby-jumping festivalDressing Up: The originsof jesters, Halloween, cosplay, drag queen style, and moreRoadside Attractions: Wacky spectacleslike the 65-foot-tall Lucy the Elephant in New Jersey, the Mystery Hole in West Virginia, and the Cabazon Dinosaurs in California