Links to a presentation by Jesse Schell, whose book on game design -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0123694965?ie=UTF8&ta... - I read recently. If you're at all interested in getting into games, this is such an essential read. It literally covers everything, from discussing the nature of play and fun, through the details of mechanics and story, to the reality of working with a team and pitching to clients. It really is an excellent book, and has inspired me to start making games again.
Considering it's get overwhelmingly positive reviews on Amazon, I'd actually be interested to hear from someone who didn't like it (I always like finding negative reviews of things I like).