Mah Jongg-The Art of the Game

First of all, I thought this was a wonderful title for this beautifully photographed and researched book about Mah Jongg.  The authors, Ann M. Israel and Gregg Swain took me on their painstaking journey of discovery.  The lush photographs are a compilation of tiles created from a variety of materials starting with simple paper sets, tin, rubber, and Bakelite, to exquisitely engraved mother-of-pearl and ivory.  Many of these elaborately carved tiles depict celebrations featuring musicians and dancers.  The artistry is lovely with their full color palettes.

Chapter I provides a brief history of the game whose earliest name was “Beating the Sparrow.”  I was always under the impression that Mah Jongg was an ancient game and was surprised to learn that it dates to the early to mid 19^th century in China.  Joseph Babcock, an American working in China was astute and very entrepreneurial.  He became fascinated with the game and exported it home.

Some of the members of my Mah Jongg groups own sets.  Most of them are plastic.  Their cases are aluminum or faux leather.  The Lucite pushers help keep the rows of tiles as straight as soldiers as each player breaks her wall.  But none of our sets have the charm and amazing presentation of the colorful tiles, racks, and storage cabinets featured in this book. 

There is a definite rhythm and cadence as each tile is discarded in the center of the table.  This book “Mah Jongg - The Art of the Game” rekindled in me an appreciation of this lovely art form’s both frustrating and exhilarating experience of playing this game with friends of all ages.

I am looking forward to sharing this book with both my artist and Mah Jongg friends and placing it front and center on my coffee table.