A Cord of Seven Strands (Minor Works, #5)

by C.J.S. Hayward

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Book cover for A Cord of Seven Strands

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This is a cornucopia of creative work that sometimes stands on its head, sometimes has both feet planted on the ground, and may sometimes be caught doing both at the same time. The writing may often be experimental, narrating the flow of a dreamlike vision or describing the cultures in a fantasy world, but the experimental is still meant to me highly accessible. And it is serious art and seriously Christian.

Welcome to the world of A Cord of Seven Strands. Please take some time to explore, and do try to take something from each of the exhibits!
A quote:

"When it comes to games, never try to understand the Janra mind."

-Oeildubeau, Urvanovestilli philosopher and anthropologist

It is known that Janra sports usually last for at least half an hour, involve a ball, two or more teams, running and acrobatics, and animated discussion. Beyond that, neither the Urvanovestilli's logic nor the Yedidia's intuition are able to make head or tail of them. In general, the teams appear to have unequal numbers of players; the players often switch teams in the course of play; teams are created and dissolved; the nature of the activities makes sudden and radical changes; there is no visible winning or losing. There are occasionally times in the course of play when some intelligible goal appears to be being approached... but then, all players seem to be approaching it in a rather erratic manner (when asked why he didn't do thus and such simple thing and achieve the approached goal by an inexperienced anthropologist, one of the Janra said, "Technically, that would work, but that would be a very boring way to do it," and then bolted back into play: the extent to which game play is comprehensible heightens its incomprehensibility). Late in life, Oeildubeau hinted at having suspicions that, if the Janra believe that they are being watched, they will spontaneously stop whatever sport they are playing, and instead begin a series of activities expressly designed to give any observer a headache.
  • ISBN10 0615202187
  • ISBN13 9780615202181
  • Publish Date 3 June 2008
  • Publish Status Active
  • Publish Country GB
  • Imprint C.J.S. Hayward
  • Format Hardcover
  • Pages 288
  • Language English