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49th out of 75 books
—
34 voters
Leaving Mundania: Inside the Transformative World of Live Action Role-Playing Games
by
Lizzie Stark (Goodreads Author)
Exposing a subculture often dismissed as “geeky” by mainstream America, Leaving Mundania is the story of live action role-playing (LARP). A hybrid of games—such as Dungeons & Dragons, historical reenactment, fandom, and good old-fashioned pretend—larp is thriving, and this book explores its multifaceted communities and related phenomena, including the Society forCreati...more
Paperback, 258 pages
Published
May 1st 2012
by Chicago Review Press
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I was not at all interested in larping, reading about larping, or thinking about larping, but two references to this book within twelve hours made me go pick it up, and I'm glad I did. I wouldn't describe it as an evenhanded piece of reporting - Stark got herself firmly embedded in the larp scene for a couple of years while doing the research, and admits up front that she kind of lost her objectivity - but it's an in-depth look at the American larp scene, with a particularly fascinating addition...more
Stark, Lizzie. Leaving Mundania: Inside the Transformative World of Live Action Role-Playing Games. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2012. Paperback. +272 pages. $16.95. Release Date: 1 May 2012.
Full disclosure: I received an advance digital copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
Leaving Mundania was one of the more interesting books I've read in a while. Being a geek myself, I'm familiar with live action role-playing games. Many of my friends in college played, and while I never made it to an a...more
Full disclosure: I received an advance digital copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
Leaving Mundania was one of the more interesting books I've read in a while. Being a geek myself, I'm familiar with live action role-playing games. Many of my friends in college played, and while I never made it to an a...more
The author's sympathetic and appealing account of her initiation to larping (live-action role-playing). Early chapters describe her impressions of the American sword-and-sorcery fantasy worlds that are most likely to be suggested by the word larp, with insightful anecdotes on "bleed" (emotional carry-over between fantasy and reality). I also enjoyed, for example, the commentary on economic inflation in game worlds.
The author takes it as given that (even) other gamers look down on larpers. She in...more
The author takes it as given that (even) other gamers look down on larpers. She in...more
Author: Lizzie Stark
Title: Leaving Mundania: Inside the Transformative World of Live Action Role-Playing Games
Description: Lizzie Stark immerses herself in the world of live action roleplaying (LARP), a subculture that few people know even exists.
Source: netgalley
Writing style: Really engaging. Stark not only describes the LARP scene and interviews players, but actually plays many games herself and relates her own experiences.
Audience: Gamers, geeks, nerds, fans, and anyone interested in any of...more
Title: Leaving Mundania: Inside the Transformative World of Live Action Role-Playing Games
Description: Lizzie Stark immerses herself in the world of live action roleplaying (LARP), a subculture that few people know even exists.
Source: netgalley
Writing style: Really engaging. Stark not only describes the LARP scene and interviews players, but actually plays many games herself and relates her own experiences.
Audience: Gamers, geeks, nerds, fans, and anyone interested in any of...more
It has been a while since I have been able to read for my own enjoyment and I have to say that I am enjoying this book. Of course for us Larpers out there most of the insight is what we already know, but nevertheless being a Larper from Germany there are many information on U.S. Larp that is news to me. This book is well written, both informative and entertaining. Of course this isn't scientific, but for everyone who doesn't know a thing about Larp of for those who do but like to read a fair, lo...more
Wow. Before I came across this book on Netgalley, I had no idea what LARP was. I had never even heard of it before. But after reading Leaving Mundania, I want to try it myself. Preferably the kind with prewritten characters (I think I could be at least semi-good at that).
For those of you who don't know (heh, newbs):
LARP - Live Action Role-Play
mundanes, mundies, norms - people such as myself, non-gamers
Mundania - the real world
The writer did a great job researching LARP - she spent three years g...more
For those of you who don't know (heh, newbs):
LARP - Live Action Role-Play
mundanes, mundies, norms - people such as myself, non-gamers
Mundania - the real world
The writer did a great job researching LARP - she spent three years g...more
Lizzie Stark wrote a fair and insightful account of her trip into the world of LARP. She embraced the quirkiness of the people around her and was not condescending - even when their actions would have been very easy to poke fun of.
I really enjoyed how willing Ms. Stark was to involve herself fully in the LARP experience. Being a player, not just an observer gave her a richer point of view. I particularly enjoyed her nordic experience - the idea of using LARP to transcend the ordinary was quite w...more
I really enjoyed how willing Ms. Stark was to involve herself fully in the LARP experience. Being a player, not just an observer gave her a richer point of view. I particularly enjoyed her nordic experience - the idea of using LARP to transcend the ordinary was quite w...more
Wickedly Bookish Reviews
http://wickedlybookish.blogspot.com/
Leaving Mundania is a non-fiction, in-depth look into the world of live action role playing and the people who have made it a lifestyle.
If you are a regular on my blog, then you know I am nerdy and proud. Now although I'm an avid gamer, I can't say that I've delved much into the world of LARP. I mean, I have cosplayed at anime conventions, but I don't really consider that to be the same thing. I did play table top RPGs with my high sch...more
http://wickedlybookish.blogspot.com/
Leaving Mundania is a non-fiction, in-depth look into the world of live action role playing and the people who have made it a lifestyle.
