With tongue-in-cheek humor, the creator of the award-winning Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress takes on the self-help section, proving that the benefits of the Dungeons & Dragons® game goes far beyond simple entertainment.
Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Dungeons & Dragons
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About the Author
SHELLY MAZZANOBLE is the author of Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress and writes a monthly column for Dragon® magazine. Her short stories and essays have appeared in The Seattle Times, Carve, Whetstone, Skirt!, and SomeOtherMagazine.com. Originally from Upstate New York and a graduate of Ithaca College, she now lives in Seattle with a bipolar cat and sometimes a foster dog.
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More About the Author
Shelly Mazzanoble's short stories and essays have appeared in The Seattle Times, Carve, Whetstone, Skirt!, SomeOtherMagazine.com, and Dragon. In a fit of narcissism, she has appeared in her own work, casting herself as the lead in her play, Blue Malls, which was produced in Seattle's Mae West Fest XIII. Due to the anxiety dreams still plaguing her, she did not star, support or even understudy in her play, The Chicken & the Egg, which was produced in Mae West Fest IV and later Manhattan Theatre Source's Estrogenius Festival. Her first book, Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress: A Girls Guide to the Dungeons and Dragons Game published by Wizards of the Coast, was nominated for an Origins Award and won the 2008 ENnies Award for Best Regalia. Her second book, Everything I Need to Know I Learned From Dungeons & Dragons: One Woman's Quest to Trade Self-Help for Elf-Help will be published in September 2011. Shelly really loves writing books with very long titles. Originally from Upstate New York and a graduate of Ithaca College, she now lives in Seattle with a bi-polar cat named Zelda, a step-dog named Sadie, and a very patient man who has turned "Harpy" into a term of endearment.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By R. Fenimore
Format:Paperback
This book has just enough D&D to warrant the title, but it is more of the author's experiences and thoughts on stuff than a book about the game. The D&D references usually branch off into light-hearted (in a heavy hors d'oeuvres sort of way) examinations of subjects such as spirituality, commitment, and fashion. Often funny and always witty, it definitely touches on her relationships with others: pets, co-workers, her boyfriend, random psychotic children on Big Wheels, and, especially, her mother.
What gives the book it's real charm to me, though, is that underneath all of the humor, wit, and sarcasm, there is an honest examination of self going on in it as well. If you are interested in a well-written, funny book with a little bit of "self-help" sprinkled in, then by all means, buy this book. It is good enough, smart enough, and, doggone it, I think you will like it. Any interest you have in D&D will just be the cherry on top.
What gives the book it's real charm to me, though, is that underneath all of the humor, wit, and sarcasm, there is an honest examination of self going on in it as well. If you are interested in a well-written, funny book with a little bit of "self-help" sprinkled in, then by all means, buy this book. It is good enough, smart enough, and, doggone it, I think you will like it. Any interest you have in D&D will just be the cherry on top.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I very much enjoyed Ms. Mazzanoble's Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Dungeons & Dragons: One Woman's Quest to Trade Self-Help for Elf-Help.
I highly recommend the book for anyone who played D&D as an adolescent or has kids that are playing it now.
Ms. Mazzanoble does an excellent job of recalling some of the humorous, awkward, and pure fun bits of her role-playing experiences, and, then, Ms. Mazzanoble rolls it all together in a series of credible and valuable life lessons starting with "never split the party."
While many of the books on the topic, e.g., Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange, trounce down a dark road of self-loathing and take some glee at lampooning their hobby, Ms. Mazzanoble points out how her gaming experiences were a positive influence that significantly helped her with life's challenges.
Much has been made of how role-playing used to be a male dominated hobby, and I found it refreshing to have "Everything I Need to Know ..." told from a decidedly well-adjusted woman's perspective.
As the father of two role-playing young ladies, one medical doctor and one chef, I found myself nodding in agreement with Ms. Mazzanoble's points.
Just to manage expectations for the would-be reader, this is not an in-depth look at Dungeons and Dragons. Ms. Mazzanoble tells a D&D anecdote and uses that as a springboard for broader topics like peer pressure, friendship and loyalty, and spirituality. For anyone who has ever played a table-top RPG, the connections are clear.
Well done! I cannot wait to get a copy of Ms.... Read more ›
I highly recommend the book for anyone who played D&D as an adolescent or has kids that are playing it now.
Ms. Mazzanoble does an excellent job of recalling some of the humorous, awkward, and pure fun bits of her role-playing experiences, and, then, Ms. Mazzanoble rolls it all together in a series of credible and valuable life lessons starting with "never split the party."
While many of the books on the topic, e.g., Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange, trounce down a dark road of self-loathing and take some glee at lampooning their hobby, Ms. Mazzanoble points out how her gaming experiences were a positive influence that significantly helped her with life's challenges.
Much has been made of how role-playing used to be a male dominated hobby, and I found it refreshing to have "Everything I Need to Know ..." told from a decidedly well-adjusted woman's perspective.
As the father of two role-playing young ladies, one medical doctor and one chef, I found myself nodding in agreement with Ms. Mazzanoble's points.
