The Shape of Difficulty: A Fan Letter to Unruly Objects

University Park. 2019. Penn State University Press. 1st American Edition. Very Good in Dustjacket. 9780271082424. 7 x 9. hardcover. keywords: Art. DESCRIPTION - What is it about puzzles that drives us to figure them out? In this unique and innovative book, Bret L. Rothstein explores how mechanical problems delight and frustrate us, distracting our attention from recognizably useful activities and directing it toward something that may be even more important. All too often puzzles can seem like some kind of cruel test to be beaten or passed. But according to Rothstein, they really want nothing more than for us to drop what we're doing and play. In that way, they can actually enhance consciousness, as we are perhaps never more aware than when we grapple with an object that refuses to satisfy our expectations. The Shape of Difficulty is an ode to and exploration of these unruly objects-Rubik's cubes, geometric dissections, secret-opening boxes, string disentanglements, and so many more-that bring interpretive failure out of the shadows and allow it to take center stage in physical ways. While many puzzles may offer perceptible expressions of mathematical concepts, logical propositions, and logistical problems, this book urges readers to simply appreciate the enigma of these objects built specifically to be misunderstood, encouraging us to reframe our expectations of ourselves and our approaches to understanding. Drawing on landmark theories of play, Rothstein's richly illustrated meditation on our fascination with objects reveals the lasting allure of puzzles while underscoring the intellectual worth of doubt, failure, and idle time. inventory #44867.…