That pesky little issue of subject matter.

I love, love, LOVE Tom Bissell. If there was a nonfiction author who was going to come close to challenging my allegiance to William Langewiesche, Bissell would be that author. Remember our Book Menage about his travel/history/memoir The Father of All Things? The guy is a super-talent.

So when I saw he had a new book coming out, of course I had to put myself on hold for it, even though I knew that its subject matter was video games. This was optimistic on my part, because if there's one subject that bores me, it's video games. Not only have I never understood the appeal (although I do remember playing some sort of "shoot aliens" game on my brother's first Apple computer when I was little), but I am one of those tiresome people who won't even give them a try. Sometimes Mr. CR goes to a friend's and plays Wii, but the very thought of playing Wii games or any other video game is so boring I can't stand it. Again: it's not that I need to be intellectually stimulated every minute. I am perfectly capable of re-watching movies more than twenty times (so sad, but I know it's been at least that many viewings for Broadcast News and the BBC version of North and South). I think I tried to play something once and was literally so bored while people tried to explain to me what buttons did what that I gave up before the game even started.

BUT...I wanted to give Bissell's Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter a try anyhow. And, although I made it fifty pages in, I wasn't able to stick with it. Once again, his writing is stellar.* The man can make even his first time playing the game Evil Dead compelling. And I do get the feeling he's got a lot of interesting things to say about why people play video games so obsessively, and what these games mean to our culture, and how their narrative structures and the experience of playing them leads to their players' other experiences of entertainment, art, and culture. Or, in his own words, "I wrote this book as a writer who plays lots of games, and in these pages you will find one man's opinions and thoughts on what playing games feels like, why he plays them, and the questions they make him think about." (p. xiv.)

But in the end...I couldn't do it.** And, for the record, I still can't get myself to believe that video games matter. But, if you have an interest in gaming, or in youth culture, I would still recommend this one. I'd actually love to see who is buying and reading it, because for the life of me I can't see it appealing to the vast majority of those who play these games. But I wish him luck with it anyway. In the meantime I'll probably just go re-read bits of The Father of All Things.

*I love this quote: "I have somehow spent more than two hundred hours playing Oblivion. I know this because the game keeps a running tally of the total time one has spent with it. I can think of only one personal activity I would be less eager to see audited in this way, and it, too, is a single-player experience." (p. 5.)

**Although I did cheat and read the last chapter, which is a dual tour-de-force about what makes the Grand Theft Auto games so compelling, and how the author played them while frequently doing cocaine. For some reason this surprised me, and I actually have to give Bissell kudos--he puts it all out there. I realize I don't know him at all, but he makes you feel like you do, and that's part of his charm. Even when I can't finish his books I find him, and his writing, fascinating.

Comments

[lesbrarian]

I too have spent more than two hundred hours playing Oblivion.

I actually DO need to be to be intellectually stimulated every minute. This is why I am so bored at work, why I don't do movies, tv, or audiobooks (they're all too slow for me) and why I spend every spare minute reading and solving logic problems... and playing Oblivion.

I cannot speak to other video games, but what I love about Oblivion is that it creates one giant sprawling narrative. It keeps my brain busy.

[Citizen Reader]

Lesbrarian!
But how much time have you spent on the other single-player activity? :)
Seeing as how most of my intellectual stimulation these days comes from trying to figure out work issues, money issues, and health issues, I can reiterate that I'm just as happy to go intellectually unstimulated. Especially since my intellect isn't up to any of the above adult tasks.
Good on you for playing video games. Somebody should, to keep up with what the crazy kids are doing these days. I still say if it's anything other than Pac-Man, I'm not interested.

[lesbrarian]

The other single-player activity has had far fewer contact hours than Oblivion. I'd rather have intellectual stimulation than... other types of stimulation.

I don't like work issues/money issues/health issues. When I say I like intellectual stimulation, I don't mean to imply that I like it when real life comes along and uses your psyche for a punching bag.

What about Ms. Pac-Man? She had a bow.

[Citizen Reader]

Lesbrarian,
What REALLY scares me is that real life hasn't yet used my psyche for a punching bag (not really) and I still can barely cope. Ye gods. I fear anything and everything that is coming down the pike.

Nah, not a big Ms. Pac-Man fan, the bow always reminded me unnervingly of those weird bow headbands they stick on poor little baby girls with no hair. I bet there's a lot of baby girls getting headaches from those implements of torture.

I wish you a week filled with joyous stimulation of your choice, be it Oblivion or otherwise.

[Sarah L..]

I tore through this book in two days. It's the reason I finally upgraded from a PlayStation 2 to an Xbox 360. Bissell made realize how many great gaming experiences I have been missing out on.

I'm currently 80 hours into Oblivion and loving every minute of it. It really is epic.

Being a gamer really added to the experience of the book. I can see how it would be hard to get into if you haven't experienced the gaming conventions/features/stories he discusses, but if you have, it really makes the book infinitely more interesting.

I don't know that the book will convert many non-gamers to gamers, but for gamers, it does a great job of reminding us how great games have become and are becoming.

Another great book on a similar topic is Everything Bad is Good for You by Steven Johnson. It's another great read.

[Citizen Reader]

Sarah L.,
I'm so glad you liked the book. I hope all gamers buy it and like it! I want Bissell to do well so he keeps writing NF, on whatever subject he chooses.

Yeah, I tried, but the world of gaming and I will never be one. Too many BBC movies out there to watch and re-watch.

[Tripp]

I agree that being a gamer makes this book a lot more interesting. I also agree that Oblivion is astounding, although a bummer to play on a slower machine. (full disclosure, I spent way too many hours on Dragon Age last night)

My main complaint about the book is that it doesn't speak to non-gamers somehow.

[Citizen Reader]

Tripp,
Are you a gamer? Do you find it cuts into your reading time at all? Honestly, between work and family and reading and annoying adult tasks I don't know how people get it all done, plus gaming. Although I guess I do that stuff (poorly, mostly) and still make time for BBC shows.

I don't know--it's probably okay that not all books speak to everyone. I don't know that even Tom Bissell could explain the joy of gaming to me. (Although I did find parts of interesting, so I think he did what he could.)

[Tripp]

I am both a video and board gamer, which I think makes me exponentially more geeky. It does cut a bit into reading time, but I think the mental state for video gaming is different than that for reading. I find video gaming better when I am mentally agitated. Either by changing focus on letting me burn off steam, it can cool me down to make it easier to read actually.

I should note that Civilization 5 is coming out soon. Oh goodness, now that one will eat into my reading time.

[Tripp]

Following up on an earlier thread, I picked up Hunger Games from Target, but then received a number of books at the library including the wonderful A Visit From the Goon Squad. So, I will be reading Hunger Games, it just may take awhile.

[Citizen Reader]

Tripp!
Mr. CR likes both the video and board games too, although we don't have a gaming system here. Thank goodness for his friends who have Wii! Yes, I can see the appeal of something you do to turn your mind off--sometimes reading works for that, but not always.

Good luck with Hunger Games! I'll be interested to hear what you think of it.