The Game Changers

Why is playing games a universal human instinct? And how can those games make your life happier, healthier and more fulfilled? In this fascinating look at games through the ages, Tim Clare explores how, through play, we become fully ourselves. From Roman anti-cheating devices to organised crime card syndicates, from Pokémon's world domination to the combative domestic bonding ritual of Monopoly, The Game Changers explains why games are more popular now than ever, and how playing them helps us learn to be better losers, make smarter decisions and become more human.

Tim Clare is an award-winning writer, poet and creative-writing podcaster. He is the author of We Can't All Be Astronauts and Coward, and the novels The Honours and The Ice House. He has performed his work at festivals and clubs across the world, on BBC TV and radio. Tim has also written for the Guardian, Times, Independent and Big Issue, and presents the creative-writing podcast Death Of 1,000 Cuts. @timclarepoet | timclarepoet.co.uk