Sid Meier's Memoir!: A Life in Computer Games

Meier is one of the most recognizable names in the computer gaming industry today. He is best known for his 1991 creation and production of Sid Meier's Civilization, a strategic game that has since become a major game franchise, selling millions of copies worldwide. This well-written memoir can not only serve as a detailed autobiography, but can also be viewed as a scholarly, thorough description of the modern gaming industry and its associated culture. Beginning with short reflections of the author's early life and college experiences, the chapters evolve into wonderfully detailed descriptions of his gaming philosophies and the creative processes that went into the development of each of his games up to the present time. He also depicts learning more about his family's Dutch and Swiss heritage; his childhood as a first-generation immigrant in Canada; and being technically Canadian but culturally American. Each chapter concludes with humorous, warm, and thoughtful reflections of learned life lessons. Most notable, however, is the constantly recurring theme that, to be meaningful to someone, a game must contain a "series of interesting decisions."