Play is not the same as gaming and not withstanding my previous post on the significance of (computer) gaming I’m most interested in a more diffused Ludic sensibility than challenge, reward profiles.

This has prompted me to start a new literary quest.

George Perec is an excellent example of playfulness in literature that most closely resembles the design sensibility of playful; experimentation in structure and content. Part of a larger Oulipo movement, Perec created huge palindromes, playful structure/content – See Life: A Users Manual for a really sophisticated novel ‘about/exploring’, the jigsaw.

This post was prompted by Perec’s 1969 novel A Void. This is a 200 page novel that does not use any words containing the letter ‘E’ (credit here to Gilbert Adair’s translation into English, retaining this pattern).

For many years the book has been out of print and 10 years ago I abandoned my search for a second hand copy. I was happy to see Vintage Books republished this in 2008. It’s funny and a good read, as well as being clever and playful.

PS. Perec’s next work “Les Reveuentes”, ‘used’ the ‘e’s left out of A Void. In this book ‘e’ is the only vowel used.