Thurs., March 31
The Ascent of Geek Culture

For a time in the late 70s and early 80s, playing Dungeons and Dragons meant engaging in sinister, secret activities behind closed doors. Groups of teens were thought to worship the devil and conjure demons through dice rolling, role-playing, and sword-wielding. But once the danger wore off and public interest waned, what remained was a bunch of brainy, imaginative kids rolling dice and drawing maps in their parents' basement, embarking on otherworldly adventures while never glimpsing a fresh ray of sunlight.

But even the most devoted gamers tend to move on from roleplaying after a while. Life's eventualities ensue: socializing, school, lovers, jobs, and kids take center stage, and orcs, wizards and gaming quests take a back seat. But not for Somerville author Ethan Gilsdorf. He's rekindled his love affair with all things fantasy, from Dungeons and Dragons to video games, Rennaissance fairs to sprawling fantasy epics on the big screen. And he's not alone. In the era of Harry Potter, World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, and Lord of the Rings, people of all ages, jocks and geeks alike, are discovering how fun it is to sit back and geek out. Ethan Gilsdorf says D&D changed his life -- and he might have you dusting off the dice after you hear what he has to say.