Appendix C: The Master’s Library

While it is quite possible to be an expert in games mastership without recourse to works beyond a broad, relatively complete RPG system, Mastery demands that more work be done. The Master/Grand Master GM must have a well-stocked library with reference, research, and inspirational works ready for his or her use at the moment inspiration nibbles—strikes seldom occur! Because of the vast diversity of genres, and the diversity of times possible, many exact works could not be specified, although I selected a few titles from my own library as examples. First, here is a list of essential books, which every Master’s library should contain.

• Unabridged dictionary
• Historical atlas (large)
• World atlas
• Encyclopedia (best possible edition)
• Historical timetables
• Encyclopedia of costume
• Dictionary of battles
• Thesaurus
• Atlas of the universe
• Weapons books

The above forms the nucleus around which the library is built. Although there will be different rates of usage depending upon the game system and its available supplemental material, as well as your particular penchants, none of these books will gather dust. From this core expand in whatever direction you wish. Here are some examples:

• Boissonade, Prosper. Life and Work in Medieval France. New York: Dorset Press.
• Brawn and Schneider. Historical Costume in Pictures. New York: Dover.
• Broadbent, Michael. The Great Vintage Win Book. New York: Knopf.
• Byrne, Mrs. Mrs. Byrne’s Dictionary. New Jersey: University Books/Citadel Press.
• Cavendish, Richard, editor. Mythology: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York: Crescent.
• 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, The. London: Bibliophile Books.
• Donnelly, Ignatius. Atlantis, the Antediluvian World. New York: Dover.
• Friedman, Col. Richard et al. Advanced Technology Warfare. New York: Crescent.
• Glut, Donald F. The Dinosaur Dictionary. New York: Bonanza Books.
• Gordsmith-Carter, George. Sailing Ships (and Sailing Craft). New York: Simon and Schuster.
• Grun, Bernard. Timetables of History. New Jersey: Hammond.
• Harbottle, Thomas. The Dictionary of Battles. New York: Stein and Day.
• Keightley, Thomas. The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves (And Other Little People). New York: Avenel Books.
• Kunz, George Frederick. Curious Lore of Precious Stones. New York: Dover.
• Macaulay, David. Castle. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
• ———. Cathedral. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
• ———. City. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
• ———. Pyramid. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
• ———. Underground. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
• Moore, Patrick. New Concise Atlas of the Universe. Chicago: Rand MacNally.
• Newmark, Maxim. Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases. New York: Philosophical Library.
• Robbins, Rossell Hope. Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology. New York: Bonanza Books.
• Schumann, Walter. Gemstones of the World. New York: Sterling Publishing.
• Shepard, Leslie. Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology. New York: Avon.
• Sloan, Samual. Sloan’s Victorian Buildings. New York: Dover.
• Stratton, Arthuz. The Orders of Architecture. London: Studio Editions.
• Sykes, Christopher Simon. private Palaces. New York: Viking.
• Turnbull, Stephen. The Book of the Medieval Knight. New York: Crown.
• Weapons and Warfare (24 volumes). New York: Phoebus Publishing Company/BPC Publishing, Ltd.
• Wilkinson, Frederick. Arms and Armor. New York: Grosset & Dunlap.

Some further examples, some drawn from fiction, will serve to round out an ideal collection. When an author is listed “generally,” it means that he or she has a large body of work which will be equally useful and entertaining to a Master.

Far-Future SF:	Isaac Asimov—Foundation Trilogy
	A. E. Van Vogt—Weapon Shops of Isher
	L. Ron Hubbard—Mission Earth Dekology
	The Fleet Series (“Shared Universe” Anthologies)
Near Future SF:	Any Future Wars/Weapons books
	Robert Heinlein (generally)
	A. E. Van Vogt—Slan
Science Fantasy:	Brian Aldiss—Starship
	Roger Zelazny—Amber Series
	P. J. Farmer—Created Universes Series
	A. Merritt (generally)
Horror:	H. P. Lovecraft (generally)
	Any Occult Encyclopedia
	Any Witchcraft/Demonology/Magic Dictionary or Encyclopedia
	Any Poltergeist/Ghost Accounts
Espionage:	James Bond Books
	John LeCarré (generally)
	Alistair Maclean (generally)
	Graham Greene (generally)
Mystery:	Annotated Sherlock Holmes
	Murder Most Foul—Warden, Rob, and Groves, Martha, editors. Ohio University Press/Swallow Press (Chicago)
Multi-Genre Systems: (Erroneously called Generic)	H. Beam Piper—Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen
	Piers Anthony—Split Infinity

Time travel and fantasy are too broad to even begin to make recommendations of any sort other than to direct the reader to some areas of reading. All of the above apply to time travel or multi-genre systems. Time travel requires reference works from pre-history through ancient, medieval, Renaissance, and Victorian Era to WW I to Modern period plus ability to move into the near and far future. Dr. Who books and H. Beam Piper books are useful, as is a collection of RPGs in the genres and time periods to be covered. If probability travel is also included, then one must delve into fantasy as well. In that regard, works on mythology, fairy tales, life, weapons and castles of the medieval period, and authors such as R. E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Poul Anderson, DeCamp & Pratt, and Michael Moorcock are essential sources of material and inspiration.