Η τέχνη της φυγής

by Evan Harris, Meredith Hamilton (Illustrator)

"Η Τέχνη της Φυγής" δίνει τροφή για σκέψη σε όσους βαριούνται τη δουλειά τους ή έχουν κουραστεί από τη σχέση τους ή απλώς διψάνε για ελευθερία. Με πολύ χιούμορ, ολίγο αμπελοφιλοσοφία και ξεκάθαρη κοινή λογική, η συγγραφέας Ήβαν Χάρρις δίνει ρεαλιστικές, εφαρμόσιμες συμβουλές για πάνω από είκοσι τεχνικές προκειμένου να αποχωρήσετε με τον ευκολότερο και πιο ικανοποιητικό τρόπο από σχεδόν κάθε άσχημη κατάσταση.
Ίσως, να λαχταράτε να απαρνηθείτε το χρυσωμένο κλουβί της ζωής του διοικητικού στελέχους εταιρείας για την ελεύθερη ζωή του καλλιτέχνη στην Ταϊτή (Παραίτηση από την δουλειά). Ίσως, ξαφνικά συνειδητοποιείτε πως εάν δεν διακόψετε τη σχέση σας τώρα θα καταντήσετε σαν την γκρινιάρα θεία σας (Χωρισμός). Γνωρίζετε πολύ καλά ότι εάν δεν κόψετε το κάπνισμα δεν θα λυτρωθείτε από τον βήχα (Κόψιμο συνήθειας). Ίσως, καταλάβατε ότι η ζωή της πόλης δεν είναι κατάλληλη για εσάς και θέλετε να πάτε στην εξοχή (Εγκατάλειψη τόπου).
Η συγγραφέας αποκαλύπτει με σοβαρότητα μέσα από τις σελίδες του βιβλίου την κρυφή και ξεχασμένη τέχνη του φυγά. Ένα βιβλίο γεμάτο ενθαρρυντικές συμβουλές για το πως θα ρίξετε τα φράγματα και θα προχωρήσετε και έξυπνες τεχνικές για το ποια μέθοδο θα ακολουθήσετε, ανάλογα με τον χαρακτήρα σας και την κατάσταση που αντιμετωπίζετε.

Genres: Nonfiction

140 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2004

Reviews

[Katie Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book every perfectionist needs. Beautifully written and delightful illustrations. Keeping this one for my library

[greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was going to be a guide to how to understand the quit. Every quit has a reason and place for it and will eventually be filled with regret for every decision. The book focused on not what a quit really is but we should quit just cause. It felt repetitive and the techniques blurred together and I often had to analyze all the information after reading a section of this book.

Don’t get me wrong, it is a good book if you need to understand the perspective of somebody who has quit on you. It just doesn’t explain why a quit is necessary or why it has happened. I’m looking for answers and the author Evan Harris only talks about conceptualized ideas of quitting. I wanna have the knowledge of how and why the decision is made.

Maybe I’m too analytical, it was a easy read. I expected more and almost quit on this book half way through. Just try it I guess. And I get it, quitting can bloom new opportunities for everyone but when is it the right time to quit something? Giving up and quitting will only leave you with problems you already have even if your quitting the location by moving. Just some food for thought.

Anyways, themes are quitting, literally.

[Hugo Demets · Rating 2 out of 5]

'Tot ziens en de groeten' is een grappig bedoeld boekje over stoppen met iets op zo'n wijze dat je er later met tevredenheid op kunt terugkijken. De schrijver spreekt over 'nokken'. Hij bespreekt twintig noktechnieken zoals: wees redelijk, de noodnok en de schone lei; daarnaast beschrijft hij ook twintig voorbeelden van nokken zoals: vermist of genokt, stiekem nokken en nokken voordat je begint.
Grappig om in te bladeren; de illustraties (tekeningen in kleur) zijn geestig.
Zelf ben ik absoluut geen nokker en waardeer het als mensen iets volhouden - niet tot het oneindige natuurlijk, maar naar mijn mening wordt er vandaag de dag iets te snel "genokt", bij voorbeeld in relaties.

Geschikt als cadeauboekje voor iemand die bijvoorbeeld slecht knopen door kan hakken of iemand die net een groot besluit heeft genomen en daar nog wat van ontdaan is; maar dan wel als grappig cadeautje - een serieus boekje met wijze raad kan ik het niet noemen. Of iemand moet beter zijn in het tussen de regels lezen dan ik.

