Books
11 Literary Games for Book-Lovers
Book-lovers will express our love for lit any way we can. Our walls are decorated with printed quotes from our favorite novels, our totes are adorned with the faces of classic authors, and even our weddings are lit-themed. What else could a bookworm really need? Literary board games, of course.
Several classic games have gotten bookish twists over the years. Scrabble Book Lovers Edition lets players earn bonus points for spelling out literary words. Jenga's Book Lovers-themed set comes complete with literary questions printed on each block. Even your favorite childhood game, Memory, has a literature-themed version featuring quotes and pictures of book covers, authors, and characters.
From mystery board games to wordplay games, there always seems to be a version for book-lovers if you look hard enough. Straight from the pages of your favorite books, here are 11 games that will delight your inner bibliophile:
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night
How well do you know the first line of novels you've read? Find out with this board game for the well-read, which asks players to name the author or title of a book based off the opening lines. Books fall into one of six categories, so every kind of reader has a chance to show off his or her knowledge. You might be surprised to find out just how much you remember.
Pride and Prejudice Board Game
If you've ever wanted to live a day in the life of Jane Austen's most treasured novel, then this game was made for you. Sip some tea while you race through the board game's town and countryside while you fight to be the first couple — either Darcy and Elizabeth, Jane and Bingley, Lydia and Wickham, or Charlotte and Mr. Collins — to get married. It even includes a deck of questions about the novel. Austenites everywhere, rejoice.
Wizarding Chess
OK, so these pieces don't actually move themselves, but this chess set is beautifully designed. Detailed and authentic, it will make you feel like you're playing real (graphic, violent) Wizarding Chess alongside your BBFs Ron and Hermione in the Gryffindor common room. Not to mention that it'll look great alongside your Gryffindor banner and Hogwarts flag.
Bookopoly
Become the baron of bookstores or the lady of the libraries in this property-trading board game. A classic you know and love with a fun, bookish twist. But you can forget the tired shoe or the lame iron from classic Monopoly, because in this version, you can be glasses. GLASSES. Your inner hipster just jumped for joy.
The Play's the Thing
Break out the wine, because you might need a glass or two to get you loosened up for this one. Collect cards and act out scenes of Julius Caesar, Hamlet, or Romeo and Juliet in this Shakespeare-themed game of charades. Different variations and levels of play make this a Shakespeare-lover's dream while remaining accessible to those who haven't read the Bard since high school.
The Origin of Expressions
Speaking of Shakespeare, we can thank the Bard for so many of our favorite words and expressions, but what is the real story behind those and other expressions? Players compete to come up with the most convincing — or entertaining — back story for everyday phrases. Think of a bluffing-based version of Cards Against Humanity, only more nerdy and less dirty. If you want that, I guess.
221B Baker Street Master Detective Game
If you're a mystery book-lover and prefer Clue over Monopoly, this clue-driven board game will be right up your alley. You get to compete to see who is the fastest as solving cases, which is perfect because you know when you read a Sherlock Holmes story, you're always trying to get a step ahead of the detective.
Trivial Pursuit Book Lover's Edition
You know that when you play Trivial Pursuit, you're in it for the Arts & Literature category. Just cut to the chase and get the Book Lover's Edition, which has categories like Book Bag and Classics. You'll never have to know the longest river in Idaho ever again.
Monikers
Not strictly book-oriented, Monikers is part charades, part Password, and all ridiculously fun. Instead of using your phone for Heads Up, whip out these cards and watch your friends try and act out everyone from Lady MacBeth to Dolly the Sheep. You can even get custom-made cards, in case you want to add in every character from Harry Potter — which you know you do.
Dune
If you have a few hours to spare — and we're talking three or four here — and you love the science fiction classic, maybe you should give Dune a try. Similar to Risk in play and strategy, this dated Parker Brothers game is a 1980s-devotee must-have. Just ask your older brother — you know, the one with the worn out paperback of Frank Herbert's masterpiece. He'll know what you're talking about.
The Great Penguin Bookchase
The ultimate book-lover's game, it even looks like one of the hundreds of classics on your shelf. The Great Penguin Bookchase is a race to see who can fill their bookshelves will titles from all six categories, which can take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours. If you've ever gone out on a Saturday determined to come home with the perfect outfit and instead end up with several bags of books, you might have a leg up on this one.
Images: Wikimedia; Valerie Renee, Jack Black's Stunt Double/Flickr
