I read alot of "juvenile literature" (aka "kids' books") for my job and for school. (Quick aside: anyone other than me think the term "juvenile literature" is pejorative? Simultaneously damning: "juvenile" AND overly highbrow: "literature"! Just a thought.)
Anyway, I don't often read alot of "adult literature", or even adult nonsense. I seem to gravitate toward non-fiction these days (overbearing influence of graduate school, perhaps?)...
ANYWAY, let me recommend How to Be Idle by Tom Hodgkinson (2005)--a devotional tract to the joys of idleness. I read it awhile back, so my memory isn't totally clear, but one essay I recall described "the loss of lunch". How true! When is the last time you took an ENTIRE hour for lunch?! Or even left your workplace for lunch? Hodgkinson has some interesting thoughts for those of us whose fondest wish is to simply RETIRE! Although, given the fact that he founded a magazine (The Idler, natch) and is the author of multiple books, I suspect Mr. H isn't quite the layabout he'd have us believe. Kind of like Martha Stewart, who whips up all those swell feasts and decorates her house to the Nth degree....never mentioning the small army of Stewart Slaves who actually make it all happen. It's magic!
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"Time"? What's that? I am so called retired but am working almost as many hours now as I did when I was working full time! Hour lunch? Maybe, as I remember back in the 70's. But since then, it's been grab a bite when you can. I agree-sometimes we just need to take a breath and stop to look up at the clouds or smell the pollution. Keep pushing nonfiction; some day I may actually read some but I'm not sure about essays. That reminds me of academia.
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