If you are a regular on my blog, then you know I am nerdy and proud. Now although I'm an avid gamer, I can't say that I've delved much into the world of LARP. I mean, I have cosplayed at anime conventions, but I don't really consider that to be the same thing. I did play table top RPGs with my high sch...more
(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)
Of all the "NPR-worthy" books I read these days (or that is, nonfiction titles with an academic's dedication to precision but with a popular hook to its theme, and thus perfect for a six-minute feature on "Fresh Aire"), Lizzie Stark's Leaving Mundania is perhaps one of the most personally satisfying; becau...more
Of all the "NPR-worthy" books I read these days (or that is, nonfiction titles with an academic's dedication to precision but with a popular hook to its theme, and thus perfect for a six-minute feature on "Fresh Aire"), Lizzie Stark's Leaving Mundania is perhaps one of the most personally satisfying; becau...more
This was an interesting series of profiles. The author uses in depth stories of a specific player (how they got involved, what they do for work, what their relationships are like) to illustrate a point about larps.
I'm not sure this subject had enough meat to make a whole book. Mostly I'm left with the impression that the author is saying, "larps are fun. Give them a good try. The players are not weirdos. Someone just like you plays them already. "
I'm not sure this subject had enough meat to make a whole book. Mostly I'm left with the impression that the author is saying, "larps are fun. Give them a good try. The players are not weirdos. Someone just like you plays them already. "
I picked up this book because I think the idea of larping is really fascinating, but in no way could/would I participate in it. I admire people with such imagination and ability to keep a straight face. I found the political aspects of this most interesting. People aren't perfect, even while pretending, and I like the author's exploration of that.
Lizzie Stark takes a couple of years to embrace her "geek" side and immerse herself in live-action role-playing (LARP) games such as Knights Realm, Deadlands, etc. She interviews players, GM's and provides her take on the games she played. Interestingly, she has a chapter on the military's use of role-playing in preparing soldiers for overseas deployments.
Great book!! One of the best non-fiction books I've ever read. Lizzie Stark is a tremendous writer who explores a subject that many believe is only the refuge of nerds and geeks. She shines a light on LARP, and the role-playing hobby in general, with elegance, and possesses a keen sense of the psychological and emotional value that is a central part of the allure of RPGs.
Leaving Mundania presents a very thorough, well-written and eye-opening portrayal of a subculture that has been maligned and made fun of for years, without being judgmental or preachy. I thought it was a bit dry at times, what with all the descriptions of various rules and the allocation of points and what not, but that just goes to show you just how in depth this book is. My favorite part was the chapter in which the author describes her experiences running a game for the first time. Lizzie Sta...more
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I've always looked down on "larpers" but this book actually made it seem pretty interesting. There were a few slow parts talking about the origins of larp, but the first hand accounts the author had performing in the games were interesting to read.
Blogged on this book: http://mannsings.blogspot.com/2012/12...
A very interesting tale of the author's foray into larping.
Sep 12, 2012
Beau
added it
Great book, a fun look at larping. It takes the gameplay seriously and explains things without talking down to the reader.
Written with great humor and a deft and sympathetic touch, this book is a marvelous and insightful look into a fragment of our culture that is rarely explored by those of us on the outside. Highly recommended!
This book suffered from a few of the issues I had with Man of War (notably the need to do something over the top towards the end purely for the sake of having the book to build to something) but it still offered some interesting insights into an interesting subculture.
I found myself particularly enjoying the discussion of the economic issues and inflation in the Knights Realm larp community as a result of the in-game currency not being pegged to anything. Made me want to try larping Alan Greensp...more
I found myself particularly enjoying the discussion of the economic issues and inflation in the Knights Realm larp community as a result of the in-game currency not being pegged to anything. Made me want to try larping Alan Greensp...more
Hilarious and adventurous insight into the world of live action role playing. I enjoyed her writing style and story telling. My favorite part was when she joined Knight's Realm, causing me to giggle out loud. Recommended for the nerds and wannabe nerds out there :-)
Interesting but not engagingly written discussion of LARPing.
No book about Larp could be exhaustive, but Lizzie Stark does a fine job of giving us the whirlwind tour. She covers both American and Nordic traditions, and speaks to the "IRL" effects of Larping, and how "bleed" can work both ways. A refreshing look at the hobby that, for a change, does not paint gamers as degenerates, sociopaths, or basement dwelling outcasts.
As an American Larper myself, I wanted to read this and see her perspective and incite into the world of live action roleplay. And she did an excellent job! I will definitely share this book with my friends and relatives who don't quite understand why I do what I do.
Apr 15, 2013
Jason Manford
marked it as to-read
Apr 10, 2013
Derek
added it
Apr 08, 2013
Benjamin Uke
marked it as to-read
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Lizzie Stark is the author of
Leaving Mundania
, a narrative nonfiction account of larp due out from Chicago Review Press in May 2012. Her journalistic work has appeared on The Today Show website and in
The Daily Beast
.
Lizzie holds an M.S. in new media journalism from Columbia University and an M.F.A. in fiction writing from Emerson College. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of the online li...more
More about Lizzie Stark...
Lizzie holds an M.S. in new media journalism from Columbia University and an M.F.A. in fiction writing from Emerson College. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of the online li...more
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