An orphaned girl in a Ugandan refugee camp. A former child soldier in the Sudan. When survival is the priority, something as simple and normal as play seems to be a luxury that these children can do without. But Right to Play is changing that perception. Founded in 2000 by Norwegian Olympic medalist Johann Olav Koss, Right to Play begins at the grassroots community level, using sports and games to teach at-risk and underprivileged children around the world important values like self-esteem, empathy, and peace. Award winning author Gina McMurchy-Barber presents the history of this organization as well as the people who are involved in it - from the children, to their community leaders, to the celebrity athlete ambassadors who support them.

A delightful, erudite, and immersive exploration of the crossword puzzle and its fascinating history by a brilliant young writer The crossword is a feature of the modern world, inspiring daily devotion and obsession from not just everyday citizens looking to pass the time but icons of American life, such as Bill Clinton, Yo-Yo Ma, and Martha Stewart. It was invented in 1913, almost by accident, when a newspaper editor at the New York World was casting around for something to fill some empty column space for that year's Christmas edition. Practically overnight, it became a roaring commercial success, and ever since then has been an essential ingredient of any newspaper worth its salt. Indeed, paradoxically, its popularity has never been greater, even as the world of media and newspapers, its natural habitat, has undergone a perilous digital transformation. But why, exactly, are its satisfactions so sweet that over the decades has it become a fixture of breakfast tables, nightstands, and commutes, and even given rise to competitive crossword tournaments' Blending first-person reporting from the world of crosswords with a delightful telling of its rich literary history, Adrienne Raphel dives into the secrets of this classic pastime. At the annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, she rubs shoulders with elite solvers of the world, doing her level best to hold her own; aboard a crossword themed cruise, she picks the brains of the enthusiasts whose idea of a good time is a week on the high seas with nothing but crosswords to do; and, visiting the home and office of Will Shortz, New York Times crossword puzzle editor and NPR's official "Puzzlemaster," she goes behind the scenes to see for herself how the world's gold standard of puzzles is made. Equal parts ingenious and fun, Thinking Inside the Box is a love letter to the infinite joys and playful possibilities of language, and will be a treat for die-hard cruciverbalists and first-time solvers alike.

The New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically goes on a rollicking journey to understand the enduring power of puzzles: why we love them, what they do to our brains, and how they can improve our world. What makes puzzles, jigsaws, mazes, riddles, sudokus so satisfying? Be it the formation of new cerebral pathways, their close link to insight and humor, or their community-building properties, they're among the fundamental elements that make us human. Convinced that puzzles have made him a better person, A.J. Jacobs four-time New York Times bestselling author, master of immersion journalism, and nightly crossworder set out to determine their myriad benefits. And maybe, in the process, solve the puzzle of our very existence. Well, almost. In The Puzzler, Jacobs meets the most zealous devotees, enters (sometimes with his family in tow) any puzzle competition that will have him, unpacks the history of the most popular puzzles, and aims to solve the most impossible head-scratchers, from a mutant Rubik's Cube, to the hardest corn maze in America, to the most sadistic jigsaw. Chock-full of unforgettable adventures and original examples from around the world, including new work by Greg Pliska, one of America's top puzzle-makers. The Puzzler will open listeners' eyes to the power of flexible thinking and concentration. Whether you're puzzle obsessed or puzzle hesitant, you'll walk away with real problem-solving strategies and pathways toward becoming a better thinker and decision maker for these are certainly puzzling times. *Includes a downloadable PDF of puzzles, answers, illustrations, and more from the book

From roulette tables to racetracks, provides a look at how scientists and mathematicians throughout the years have tried to figure out how to beat the house while gambling.

A surprising, charming, and ever-fascinating history of the seemingly simple game that has had a profound effect on societies the world over. Why has one game, alone among thousands of games played throughout human history, not only survived, but thrived within every culture it has touched? Chess has been a remarkably omnipresent factor in the development of civilization since its invention, and David Shenk unearths the hidden history of a game that has influenced everything from mathematics to military strategies, computer science, and art.

There is a brain-teasing picture puzzle on every double-page of this book. Each beautifully illustrated scene shows a different period in history, crammed with all kinds of people, animals and objects to spot. A bustling Greek marketplace, a firework display at a Chinese palace, a smoky factory town, and the inside of a 1930s department store are all included, plus lots more. As well as providing countless hours of puzzle-solving fun, "The Great History Search" is packed with fascinating historical facts presented in short, easy-to-read captions. If you get really stuck trying to find the hidden things, all the answers are at the back of the book.

The Book of Nature Connection is packed with fun activities for using our senses to connect to nature in a deep and nourishing way. From "extenda-ears" and acorn whistles to camouflage games and scent scavenger hunts, enjoy over 70 diverse and incredible sensory nature activities for all ages.

Everywhere you look, physical play-what some might call "roughhousing"-is being marginalized. Gym classes are getting shorter. Recess periods are being eliminated. Some new schools don't even have playgrounds. Is it any wonder children retreat to "virtual horseplay" via video games? But Drs. Anthony T. DeBenedet and Lawrence J. Cohen are here to shake things up-literally! With The Art of Roughhousing, they show how rough-and-tumble play can nurture close connections, solve behavior problems, boost confidence, and more. Drawing inspiration from gymnastics, martial arts, ballet, traditional sports, and even animal behavior, the authors present dozens of activities for children and parents to enjoy together-everything from the "Sumo Dead Lift" to the "Rogue Dumbo." These delightful games are fun, free, and contain many surprising health benefits for parents. So put down those electronic games and get ready to rumble!

An innovative guide to living gamefully, based on the program that has already helped nearly half a million people achieve remarkable personal growth. In 2009, internationally renowned game designer Jane McGonigal suffered a severe concussion. Unable to think clearly or work or even get out of bed, she became anxious and depressed, even suicidal. But rather than let herself sink further, she decided to get better by doing what she does best: she turned her recovery process into a resilience-building game. What started as a simple motivational exercise quickly became a set of rules for "post-traumatic growth" that she shared on her blog. These rules led to a digital game and a major research study with the National Institutes of Health. Today nearly half a million people have played SuperBetter to get stronger, happier, and healthier. But the life-changing ideas behind SuperBetter are much bigger than just one game. In this book, McGonigal reveals a decade's worth of scientific research into the ways all games--including videogames, sports, and puzzles--change how we respond to stress, challenge, and pain. She explains how we can cultivate new powers of recovery and resilience in everyday life simply by adopting a more "gameful" mind-set. Being gameful means bringing the same psychological strengths we naturally display when we play games--such as optimism, creativity, courage, and determination--to real-world goals. Drawing on hundreds of studies, McGonigal shows that getting superbetter is as simple as tapping into the three core psychological strengths that games help you build: Your ability to control your attention, and therefore your thoughts and feelings; Your power to turn anyone into a potential ally, and to strengthen your existing relationships; Your natural capacity to motivate yourself and super-charge your heroic qualities, like willpower, compassion, and determination. SuperBetter contains nearly 100 playful challenges anyone can undertake in order to build these gameful strengths. It includes stories and data from people who have used the SuperBetter method to get stronger in the face of illness, injury, and other major setbacks, as well as to achieve goals like losing weight, running a marathon, and finding a new job. As inspiring as it is down to earth, and grounded in rigorous research, SuperBetter is a proven game plan for a better life. You'll never say that something is "just a game" again.