Man, Play and Games [Paperback]

Roger Caillois (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 2001 | ISBN-10: 025207033X | ISBN-13: 978-0252070334

According to Roger Caillois, play is "an occasion of pure waste: waste of time, energy, ingenuity, skill, and often of money." In spite of this - or because of it - play constitutes an essential element of human social and spiritual development. In this classic study, Caillois defines play as a free and voluntary activity that occurs in a pure space, isolated and protected from the rest of life. Play is uncertain, since the outcome may not be foreseen, and it is governed by rules that provide a level playing field for all participants. In its most basic form, play consists of finding a response to the opponent's action - or to the play situation - that is free within the limits set by the rules. Caillois qualifies types of games - according to whether competition, chance, simulation, or vertigo (being physically out of control) is dominant - and ways of playing, ranging from the unrestricted improvisation characteristic of children's play to the disciplined pursuit of solutions to gratuitously difficult puzzles. Caillois also examines the means by which games become part of daily life and ultimately contribute to various cultures their most characteristic customs and institutions. Presented here in Meyer Barash's superb English translation, "Man, Play and Games" is a companion volume to Caillois' "Man and the Sacred".

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Well worth the attention of every sociologist interested in the relationship of culture to play." -- American Sociological Review "A book to be read for ideas." -- American Journal of Sociology "An excellently conceived work." -- Social Forces

Language Notes

Text: English, French (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press (August 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 025207033X
• ISBN-13: 978-0252070334
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.7 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #242,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars an absolute gem! January 30, 2013

By ghandoff

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

there is something uncovered in this book that i have not found elsewhere. caillois' mapping of play challenges and at many points, exceeds that of huizinga and other play scholars.