April 06, 2005

BOOKS: The Jigsaw Puzzle, Anne D. Williams (2004)

Williams traces the history of jigsaws, which were invented nearly 200 years as teaching aids; English schoolchildren used "dissected maps" to learn geography.Since then, they've become a popular form of recreation around the world, and occasionally -- notably during the Depression -- great fads have sprung up around them. Today, specialty puzzle makers create individually crafted works of art that sell for thousands of dollars.

Williams also offers advice to the collector, and basic information on how to make your own puzzles. This book will probably be of limited interest to anyone who's not a games & puzzles fan, but for those who are, it's a solid, concise history.

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