In the mid twentieth century the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein famously asserted that games are indefinable; there are no common threads that link them all. "Nonsense," says the sensible Bernard Suits: "playing a game is a voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles." The short book Suits wrote demonstrating precisely that is as playful as it is insightful, as stimulating as it is delightful. Suits not only argues that games can be meaningfully defined; he also suggests that playing games is a central part of the ideal of human existence, so games belong at the heart of any vision of Utopia. Originally published in 1978, The Grasshopper is now re-issued with a new introduction by Thomas Hurka and with additional material (much of it previously unpublished) by the author, in which he expands on the ideas put forward in The Grasshopper and answers some questions that have been raised by critics.

In the mid twentieth century the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein famously asserted that games are indefinable; there are no common threads that link them all. “Nonsense,” said the sensible Bernard Suits: “playing a game is a voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles.” The short book Suits wrote demonstrating precisely that is as playful as it is insightful, as stimulating as it is delightful. Through the jocular voice of Aesop's Grasshopper, a “shiftless but thoughtful practitioner of applied entomology,” Suits not only argues that games can be meaningfully defined; he also suggests that playing games is a central part of the ideal of human existence, and so games belong at the heart of any vision of Utopia. This new edition of The Grasshopper includes illustrations from Frank Newfeld created for the book’s original publication, as well as an introduction by Thomas Hurka and a new appendix on the meaning of ‘play.’

Bronson's fascinating book about grasshoppers and other related insects--crickets and katydids--reveals how they are equipped for life and how they act from birth to death. Particularly interesting are the incidents and examples that are drawn from his observation of his own insect collection.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1808.

This is the story of a man who, because of a tragic experience in his youth, becomes a borderline vigilante. He seeks to obtain justice for anyone who is bullied, stalked, or abused. The offenses usually cannot be proven using normal methods. In these instances, he aids the authorities by obtaining information not readily available to them. His goal is to help people he has chosen through online visits. Mark Percy had been a soldier in the United States Army. He had been trained in the art of combat. As a member of the Special Forces, he had a license to kill. However, Mark was not a murderer. He was just an ordinary man with a desire to protect and serve, especially those who were at the mercy of a devious opponent.

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