Playing Hard is a tribute to the power of play in all its forms — a searching personal account of how play, games, and sports sanctify life and give it meaning.In this moving and wide-ranging examination, Peter Unwin reflects on life and relationships through countless acts of play and the many unexpected places it is found. Through a shared love of games, the author reconnects with his terminally ill father and is exposed to the complexities of his father’s past, of his experiences with war and violence, and of a different but equally powerful commitment to a life of play. From Snakes and Ladders to shooting pool, from an improbable soccer game in the Sahara to first memories of playing baseball under catalpa trees — Peter Unwin examines the irresistible urge to have fun, reminding us that to live is to play, and to play hard is to live well.