Card game:The Game of Authors

Authors is an old and widely-recognized card game. It rose to popularity during the last half of the nineteenth century and continued to be popular through the first half of the twentieth, and one can still buy an Authors deck today. Although it was based on earlier matching games, Authors was initially published in 1861 by G.M. Whipple and A.A. Smith of Salem. Parker Brothers published the game beginning around 1896. Through the years nearly every recognized game manufacturer, and some independent publishers, printed a version or variant of Authors. Sometimes they changed the name slightly, sometimes completely. Authors is a matching game like Go Fish, but without the central pile. Players attempt to make sets, as in Rummy, and lay them down for points during game play. The sets are usually comprised of the names of several works by one author, but in some games they may be musical compositions, quotations by one poet, or similar matching sets. In nearly all examples, the game is also considered a teaching device. Today there are Authors decks featuring children's authors, scientists, and explorers, to name just a few examples.