Games Girls Play

The sports psychologist offers advice on overcoming the obstacles faced by female athletes, describing how to manage the stress of competition, improve performance, and maximize self-esteem.

Illustrates how black musical styles are incorporated into the earliest games African American girls learn--how, in effect, these games contain the DNA of black music. Drawing on interviews, recordings of handclapping games and cheers, and her own observation and memories of gameplaying, Gaunt argues that black girls' games are connected to long traditions of African and African American musicmaking, and that they teach vital musical and social lessons that are carried into adulthood. - from publisher information.

Games Girls Play examines the role that video games play in girls' lives, including how games structure girls' leisure time, how playing video games constitutes different performances of femininity, and what influences girls to play or not play video games. Through interviews, focus groups, and qualitative content analyses, this book analyzes girls' involvement with video games. It also examines different contexts in which discourses of girls and video games occur, including girl-oriented video games, activist efforts to change the video game industry, and informal education programs that teach girls video game design.

Games Girls Play examines the role that video games play in girls’ lives, including how games structure girls’ leisure time, how playing video games constitutes different performances of femininity, and what influences girls to play or not play video games. Through interviews, focus groups, and qualitative content analyses, this book analyzes girls’ involvement with video games. It also examines different contexts in which discourses of girls and video games occur, including girl-oriented video games, activist efforts to change the video game industry, and informal education programs that teach girls video game design.

Can two independent single women in Mumbai, who couldn't have less in common, be friends? When the prudish Siya, who dreams of writing a wildly popular bestseller someday ironically, a book about dating in Mumbai, meets the unabashedly promiscuous Natasha, both their lives change dramatically. Prodded by Natasha, Siya makes the daring decision to shed her inhibitions and put herself out there in the fiercely competitive dating market. And who better than Natasha, the 'bad girl' herself, to guide her through the glamorous, hidden world of the singles of Mumbai? Natasha, too, is on a quest of her own, she wants to find a man who will look beyond the merely physical and value her for her true worth. And even as she finds true love in the unlikeliest of men, she begins to find her self-worth anew. In the charged roller-coaster ride Siya and Natasha undertake, their deepening friendship will change them in ways they never expected. Games Girls Play astutely captures what it means to be a single woman in the big bad city, making for a racy and wickedly charming story of love and friendship.

Aarav Acharya, a licentious, middle-aged professor teaching at a private college, locked out of the warm embrace of his enchanting but celibate wife, preys upon the female students on his watch by plying them with drink-sodden good times. On a field trip to Punjab he succeeds in his lustful plans, when drinks are had and inhibitions are shed. Once done, he cools off, but the girls have other designs. Having tasted blood, they plan to extract favors in return for services rendered. Requests of a petty kind soon escalate into dangerous blackmail bringing the professor shame and financial ruin. By their own betrayed, their own betraying, can the girls escape suffering the consequences of their acts? Can the adulterous professor be forgiven- redeemed in the eyes of his devoted family? Can the regal Mrs. Acharya, gentle in speech, rooted in her unwavering faith, in grief avenge her husband, restore the family estates, and nourish his dreams of a fashion degree in France for their doting daughter? When the breath departs, and the man, if he is not done yet, does the spirit linger and walk the earth till it is delivered?

Girls and computer games—and the movement to overcome the stereotyping that dominates the toy aisles. Many parents worry about the influence of video games on their children's lives. The game console may help to prepare children for participation in the digital world, but at the same time it socializes boys into misogyny and excludes girls from all but the most objectified positions. The new "girls' games" movement has addressed these concerns. Although many people associate video games mainly with boys, the girls games' movement has emerged from an unusual alliance between feminist activists (who want to change the "gendering" of digital technology) and industry leaders (who want to create a girls' market for their games). The contributors to From Barbie® to Mortal Kombat explore how assumptions about gender, games, and technology shape the design, development, and marketing of games as industry seeks to build the girl market. They describe and analyze the games currently on the market and propose tactical approaches for avoiding the stereotypes that dominate most toy store aisles. The lively mix of perspectives and voices includes those of media and technology scholars, educators, psychologists, developers of today's leading games, industry insiders, and girl gamers. Contributors Aurora, Dorothy Bennett, Stephanie Bergman, Cornelia Brunner, Mary Bryson, Lee McEnany Caraher, Justine Cassell, Suzanne de Castell, Nikki Douglas, Theresa Duncan, Monica Gesue, Michelle Goulet, Patricia Greenfield, Margaret Honey, Henry Jenkins, Cal Jones, Yasmin Kafai, Heather Kelley, Marsha Kinder, Brenda Laurel, Nancie Martin, Aliza Sherman, Kaveri Subrahmanyam

Discover the women behind the video games we love—the iconic games they created, the genres they invented, the studios and companies they built—and how they changed the industry forever. Women have always made video games, from the 1960s and the first-of-its-kind, projector-based Sumerian Game to the blockbuster Uncharted games that defined the early 2000s. Women have been behind the writing, design, scores, and engines that power one of the most influential industries out there. In Gamer Girls, now you can explore the stories of 25 of those women. Bursting with bold artwork, easy-to-read profiles, and real-life stories of the women working on games like Centipede, Final Fantasy, Halo, and more, this dynamic illustrated book shows what a huge role women have played—and will continue to play—in the creation of video games. With additional sidebars about other influential women in the industry, as well as a glossary and additional resources page, Gamer Girls offers a look into the work and lives of influential pixel queens such as: Roberta Williams (one of the creators of the adventure genre) Mabel Addis Mergardt (the first person to write a video game) Muriel Tramis (the French "knight" of video games) Keiko Erikawa (creator of the otome genre) Yoko Shimomura (composer for Street Fighter, Final Fantasy, and Kingdom Hearts) Rebecca Heineman (first national video game tournament champion) Danielle Bunten Berry (creator of M.U.L.E. and early advocate for multiplayer games) and more! Whether you’re a gamer girl who plays video games, a gamer girl who makes video games, or a parent raising a gamer girl, this entertaining, inspiring book will have you itching to pick up a controller or create your own video games!