The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange

New York: Soho, 2008. First American edition, first printing (full number line). Large octavo in black color-illus DJ; 277 p.; 24 cm. Very Fine in same DJ. Hardcover. ISBN: 9781569475225

Uncommon in such nice condition. "In this attempt to understand the true inner nerd of the adolescent male, Barrowcliffe relates how he and twenty million other boys grew up in the '70s and '80s absorbed in the world of fantasy role-playing games like Dungeon & Dragons. An unhealthy interest -- The last sunshine -- Come on Mordor, it's nicer than where you live -- Lord of the Ring binders -- The land of shadow -- A journey in the dark -- Being Andy Porter -- Pale exile -- A conspiracy unmasked -- A light in the west -- A suburban dragon -- The gathering of the clouds -- An unexpected party -- Out, daemon, out! -- Vigils -- Pilgrimages -- Moonchild -- The sorcerer's apprentice -- In the cave of the Svartmoot -- Time of the Hawklords -- Character assassination -- The end of days -- Girls and other non-human creatures -- A short cut to mushrooms -- The worlds collide -- The breaking of the Fellowship -- Dabbling with reality -- The shadow of the past -- The lost boys -- Homeward bound. Contents: 1; An Unhealthy Interest; 1 --; 2; The Last Sunshine; 5 --; 3; Come to Mordor, It's Nicer Than Where You Live; 12 --; 4; Lord of the Ring Binders; 26 --; 5; The Land of Shadow; 36 --; 6; A Journey in the Dark; 53 --; 7; Being Andy Porter; 69 --; 8; Pale Exile; 82 --; 9; A Conspiracy Unmasked; 87 --; 10; A Light in the West; 92 --; 11; A Suburban Dragon; 101 --; 12; The Gathering of the Clouds; 111 --; 13; An Unexpected Party; 122 --; 14; Out, Daemon, Out!; 135 --; 15; Vigils; 146 --; 16; Pilgrimages; 151 --; 17; Moonchild; 168 --; 18; The Sorcerer's Apprentice; 176 --; 19; In the Cave of the Svartmoot; 185 --; 20; Time of the Hawklords; 194 --; 21; Character Assassination; 202 --; 22; The End of Days; 215 --; 23; Girls and Other Non-human Creatures; 225 --; 24; A Short Cut to Mushrooms; 231 --; 25; The Worlds Collide; 239 --; 26; The Breaking of the Fellowship; 247 --; 27; Dabbling with Reality; 252 --; 28; The Shadow of the Past; 259 --; 29; The Lost Boys; 265 --; 30; Homeward Bound; 276. Authors, English -- 21st century -- Biography. Teenage boys -- England -- Coventry. Dungeons and Dragons (Game) -- Social aspects -- Humor. Named Person: Barrowcliffe, Mark -- Childhood and youth.