Ergodic literature - Wikipedia

Ergodic literature, a term coined by Espen J. Aarseth from the Greek words for "work" and "path," describes texts that demand nontrivial effort from readers to traverse them, beyond ordinary eye movement and page-turning. His most-cited example is B. S. Johnson's novel *The Unfortunates*, printed in 27 unbound sections—a "First" and "Last" chapter with 25 others meant to be read in any order. Aarseth distinguishes ergodic from nonergodic literature, where traversal requires only trivial effort with no extranoematic responsibilities placed on the reader. The concept matters as a foundational lens for analyzing hypertext and interactive digital media, and it remains widely cited in discussions of nonlinear narrative.