This is Larry Niven’s second volume of various essays, short-stories, and various anecdotes from his 40 years in science-fiction circles. The first was N-SPACE.Some of the material in Playgrounds of the Mind is very interesting, such as his essay "Bigger than Worlds", in which he sketches out a number of interesting ideas for large-scale habitats, including his now famous Ringworld. His recipe for Irish coffee is sure to delight fans of the drink.Nonetheless, the bulk of the selections in Playgrounds of the Mind do not make the book worth getting. Niven's non-Known Space material is infamously badly written. Many of the anecdotes about science-fiction conventions are dull, and will not entertain anyone who thinks the idea of a science-fiction gathering is somewhat silly. Furthermore, a great deal of the book consists of material available elsewhere. Chances are that, if you like Niven enough to buy this, you've already got all the Known Space books. And not only is the Known Space material available elsewhere, but what's in Playgrounds of the Mind is only the duds of the KS series, such as "The Soft Weapon" and "The Borderland of Sol".I'd recommend Playgrounds of the Mind only to those who have already read the majority of Niven's works and honestly enjoy his non-Known Space works.
