MJ FAQ 3 -- Books
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Last-modified: October 22, 1998
Version: 1.93a
FAQ3. "What are some good books on Mah-Jongg?"
Here's a list of Mah-Jongg books, with my take on the books:
MAH JONG, ANYONE? 1964 by K. Strauser & L. Evans, Charles E. Tuttle Co.,
ISBN 0-8048-0390-0
This book describes the Western rules (not the NMJL rules) of Mah-Jongg. This
is the easiest-to-find Mah-Jongg book in America, and does a good job of
describing the "common" (or, as I like to call it, "vanilla") Western game.
THE GAME OF MAH JONG ILLUSTRATED 1990 by P. Thompson & B. Maloney, Kangaroo
Press, ISBN 0-86417-302-4
This book describes "common" Western MJ, as it is played in Australia (very
similar to the game described by Strauser & Evans). Brief mention of
Classical Chinese rules. The descriptions of the Western special tile
combinations are accompanied by pictures, which makes the book larger yet in
some ways easier to use than Strauser & Evans.
IMPROVE YOUR MAH JONG 1991 by P. Thompson & B. Maloney, Kangaroo Press,
ISBN 0-86417-398-9
Western rules in more detail for players who have already mastered the basics.
Emphasis is on scoring, and pictures of the special tile combinations. Brief
mention of Classical Chinese rules.
MAH JONGG; WRIGHT-PATTERSON RULES 1963-1996 by Wright-Patterson Mah Jongg
Group. (No ISBN #)
This Western game is the one played by officers' wives on American military
bases; it's basically similar to the game described by Strauser & Evans and
Thompson & Maloney but has more special hands, and other specific differences.
If you play by the Wright-Patterson rules, no other books will do! Write to
OWC Mah Jongg, WPAFB OWC, P.O. Box 67, Fairborn, OH 45324
MAH JONGG MADE EASY 1984 by National Mah Jongg League (No ISBN #)
This uniquely American MJ game is widely played; if your Mah-Jongg friends are
NMJL members, you must get this rulebook to learn the fine points of the NMJL
rules (no other book will do; Strauser & Evans and Thompson & Maloney describe
an entirely different game). Yearly special hand cards (i.e. member dues) cost
$5.00. Write to NMJL, 250 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10107
THE CHINESE GAME OF MAHJONG 1979 by Samuel K. Perlmen and Mark Kai-Chi Chan,
Book
Marketing Ltd., ISBN 962-211-0169
This excellent book describes the game as played today in Hong Kong; covers
both Old Style and New Style. Available through www.ninedragons.com, or write
to: Book Marketing Ltd., North Point Industrial Bldg., 499 King's Road 17/F
Flat A, North Point, Hong Kong.
LET'S PLAY MAHJONG! by Benny Constantino, 1990, Federal
Publications, ISBN 962-302-129-1
Briefly (very briefly) describes Hong Kong "old style" Mah-Jongg. Not as
in-depth as Perlmen & Chan. Write to: Federal Publications Ltd., Units 903-905,
Tower B, 9/F, Hunghom Commercial Centre, 37 Ma Tau Wai Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon,
Hong Kong. Tel 334-2421.
THE HAPPY GAME OF MAH-JONG by David H. Li, Premier Publishing, ISBN
0-9637852-3-0
Teaches the Hong Kong "old style" game. Premier Publishing, Box 341267,
Bethesda MD 20827
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF MAH-JONGG 1987 by A.D. Millington, Wiedenfeld & Nicolson,
ISBN 0-213-16951-7
Describes Classical Chinese Mah-Jongg and gives an excellent history of the
evolution of Mah-Jongg in the twentieth century. Book is widely available in
English-speaking countries other than America. See if you can find it on the
Internet -- this book is a treasure for students of the classical game.
A MAH JONG HANDBOOK 1964 by E. Whitney, Charles E. Tuttle Co., ISBN
0-8048-0392-7
This book describes the classic Chinese, Western, and Japanese rules as they
were
30 years ago. If you are a newbie, don't get this book (it's too hard to pick
out the rules for the game you want to learn from the two games you don't want
to learn). This book is, however, an excellent reference for those already
knowledgeable in various ways of playing Mah-Jongg.
MAH JONG FOR BEGINNERS 1952 by S. Kanai & M. Farrell, Charles E. Tuttle Co.,
ISBN 0-8048-0391-9
This book describes the classic Japanese rules as they were 45 years ago. This
book introduces the beginner to the basics of the Japanese game, but few in
Japan play the game this way today. New rules (Reach and Dora, for example)
are not described in this book.
THE GAME OF MAHJONG 1974 by Max Robertson, Whitcoulis (New Zealand), ISBN 0
7233 0306 1
These rules are widely used in English-speaking countries outside North
America. I have not yet managed to lay my hands on a copy.
BOARD AND TABLE GAMES FROM MANY CIVILIZATIONS, by R. C. Bell, Dover (New York)
ISBN 0-486-23855-5
Two volumes; includes Sap Tim Pun (Ten and a Half), which can be played with
cards or Mah-Jongg tiles. I haven't seen this book.
THE NEW GAMES TREASURY by Merilyn Simonds Mohr, Chalice Press (Houghton
Mifflin) ISBN 1-576-30058-7
Describes numerous games (not just Mah-Jongg). I haven't seen this book.
THE FORTUNE TELLER'S MAH JONGG, by Derek Walters, Eddison-Sadd Edition,
Viking Penguin, 1994, ISBN 0-670-85640-1.
Describes ways to tell the future with Mah-Jongg cards (a deck is included with
the book). There is a 2-page description of how to play Mah-Jongg (an
abbreviated version of classical Chinese).
Here are some more books too -- I can't comment on them because I haven't seen
them, and I can't provide ISBN #s because I don't have any:
Bell, R. C. (Robert Charles), Mah jong / 2nd ed.
Aylesbury : Shire Publications, 1978. 48 p. : ill. ; 18 cm.
Gelbman, Alain, Mah jong: One step at a time.
Ishi Press, 1991. 50 p. : ill.
Hammer, Marcia, Learn to play mah jongg : from beginner to winner.
New York : D. McKay Co., c1979. xii, 143 p. : ill. ; 21 cm.
Headley, Gwyn, Mah-jong.
Wakefield : EP Publishing ; New York : distributed by Sterling Pub. Co., 1978.
36 p. : ill. ; 14 x 21 cm.
The Complete Book of Indoor Games, Peter D. Arnold, England, 1982.
British equivalent of Scarne's Encyclopedia of Games. Emphasizes quality over
quantity, taking
time to show sample games and give strategies for all the games described.
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No need to read further. The important stuff is above.
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