Sonderbooks Book Review of The Importance of Being Lazy

***The Importance of Being Lazy*

In Praise of Play, Leisure, and Vacations

by Al Gini

Reviewed July 7, 2004.
Routledge, New York, 2003. 182 pages.
Available at Sembach Library (331.01 GIN).

The cover of this book, with sandy feet up in a hammock, simply called to me. I was hoping for a book like Timelock, by Ralph Keyes, that would inspire me to slow down and enjoy some rest. Instead, this book is more of a scholarly study on how Americans spend their leisure time. In general, we don’t give it a high priority.

It talks about our busy vacations, our list-filled weekends, the way we shop as recreation, the way sports have become serious business, and how we approach the ultimate vacation, retirement.

Still, giving some serious thought to how we spend our leisure time is perhaps a step in the right direction toward finding more of it. He says that “Leisure time is time when individuals might independently cultivate knowledge, interests, skills, and sensitivities that enable them to participate in new and different activities that they find enjoyable.” Put up your feet and read this book as a nice way to start.

Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund

**The Importance of Being Lazy

In Praise of Play, Leisure, and Vacations

by Al Gini

***The Importance of Being Lazy*