We live in the age of speed. We strain to be more efficient, to cram more into each minute, each hour, each day. Since the Industrial Revolutio... read full description
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Mar 11, 2008
Leaning-Good
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Goodness, the goodness of this book's happened to me by Slowly Reading.
[Ha],
Suka
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Nov 02, 2007
Anna
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Need encouragement to stress less and relax more? Check out the book, In Praise of Slowness, how a worldwide movement is challenging the cult of speed by Carl Honoré. You gain nutritional benefits and reduce stress all in one easy step. Food made with love is healthier. I realize this sounds simplistic, and it truly is. Often we make life more difficult than it is. Honore recognizes it and offers real life solutions. His Web site, http://www.inpraiseofslow.com/slow/index... counters the allure t
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Apr 28, 2011
Kylie
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Two years after I first read this, I can still say with as much passion as ever that this is one of the most life-changing books I have ever read. I expected it to be about 'how to live slowly' and to leave me feeling guilty and discontent as I raced through my busy life of work and family and kids. Far from that, In Praise of Slow inspired me to take control of the pace of my life...to be busy when I wanted to be and to be empowered to jump off life's treadmill when someone else was dictating
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Feb 15, 2011
Juliet
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We live in a society that seems to be constantly accelerating, people rush through life. Recently however the Slow Movement has gained momentum (if that doesn't seem a contradiction in terms!). Based largely in Italy, the Slow Movement advocates for a slower approach to all aspects of life, from food to human relationships.
In this book, Carl Honore, a self confessed speed addict, explores the nature of this movement. Chapter by chapter he looks at a different element of the movement More...
In this book, Carl Honore, a self confessed speed addict, explores the nature of this movement. Chapter by chapter he looks at a different element of the movement More...
Sep 28, 2010
Annie
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Carl Honore, a British author, explores the “cult of speed” that we live in and makes a case for the importance and art of slowing down in life. The book discusses the historical impact of time and how there is pressure to do everything faster today. He explores the “Society for the Deceleration of Time” a group whose members have slowed down personally and seek for others to do the same. He applies this “Slow philosophy” to food and eating, urban design, the mind, medicine, sex and even rais
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Jul 09, 2010
Harkinna
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I bought this book years ago in the airport; an impulse buy. It has been to Germany, across the US, and sat on our bookshelves for years. Until a few weeks ago when we were purging books. We have too many. So it was either read it quickly or give it away!
Funny right, read the book about going slow fast or get rid of it?
The book makes the argument that we all need to slow down, not just with respect to food, which is the context where most people have heard of the sl More...
Jun 16, 2010
Renee
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According to Goodreads, for the past month I have been reading The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. In fact, I went off on a tangent of not one, but three books. I had to return The Heart is a Lonely Hunter to the library, and it may be years before I get back to it. What book do I blame with starting my tangent? That honor goes to In Praise of Slowness, a treatise by Carl Honore on how the world of today (well, today as of 2004) could learn a thing or two about slowing down the
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Jan 14, 2011
Lucy
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In praise of SLOW looks at today's hectic fast-paced lifestyle and evaluates how it could be made better if we just slowed down.
Carl considers health, education, travel,work, leisure, food and sex and surmises that in many occasions slow is in fact better.
He offers insights into his own experiences (which sometimes are achingly cringeworthy- the chapter on tantric sex is not for the fainthearted and is why I gave the book only 4 stars) and also gives examples from perhaps More...
Carl considers health, education, travel,work, leisure, food and sex and surmises that in many occasions slow is in fact better.
He offers insights into his own experiences (which sometimes are achingly cringeworthy- the chapter on tantric sex is not for the fainthearted and is why I gave the book only 4 stars) and also gives examples from perhaps More...
Sep 19, 2010
Chanel11
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With regards to this book it is more about the advised philosophy than the strength of the writing. I picked this up because I was interested in the Slow Movement. One of my favourite subjects was that of time, the opening subject, which started off well with the following paragraph - What is the very first thing you do in the morning? Draw the curtains? Roll over to snuggle with your partner or pillow? Spring out of bed and do ten push ups to get the blood pumping? No, the first thing you do, t
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Jul 25, 2009
Natali
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I enjoyed this book a lot, although ironically, I did get slightly impatient towards the end. Some chapters had a few too many examples of the main point. Otherwise, it is certainly a worthy read! It is about how time-obsessed our culture has become and how we choose quality for quantity in far too many activities.
One question I felt was left unanswered is this: What do we sacrifice when we slow down? It is abundantly clear what we gain. But what are the opportunity costs? Obviously More...
One question I felt was left unanswered is this: What do we sacrifice when we slow down? It is abundantly clear what we gain. But what are the opportunity costs? Obviously More...
Dec 08, 2010
Kate
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I found the concepts in this book very interesting, especially as I have always been a bit of a rush person and am currently trying to slow down my life and take more time to enjoy things. I had already decided to start learning to mediate before I started reading this book, so have been reading two things about slowing down and taking notice of the world around me at the same time. I am reading the other book (a meditation help book) in a slow style as recommended.
I have already found bene More...
