Rarely does a book come along that is truly multidisciplinary, well written, and thoughtful. It is even rarer when it combines discussions of cultural values, technology, role playing, history, politics, and even current affairs. If you are a reader with a wide range of interests spanning these topics, concentrated particularly on the Latin American aspects thereof, this provocative and thoughtful book is for you. This is not about code in the technical sense, and no programming tips, tricks, or technical background is discussed.

The introductory couple dozen pages are important, especially because this is where the key word is defined--ludology, “a discipline that studies games in general, and video games in particular”--following the introduction of the word by Uruguayan game designer Gonzalo Frasca. Here is a short history of games and gaming in Latin America, along with the contrasting arguments of “why Latin America(nism) matters to game studies” and “why video games matter to Latin America(nism)”.

Part 1 of the text, ”How Culture Uses Games,“ contains three insightful and well-researched chapters: ”Play,“ ”Persuasion,“ and ”Potential.“ Part 2, ”How Games Use Culture,“ discusses ”Semiotics,“ ”Space,“ and ”Simulation.“

A final four-page afterword on “decoding culture” provides the author’s personal perspectives and motivations for these studies, a welcome note of veracity and frankness in a too-often impersonal debate. The footnotes are current, complete, and filled with items that invite one to delve further. The bibliography of references is similarly complete and up to date. The index is substantive. Again, this is neither a software engineering nor a programming text. It is cultural, political, literary, social, intercultural, and deeply insightful. This unique and compelling title is for those who wish to understand, to debate, and to think about what they do, be it on the development, product creation, or end-user side. I don’t think you’ll find a title more insightful and provocative.