Just to manage expectations for the would-be reader, this is not an in-depth look at Dungeons and Dragons. Ms. Mazzanoble tells a D&D anecdote and uses that as a springboard for broader topics like peer pressure, friendship and loyalty, and spirituality. For anyone who has ever played a table-top RPG, the connections are clear.
Well done! I cannot wait to get a copy of Ms.... Read more ›
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Life lessons from D&D. How can you not go wrong. :)
Just like a any campaign, in life there are twists and turns and sticky situations you have to get out of using creative and sometimes unorthodox methods. And when you're a small town girl successfully navigating life in a big city, you have to have a +3 in charisma which Shelly obviously does. Kudos for a fun read with just enough geekiness to make it absolutely tres chic!
Just like a any campaign, in life there are twists and turns and sticky situations you have to get out of using creative and sometimes unorthodox methods. And when you're a small town girl successfully navigating life in a big city, you have to have a +3 in charisma which Shelly obviously does. Kudos for a fun read with just enough geekiness to make it absolutely tres chic!
By Beltayn
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This was a great take on self help I really enjoyed the little anecdotes. I find myself referring back to it regularly, though more for game help than help with actual human being things. I did purchase another copy for my mother who needs a little self help on the light-hearted side.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By videogal
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this for my daughter after she'd read the first book by this author..."Confessions of a Part Time Sorceress." She liked this book but really loved the first one.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By T. Henkle
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Shelly Mazzanoble's mom, Judy, continually bombards her daughter with well-meaning advice and self-help books. Said daughter, has other ideas on what's best for herself.
So the book is a humorous quest for knowledge our hapless author can relate to and more importantly, use. Topics such as spirituality, travel, fitness, cooperating with others, romance and even child-raising, are related to corresponding game techniques.
If you're a gamer, especially a D&D player, you should be able to relate to some of Life's dilemmas Shelly finds herself in.
So the book is a humorous quest for knowledge our hapless author can relate to and more importantly, use. Topics such as spirituality, travel, fitness, cooperating with others, romance and even child-raising, are related to corresponding game techniques.
If you're a gamer, especially a D&D player, you should be able to relate to some of Life's dilemmas Shelly finds herself in.
2 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Review: Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Dungeons & Dragons
January 7, 2012
By W. M. Rice
Format:Paperback
Shelly Mazzanoble has issues.* Well, not really, but she'd like you to think so. (With the exception of mommy issues, to which I can relate.) Indeed, overcoming those issues, via the medium of the world's most popular roleplaying game, is the subject of Mazzanoble's most recent book, Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Dungeons & Dragons. Prepare, as the book's subtitle urges (or cautions, depending on your viewpoint towards high geekdom), to "turn self-help into elf-help." You cool kids have been warned.
Despite the fact that at the outset Mazzanoble appears to be a perfectly well-adjusted, if slightly anal, adult, the book's premise is amusing--can one treat one's weaknesses using D&D rather than Dr. Phil?--and Mazzanoble is a talented writer, enlivening what might otherwise be whiny or self-indulgent workaday problems with her conversational prose and storytelling skills. Mazzanoble is the master of clever turns of phrase and she's perfected the brief, amusing, anecdote, both of which she puts to good use as she navigates the "hazards" of her overbearing mother, spirituality, lack of self-confidence and relationship troubles (to name a few; there are more). Mazzanoble draws on the wisdom of D&D to slay her demons: For instance, she observes the leadership and presentation skills of Dungeon Masters in order to learn how best to deal with uncooperative tenants in her building. All of which goes to show how D&D, when properly used, is not only a great game, but a device for the betterment of self. `Cause, you know, you learn critical thinking skills, cooperation with others, self-analysis, and so on and so on. All from a collection of sleekly marketed products!
That last point is significant.... Read more ›
Despite the fact that at the outset Mazzanoble appears to be a perfectly well-adjusted, if slightly anal, adult, the book's premise is amusing--can one treat one's weaknesses using D&D rather than Dr. Phil?--and Mazzanoble is a talented writer, enlivening what might otherwise be whiny or self-indulgent workaday problems with her conversational prose and storytelling skills. Mazzanoble is the master of clever turns of phrase and she's perfected the brief, amusing, anecdote, both of which she puts to good use as she navigates the "hazards" of her overbearing mother, spirituality, lack of self-confidence and relationship troubles (to name a few; there are more). Mazzanoble draws on the wisdom of D&D to slay her demons: For instance, she observes the leadership and presentation skills of Dungeon Masters in order to learn how best to deal with uncooperative tenants in her building. All of which goes to show how D&D, when properly used, is not only a great game, but a device for the betterment of self. `Cause, you know, you learn critical thinking skills, cooperation with others, self-analysis, and so on and so on. All from a collection of sleekly marketed products!
That last point is significant.... Read more ›
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not what I hoped for
It was an ok read but I was hoping for more on the D&D side of things. It really isn't much of a book for D&D players. I guess it's more of a girls book. Not to offend.
Published 15 months ago by Bog97th
4.0 out of 5 stars
Everything I Needd to Know I Learned from Dungeons & Dragons
I bought this for my son and he and my grandson just love it.
I haven't read the book myself.
I haven't read the book myself.
Published 16 months ago by patricia danovich
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