I have already found bene More...
May 14, 2008
Shannon
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This book provides an overview of the Slow movement in food, sex, leisure, and even urban planning. Honore does not advocate the abolition of modern living but challenges readers to be reflective and engaged in their world. He does not provide a lot of suggestions--instead, he summarizes what other people are doing to slow down.
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Oct 22, 2010
Larashi
rated it:
hidup cepat dan dinamis?
oh it is so yesterday.
lihatlah bagaimana orang2 kota menua dan mengkeriput lebih cepat. Bagaimana orang kota selalu merasa dikejar-kejar waktu dan target yang membuat mereka stress.
pada tahun 2003 saja, di Itali sudah ada 28 kota yang resmi dilantik sebagai Slow City. Slow di sini artinya pemahaman normal, berlangsung alamiah dan tidak tergesa-gesa. Gerakan ini mulai mendunia secara perlahan-lahan. Dengan Slow Life kita lebih punya banyak waktu unt More...
oh it is so yesterday.
lihatlah bagaimana orang2 kota menua dan mengkeriput lebih cepat. Bagaimana orang kota selalu merasa dikejar-kejar waktu dan target yang membuat mereka stress.
pada tahun 2003 saja, di Itali sudah ada 28 kota yang resmi dilantik sebagai Slow City. Slow di sini artinya pemahaman normal, berlangsung alamiah dan tidak tergesa-gesa. Gerakan ini mulai mendunia secara perlahan-lahan. Dengan Slow Life kita lebih punya banyak waktu unt More...
Aug 24, 2008
Deborah
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Good ideas, good references to organizations that are incorporating the view of taking the time to truly live an experience - one's life. Writing style was enjoyable - clearly a journalist with a concise and perfunctory style.
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Jun 05, 2011
Derek
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'In Praise of Slowness' is a series of short pieces on various slow movements around the world from food, learning, working, excercise, medicine and more.
What I liked was that the pieces focused on the motivation behind these movements, their effects and challenges, which gave me scope to think about how the concepts behind these movements can apply to me rather than be an all preaching instruction manual.
The pieces gave me a level of awareness and appreciation for every More...
What I liked was that the pieces focused on the motivation behind these movements, their effects and challenges, which gave me scope to think about how the concepts behind these movements can apply to me rather than be an all preaching instruction manual.
The pieces gave me a level of awareness and appreciation for every More...
Aug 06, 2011
Very thought provoking. Initially my interest was in the area of raising harried kids; the culture of over-scheduling being the new norm. But as I read this, I appreciate the concept of Slow as it pertains to anyone, in any stage of life. Looking through history gives interesting perspectives from where concepts of time have evolved. In my own world, I've stopped hurrying to be on time, and find I arrive safely and only minutes later than if I had done otherwise. I put the dishes down and sit o
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Sep 22, 2009
Bob
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I stopped reading this one because if I have to hear the story of "Slow Food" one more time I may scream.
Sure, slow food is a great concept, but I hoped for more out of this book. I'm not interested in reading about 'movements' in a way that's trying to get me involved in them. I'm interested in reading about concepts that make me think harder about life.
I thought this book was going to be lots of the latter with little of the former, but it was just the oppos More...
Sure, slow food is a great concept, but I hoped for more out of this book. I'm not interested in reading about 'movements' in a way that's trying to get me involved in them. I'm interested in reading about concepts that make me think harder about life.
I thought this book was going to be lots of the latter with little of the former, but it was just the oppos More...
Jan 04, 2012
Jonny
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Quite good. Any book that recommends watching less television is automatically at least quite good.
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Sep 01, 2009
Emily
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There's a lot to think about here. I picked this up because I'm interested in looking at time, sort of abstractly. Honore does a great job of summing up the history of time. He also gives us his own personal struggle with speed that was the impetus for exploring the various slow movements around the world. He takes us through Slow cities, slow food, slow sex, slow music, slow education etc. While reading this book, I thought - maybe the answer to everything is just to go slower. But of course, i
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Aug 05, 2011
Kerith
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I very much appreciated this book. I found it to be balanced and fair - the author, while claiming our world is running too fast (a truth), searches out people and places that are slowing down in all areas of life. He does not pass judgment on the speedy folks, nor does he claim that slowing down is all we need to do. He believes there is a middle way -- and I'm all about the middle way!
Since I read this while home with a small child and my life had slowed down to a level that was almost untenab More...
Since I read this while home with a small child and my life had slowed down to a level that was almost untenab More...
May 23, 2009
Stringy
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This was a re-read for me, because my first read a couple of years ago inspired me to start a photography project and I wanted to refresh my memory. It's an overview of the Slow movement, taking a kind of buffet approach: a little taste of the different ways people are finding to ease the pressure in their lives. If any particular method resonates with you, you'd have to do more research on your own.
For me, this re-read was a great reminder of why I started to learn to cook well, an More...
For me, this re-read was a great reminder of why I started to learn to cook well, an More...
May 16, 2009
Liz
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This was loaned to me by a client - I often counsel people on making decisions in their lives about what is important to them. I try to live that way - hard sometimes - but while this book goes into some completely unrealistic scenarios - the premise is there and open to interpretation and use in daily life.
