The Monster Manual

I think I’ve decided to write my Dungeons & Dragons article on The Monster Manual, the 1980 version. It is my opinion that Gygax with that book in particular, along with early 1980’s video games, entirely shaped the imaginative powers of a generation.

But I last played a game of D & D in around 1983, and I know there have been many changes in the past 27 years. I have no time to learn those changes, nor interest in doing so; they could only be for the worse. Even by the end of my involvement with the game at age 15 (philosophy replaced it permanently at age 16) the rules and paraphernalia were becoming confusedly complex.

So I decided to stick with one of the early classic texts. Not sure what I’ll say yet, but leafing through those monsters again will be an exercise that creates its own argument.

That’s how you know when you’re a bit old… I can easily remember the details of a childhood game from 27 years ago. Many of my readers weren’t even born yet. 27 years before that was 1956, which would have sounded timelessly ancient in 1983, at least to a 15-year-old.

This original edition is only available through third-party sellers. Speaking of overpriced books, I was initially horrified to see it priced at $1,015! (My nostalgia isn’t that great.) But that turned out to be for one in “new” condition. A few others said “acceptable” condition, which sounded scary. But I finally got one in “very good” condition for $19.95, which seems like a steal. It must have cost that much or more even in 1980. My own copy was utterly beaten to a pulp, of course, and I doubt it can be found even in the depths of my parents’ house anymore; they’ve moved once since then.