Books for Prep | |
 - A great way to begin doing "nothing"Vienne's words coupled with Lennard's almost otherworldly, sepia-toned photographs, offer the reader a chance to escape the busy world for awhile and relax. Candles and a nice steaming bath would be a near-perfect environment in which to enjoy this brief, simple book, simultaneously reading it and living its message. There's no astounding, mystical wisdom contained here, only the reminder of things we already know, and perhaps have forgotten in our 9-5, materialism-driven world. Vienne offers several rituals to take time out to enjoy yourself and recharge the batteries that can get so run down in a success-oriented culture. She gives advice on breathing, meditation, bathing, and even on how to cure a common cold. This little book is a very nice way to spend an hour or so, and its lessons can help us enjoy the rest of our days to come. Rating:  - Ahhh! Time to rest!Aren't we all over doing it just a little? Don't we all need to slow down and see the important things in life? This book is a gem. It's a fabulous reminder to take it easy and to appreciate the small things in life. Rating: - everyone should own this booktake time to just sit and BE. that is what this book says to me. try human being instead of human doing. you'll be amazed. Rating: - Excellent; easy to read while doing nothingSome time ago, my best college buddy and I used to joke about never having enough time to "just do nothing." Now, in a casual, introspective way, author Véronique Vienne not only tells us how to find the time, but what to do while we're doing nothing. "The Art of Doing Nothing" is one of the neatest compilations of two of my favorite topics: thought-provoking personal/social issues and photography (more on the photos later). Whereas Dennis Prager (e.g., "Think a Second Time") might offer us a thinking person's gourmet buffet, Ms. Vienne serves the hors d'oeuvres: they're excellent, and you can make a whole meal. In ten concise chapters, she has brought forth some of the most poignant ideas and insights on topics such as procrastinating, napping, listening and waiting. The imagery she evokes through her use of situational examples is quite up-to-date in terms of our everyday routines. Rather humorous; very true. You'll recognize yourself in almost every chapter. My only [minor] criticism is that, on occasion, the author strays a tiny bit too far into biological explanations (e.g., what happens at the molecular level when we breathe), which bogs down the flow of the writing. I skimmed through those parts the second time around. While there are numerous stress-reducing techniques offered by the author, I don't prefer to read this as a "how-to" book. For me, just taking a step back and looking at how frazzled our lives are gives me a much needed attitude adjustment and sense of relief. The sepia duotone photos by Erica Lennard cover many subjects, are first-rate, and appear on almost every other page. I was also happy to find a nice list of photo credits at the back of the book. If I hadn't already read one of Ms. Vienne's other books ("The Art of Imperfection"), which I liked even better, I would have given this one five stars. Rating: - Beautiful duotones and prose to matchThis book caught my eye at a gift shop. After paging through it, I bought it for myself. For Christmas this year, I plan on sharing the author's peaceful words with a few of my frantic friends who could use the gift of tranquility this holiday season. I think it's the perfect gift book. In association with Amazon.com | |