Idle Thoughts : lessons on good living

by Tom Hodgkinson

About this ItemThe item is a book PaperbackThe Author Name is Tom HodgkinsonThe Title is Idle Thoughts Letters on Good LivingCondition NewOther CommentsNew Store StockWhen possible we will add details of the items we are selling to help buyers know what is included in the item for sale. The details are provided automatically from our central master database and can sometimes be wrong. Books are released in many editions and variations, such as standard edition, re-issue, not for sale, promotional, special edition, limited edition, and many other editions and versions. The Book you receive could be any of these editions or variations. Gift Ideas This is a great Christmas gift idea. Hours of Service We have many warehouses, some of the warehouses process orders seven days a week, but the Administration Support Staff are located at a head office location, outside of the warehouses, and typically work only Monday to Friday. Location ID 245ziHaveit SKU ID 165325373.

Paperback

Published January 1, 2024

About the author

Tom Hodgkinson (b. 1968) is a British writer and the editor of The Idler, which he established in 1993 with his friend Gavin Pretor-Pinney. He was educated at Westminster School. He has contributed articles to The Sunday Telegraph, The Guardian and The Sunday Times as well as being the author of The Idler spin-off How To Be Idle (2005), How To Be Free (released in the U.S. under the title The Freedom Manifesto) and The Idle Parent.

In 2006 Hodgkinson created National Unawareness Day, to be celebrated on 1 November.

Reviews

[bookinglibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title says it all--Tom's essays are enlightening, entertaining and more essential than ever.

Also recommended are The Idler magazine, A Drink with the Idler on zoom and Tom's other books including How to Be Idle, The Freedom Manifesto, Brave New World (How to Live in the Country.)

[Devonshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little book of a collection of short essays. Some are more interesting than the others but they are good bite-size readings to have on a busy day to make the mind a bit more idle.

[Bryan Olin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this little book of bite-sized vignettes that provide multiple reminders and examples on how to slow down, don't take yourself (or your job!) too seriously, spend time with others, and enjoy life.

The book did a great job of weaving in a diverse set of source literature ranging from Plato and Diogenes Laertius to Tolkein and Johnny Rotten. All of these references are great reminders that good literature and music can inform us how to live just as much as philosophical tomes.

It was also interesting to me that a big message running throughout the series of "squibs" was to be mindful of how you: act, prioritize time, consume, and engage with/use technology. These themes show a lot of consistency with literature on mindfulness (cf, Kabat-Zinn). Similarly, another big takeaway, life is best enjoyed in the presence of others in your family or community, echoes a lot of recent work on longevity that emphasizes social connections.

My favorites were: "On Making Merry", "Work: The Quiet Killer", "Make Moderation Sexy", "Turn off the News; Turn on Radio 3", "How to Sleep Well", and "What is an Idler".

Overall a really fun book that compliments others I've been reading lately.