Unlike other books of card games, this is not primarily a book of rules or advice on improving play. Rather it is a survey of the origins and development of games, examining their popularity and social implications over time, their rituals and etiquette, why cards as designed as they are and how the games interrelate. Many of the myths about card games are exploded, such as that they are rooted in fortune-telling, they are synonymous with gambling, they were introduced to Europe by Marco Polo, or gypsies, or crusaders, or that all card games have unalterable, official rules. Some unusual games are described for the first time, while strange new light is cast on even the best-known games, like Bridge, Poker, Cribbage and Knockout Whist.