[Christine Goudroupi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Πώς φεύγουν οι άνθρωποι από τις καταστάσεις; Φεύγουν και φέρνουν την καταστροφή; Φεύγουν κι αφήνουν πίσω τους συντρίμμια; Φεύγουν ύπουλα κι αθόρυβα; Άλλοι σχεδιάζουν τις φυγές τους, άλλοι τις παρατείνουν, τις αγαπούν ή τις...αποφεύγουν. Η "τέχνη της φυγής" μιλάει για τους φυγάδες, και για την ίδια την τέχνη του να φεύγεις όταν πρέπει, όταν δεν πρέπει, ή πολύ μετά από όταν θα έπρεπε.
Την "τέχνη της φυγής" μου την έκαναν δώρο, θεωρώντας ότι μπορούν να συνεισφέρουν με πρόσθετες γνώσεις σε κάτι στο οποίο έχω έμφυτο ταλέντο. Και πέτυχαν διάνα.
Μπορεί να πρόκειται για ένα πολύ ευχάριστο και αστείο βιβλίο, αλλά για κάθε άνθρωπο που έχει κληθεί ή αναγκαστεί ή καταφέρει να φύγει (από μια σχέση, μια δουλειά, μια κατάσταση) έχει μερικά σημεία που δεν είναι καθόλου κωμικά.

[Zainab · Rating 2 out of 5]

bought this very cheap many years ago for ~reasons~ from a bargain rack at liberty books and finally decided to read it. i regret the decision.

short review: mildly amusing, contradictory at every turn, at times obnoxious, overall useless. seems like the writer really loves the sound of her own voice and would say anything for the sake of it, even if it means absolutely nothing.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Πολύ ωραίο βιβλίο. Αν πρόσεχαν λίγο παραπάνω στη μετάφραση, θα έκανε το βιβλίο ακόμα καλύτερο.

[Michael Wolcott · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read, seems outdated and not particularly valuable.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I literally could not put this book down. I read it all in under two hours. I think I do have a problem with not being able to quit things . . .

In The Art of Quitting, Evan Harris explains the many attitudes, techniques and styles that can be applied to quitting. She also discusses different things that can be quit: objects, people, locations, habits, jobs, and ideas. This book is for people who are ready to quit, but do not know how or when to do so. Harris believes that many people have forgotten that quitting is even an option, becoming entrenched in their lives. I first heard about her book because of a This American Life episode (http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio....) I listened to the story a while ago, but just barely decided to read it because I have recently thought about quitting several activities. I tend to trudge along miserably and endure what I hate rather than quit it. (Of her techniques, “Get Fed Up” most accurately resembles my situation, except for the actual quitting part.)

Harris encourages you to take control of your life. If you do not like something or someone, why bother? Make a scene. Be passive aggressive. Burn bridges. Quitting is all about pleasing yourself. (Not all of her techniques are as aggressive as the aforementioned; many are simple and effective, such as “Give Up,” “Muster Willpower,” and “Be Reasonable.”) Harris rejects the supposed moral superiority of “sticking it out.” Quitters, she explains, “have the good sense to admit their mistakes, cut their losses, and move on.” She gives twenty suggestions about the execution of the quit, most of which are practical, but others are hilarious and not applicable to everyday situations. “Deny Involvement”—one of the more extreme options—is my favorite; “Claim you have never heard of the company you work for. Say that you never even applied to the college you are dropping out of. Insist that you’ve never met the person you are married to.”

Yet, although this book does tailor itself to people like me, who have no idea how to quit anything, most people do not have this problem. Many people are far too good at quitting, and could instead use a lesson in sticking with things. And even I knew the various ways to quit before I read the book, and did not learn anything new.

If you have something you might want to quit but are unsure of your options, I would recommend reading this. Yet, although this book did list ways to quit, I must admit that it did not transform my nonquitting self into a quitter who can just drop everything (or even anything) and stop caring. Nevertheless, if you want to quit something and really have no clue where to begin, give the book a try. Maybe it will work better for you than it did for me.

[giselayvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was rather repetitive, but I appreciate the author's effort. I love quitting, myself. I find it interesting that the author changed her stance on her quitting manifesto in a later interview on TAL. There is nothing wrong with quitting, just being smart about what it is that you quit. While this little book is humorous (to me) there are still little gems in here. I appreciate those gems. It must have been a difficult book to write with the repetitiveness inherent in the topic; nonetheless, an amusing read.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It's weird. You start reading it, and you think, did she start this book at the beginning? But you keep with it, you wonder if it's meant in earnest or in jest, but by the end, you'll want to quit something. Maybe several things. And your life will probably be better for it.

[F.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, maybe because I was at a quitting spot, but still. If you've seriously thought about quitting something - a job, a friend, a relationship, a location, whatever - chances are, you will recognize the profundity and wisdom of this little book.

[Afifa · Rating 1 out of 5]

If only the author had quit writing this book...