This is the fascinating story of the world's favourite board game, from its birth at the turn of the last century as a teaching tool, to the global, cultural icon it is now. The refrains Go directly to jail and Do not pass Go are firmly embedded in cultures throughout the world thanks to the huge popularity of a game called Monopoly. Over 200,000,000 copies have been sold since Parker Brothers first popularized the game in 1935, and as a cultural icon it continues to hold a perpetual fascination for its players. In this intriguing book, author and Monopoly expert Philip Orbanes charts the history of the game which, although undoubtedly global in its appeal is distinctly American in origin. It is a story full of secrets, twists, turns, tragedies and triumphs. In its early days, Monopoly played a critical role in building and preserving morale during both the Depression and World War II. In the decades of the post-war boom, it became a ubiquitous fixture in many European and American homes, but in Communist countries, the game was banned as a symbol of American Capitalism. As the world's love affair with Monopoly goes from strength to strength, this is the definitive book about its world and those who love to play in it.