A book review of Finite and Infinite Games by James Carse

This is an interesting one, hold tight to your seats!

I read the book Finite and Infinite Games by James Carse as an audiobook over lets say two weeks, mostly in three sessions. The book is...interestingly structured, and delves into interesting topics, from the 'so abstract you could apply to almost anything' to 'wow this is extremely specific'.

The book is a list of definitions, totaling perhaps more than a hundred definitions or 'structures'. The author first defines what an 'infinite game' is, what a finite game is, how they are played, and then talks about the nature of the games, the rules, the players, the strategies, and so forth.

The finite and infinite games are defined at their most abstract level. It's almost a 'rulebook' for guide, where you can choose your own games since each rule is a suggestion and prediction of how a game might be shaped if you decide to arrange the parameters a certain way. To highly, highly, highly (perhaps inaccurately) summarize the author's points, he defines infinite games as an approach to living (or existing) that's flexible, adaptable, continuing and not limiting. He defines 'finite games' as structures with inflexible rules, not-useful victory conditions, and so forth. He doesn't suggest one choose one type over other, he just provides a bunch of definitions and lets the reader make their own choices. Perhaps the ideal combination is to play an 'infinite game' in the long run, and adapt rules for 'finite games' to specific contexts, depending on one's particular goals.

I don't know what else to say about this book. It's interesting, it made me think, and it's the sort of book one can ponder upon and keep reading for months and years. It's ripe for being referred to as allegories, life advice and so forth. I will quite likely read this book again, to refresh the material and think more on the specific points.

8 out of 10 marks, because I don't understand it enough to give it more (or less) yet.