My family and I have downsized significantly, by choice, and have made decisions in our life about the food we eat, the way we live, who we choose to be with and how we see ourselves i More...
My family and I have downsized significantly, by choice, and have made decisions in our life about the food we eat, the way we live, who we choose to be with and how we see ourselves i More...
Jan 14, 2010
Allison
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The concept and the message got me thinking and continue to resonate with me. My heightened awareness of my own impatience and the rush around me has been a healthy self-reflection.
Yet the book as an entity was not great. I wish Honore had withheld patronizing anecdotes from his own life, and wrote this book as an impartial journalist reporting on slow movements around the world. There was no need for a prophetic thesis one way or another and Honore's attempt to have a tidy theme wa More...
Yet the book as an entity was not great. I wish Honore had withheld patronizing anecdotes from his own life, and wrote this book as an impartial journalist reporting on slow movements around the world. There was no need for a prophetic thesis one way or another and Honore's attempt to have a tidy theme wa More...
Apr 07, 2009
Libby
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What a marvelous book! I guess that for most of my life I have been living a "slow" lifestyle and not even knowing that there was some kind of organised philosophy behind it.
I loved this book because it gave me a sense of comradeship with others around the world who have slowed down. I was also happy to find out that there are so many different kinds of Slow Movements around the world. I also found the books website to be very useful for links to most of the organisations More...
I loved this book because it gave me a sense of comradeship with others around the world who have slowed down. I was also happy to find out that there are so many different kinds of Slow Movements around the world. I also found the books website to be very useful for links to most of the organisations More...
Jan 17, 2009
Gemma
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The Slow movement is a wonderful idea, and the one star is not a reflection on it, but rather on the lazy, shoddy and self contradictory writing style. Most infuriating of all, the author's continual insistence that embracing slow doesn't mean you have to change anything about your life - you can keep on flying, eating at McDonalds and being a ruthless business man while you gesture towards quality of life by buying artisanal sausages and moving somewhere with more lawns...absolute toss, and so
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Jan 21, 2012
Corazi
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A bit too long and repetitive. Makes you think though. We get so caught up in everything we "have" to do and really never just enjoy or live in the moment. I would have enjoyed a little more "how to" and less examples. If you pick up this book you already feel that things are too fast and are looking for some inspiration. Inspiration was a bit short, information was not.
I'd say skip the entire thing and pick out a few chapters that apply to your life. the More...
I'd say skip the entire thing and pick out a few chapters that apply to your life. the More...
Jan 04, 2012
Mika
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Carl Honorén slow-ajatteluun johdatteleva kirja (suomennettu nimellä Slow - Elä hitaammin!) on täyttä asiaa ylenpalttisissa paineissa taapertaville työelämässä oleville ja miksei myös opiskelijoillekin.
Kaikki alkoi mennä vikaan teollisen vallankumouksen myötä, ja Benjamin Franklinin aforismista Aika on rahaa on tullut motto useimmille meistä. Seurauksista saavat kärsiä niin läheiset, perhe kuin oma terveyskin.
Teos on jaoteltu kymmeneen lukuun, ja jokaisessa niissä on eril More...
Kaikki alkoi mennä vikaan teollisen vallankumouksen myötä, ja Benjamin Franklinin aforismista Aika on rahaa on tullut motto useimmille meistä. Seurauksista saavat kärsiä niin läheiset, perhe kuin oma terveyskin.
Teos on jaoteltu kymmeneen lukuun, ja jokaisessa niissä on eril More...
Jan 04, 2012
Becca
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Honore tackles the concept of slowing down in a variety of life areas: work, food, sex, leisure, music, and school, to name several. These are all areas where there have been efforts throughout the Western world to slow down, to enjoy things more, do less, and do it better. I'm sort of living a slower life already, so most of the areas he talked about were familiar to me. Slow music and slow cities, the ones that were new to me, were really the most interesting. I do agree with other reviewers a
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Nov 28, 2011
Brandon
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We spend an insane amount of time doing things that do not enrich our lives - overscheduling, tv, driving, overwork, etc. and not enough time doing things that do - family time, nature, sex, etc. Avg person spends 72 mins a day driving, avg exec spends 68 hrs/year on hold, avg person spends 30 mins/wk having sex.
Simply written - lots of personal anecdotes and research. Good job of alerting us to the risks of slowing down - lost momentum in career, finances, not for the super needy.
Ideas: W More...
Simply written - lots of personal anecdotes and research. Good job of alerting us to the risks of slowing down - lost momentum in career, finances, not for the super needy.
Ideas: W More...
Jan 04, 2012
Juliana
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I’m always conscious of time—and I envy creative people like musicians, writers and artists who can place themselves in the flow and losethemselves. I envy them because I so rarely get there myself. But I’ve been trying. See, I have a problem with time management. Not that I’m disorganized but I’m always trying to fit more in so I can do it all. As a result I’ve read probably every time management book under the sun. In the eighties I had my Time Planner, and now I live by my todo lists, and we
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