Parlour Games for Friends and Family

‘With 130 games both familiar and not, Jones and Tsintziras provide a wealth of family-friendly opportunities to eschew electronics and rekindle youthful spirits.’

‘I was expecting to meet with a wall of resistance from our computerised children. But far from it: they all eagerly threw themselves into the game, and absolutely loved it … It was the same with all the games we have tried from this marvelous book.’

‘Wink Murder, Memory, Charades, Twenty Questions — the authors of this book sat musing over all the forgotten parlour games they used to play as children and decided they wanted a book of games, so they wrote it. With a passionate introduction that calls for the reintroduction of parlour games into family life, the authors put forward a case for family members connecting with each other via old-fashioned unplugged fun.’

‘In this day and age, it’s hard to prise the kids away from their electronic equipment (TV, computers, game consoles, and on the list goes), not to mention you, the parent from your chores. But this little corker of a book should help you out. Written by two mothers, it’s packed full of fabulous games that families used to play years ago … Gather up the clan into one room, choose a game (Farkle, Pontoon, Flip the Kipper, or Picture Consequences, perhaps) and have a bit of genuine fun, and family time.’

‘We all agree that children should watch less TV (insert finger wag here), but Jones and Tsintziras have actually done something about it. Written with both adults and kids in mind, Parlour Games sounds like it should be a sort of ‘June Dally Watkins does recreation’ — a bit naff and dull — when in fact it is the opposite. Our favourite section, Games with a Straight Face, says that “if you are tense … what you probably need is to excavate your sense of humour”.’

‘What a fascinating book it is, there’s history, literature, cooking, lots of humour, and some droll one-liners … Parlour Games for Friends and Family will be an invaluable resource book for rainy days, heatwave days, impossibly windy days, and all Melbourne’s usual weather surprises. It’s a book that every family should own.’

‘This will take you back. Remember when you played cards or knucklebones or noughts and crosses? Or made chatterboxes, those devices folded from a square piece of paper that you flipped open between your thumbs and forefingers with wishes and dreams under the numbered flaps? Or what about charades, murder in the dark, I spy, or hide and seek? This book has the lot. It may even wean you off the telly. Remember blind man’s buff? What about conversations, in which players discuss a topic by starting each sentence with a consecutive letter of the alphabet? Great family fun.’

‘[A] paperback stacked with a paper carnival of fun … Adults will delight in the whimsy of memorable games from childhood and will love enthralling the kids when hauling them out of the past.’

‘A must for all family gatherings this festive season … and it won’t get you all hot and bothered. In a word: Fun.’

‘As the book promises, there’s mental stimulation, joy, connection, silliness, and laughter.’

‘Here’s a book brimful of ideas for family fun — and there are no power cords or batteries involved! Great games and ideas to entertain on holidays — and more.’

‘Who knew you could have this much fun without power cords? I love this book.’

‘Parlour Games for Friends and Family … revives games of logic and memory, wordplay, card games, and role-play.’

‘The book is a bid to get kids (and grown-ups) to push aside the consoles, turn off the telly, and bring some mental stimulation, silliness and laughter, joy and connection back into your living room … This is book for fun-lovers aged four to 104, winds back the clock to remind you of games you’d forgotten and then a whole lot more.’

‘What a lovely trip down memory lane revisiting so may childhood games.’

Myfanwy Jones is the author of three novels:

• The Rainy Season
• Leap
• Cool Water

She lives by a creek on Wurundjeri Country, in Naarm/Melbourne, and always carries a pack of cards.

Spiri Tsintziras is the author of three memoirs:

• Afternoons in Ithaka
• My Ikaria: How the People From a Small Mediterranean Island Inspired Me to Live a Happier, Healthier, and Longer Life
• Twelve Golden Gifts: How a Mother’s Wisdom and Grace Helped One Family Come to Terms With Her Dementia

When she is not writing words, she rejoices in playing with them.

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