Download or read book Playthings in Early Modernity written by Allison Levy and published by Medieval Institute Publications. This book was released on 2017-02-22 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An innovative volume of fifteen interdisciplinary essays at the nexus of material culture, performance studies, and game theory, Playthings in Early Modernity emphasizes the rules of the game(s) as well as the breaking of those rules. Thus, the titular "plaything" is understood as both an object and a person, and play, in the early modern world, is treated not merely as a pastime, a leisurely pursuit, but as a pivotal part of daily life, a strategic psychosocial endeavor.