Carse's metaphor of life serves almost everything the book touches on-- garbage, the role of artists in culture, sex, the nature of genius, politics, gardening. "The exercise of power always presupposes resistance." "The creative is found in anyone who is prepared for surprise. Such a person cannot go to school to be an artist, but can only go to school as an artist." Written in 101 numbered sections, the book spells out life as a series of finite games (short competitive contests of any kind, ending in titles, which we forget we only participate in by choice) and infinite games (open-ended, cooperative playing whose only goal is continuance). The last section of the book, one sentence long, is the key to the whole thing. Read the book and find it!

"Finite and Infinite Games" is loving without being religious, anti-authoritarian without being revolutionary. Is it the leisure-philosophy of a privileged group in society, of no use to those actually oppressed by what Carse calls 'finite games'? Or is it an avenue toward freedom for anyone who reads?

Am now curious to read Carse's other work, and see how this jolly fellow lived the principles he spells out here.