Atari Age

By Michael Z. Newman,

Book cover of Atari Age: The Emergence of Video Games in America

Book description

The cultural contradictions of early video games: a medium for family fun (but mainly for middle-class boys), an improvement over pinball and television (but possibly harmful).

Beginning with the release of the Magnavox Odyssey and Pong in 1972, video games, whether played in arcades and taverns or in family rec…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Atari Age as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Atari Age is a wonderful title with possibly the best book cover ever (for any retro games aficionado anyhow!). Newman researches with skill the advent of video games in the United States, looking at how people became gamers, and exploring life in the arcades, and playing Atari VCSs for the first time at home. It’s a seriously good history book.  

From John's list on video games and popular culture.

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