The Score

Mind-expanding … so exuberant and readable that the depth and seriousness of its insights almost sneak up on you

Mind-expanding … so exuberant and readable that the depth and seriousness of its insights almost sneak up on you

Nguyen is lucid , entertaining and precise , illustrating ideas with a mix of personal stories and real-world examples. He has a particular knack for conveying the specific, intrinsic pleasures of his many enthusiasms... The Score is a compelling read, urgent but never alarmist.... I came away enriched and uplifted

'[A] subtle and stimulating philosophical examination of the increasingly ubiquitous phenomenon of scoring systems... advocating a kind of playful rebellion against rules and metrics... I give this excellent book five stars

Part polemic and part philosophical inquiry... profound … If we truly want to understand our civic plight – and not just tick off some talking points – then we should read The Score

Beautifully written and full of aphoristic wit ... From time to time, a book comes along that causes the reader to reconsider just about everything... the results are extraordinary

Playful, fresh ... Nguyen convincingly shows why choosing to abide by the rules in the artificial sandbox of games can help us explore, be open and get exposure to life's richness

Brilliant and wildly original … profound, rigorous and frequently beautiful book … socially attentive, historically literate and imbued with sensual glee

Delightfully irreverent ... An engaging look at the games we play and whatever freedom we might have as we do so

[A] trenchant philosophical investigation…. Illustrating his ideas with lucid philosophy and descriptions of his own innumerable hobbies ( Tetris , bouldering, yo-yo), Nguyen skillfully explores the ways in which humans think about progress, creativity, and play. It makes for a captivating look at how imperfect measures of success shape society

As a long-time fan of games, I was delighted to find a philosophical look at how we make choices in life. If you love gaming, this is the best book on the topic you’ll ever find

C. Thi Nguyen is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Utah, and a specialist in the philosophy of games, the philosophy of technology, and the theory of value. A former food writer for the Los Angeles Times , Nguyen is active in public philosophy, writing for the New York Times, Washington Post, New Statesman , and elsewhere.