Take Back Your Time

August 11, 2003
Touted as the official handbook of Take Back Your Time Day (a national event to be held on October 24, 2003), this compilation of expert views on America's battles against"time poverty" pulls out all the stops with its 30 powerful essays. De Graaf, author of Affluenza and TBYT Day's national coordinator, introduces each piece with background on its author and anecdotes drawn from his career as a teacher, documentary television producer and leader in public policy groups. The contributors, who range from economists and policymakers to activists and clergy, describe the problems of the 24/7 lifestyle: rising health care costs, diminishing family time, etc. In"The Simple Solution," Cecile Andrews admonishes readers to give up"obsessive multitasking." ("Think of the things you've seen people do while they're driving--putting on makeup, changing clothes, eating cereal, nursing a baby, reading the newspaper, and of course, jabbering on cell phones.") In"Can America Learn from Shabbat?", Rabbi Arthur Waskow argues that"there are deep human needs for rest and reflection, for family time and community time" and laments that"economic and cultural pressures are grinding those deep human needs under foot." Other authors suggest that the lethal consequences of overwork result in road rage, repetitive stress injuries, health problems, fast food mania, an increase in the working retired, inadequate child supervision, and even a proliferation of dog-walkers. De Graf also includes essays that help readers find ways to take time to be a citizen, retrieve shrinking vacation periods, cease the time-consuming pursuit of"stuff" and engage in job sharing, sabbaticals and other strategies. Illuminating and even surprising (e.g., the average American labors 350 more hours per year than his western European counterpart), this book should sell particularly well in areas were the"simplicity" movement is popular.

August 1, 2003
Touted as the official handbook of Take Back Your Time Day (a national event to be held on October 24, 2003), this compilation of expert views on America's battles against"time poverty" pulls out all the stops with its 30 powerful essays. De Graaf, author of Affluenza and TBYT Day's national coordinator, introduces each piece with background on its author and anecdotes drawn from his career as a teacher, documentary television producer and leader in public policy groups. The contributors, who range from economists and policymakers to activists and clergy, describe the problems of the 24/7 lifestyle: rising health care costs, diminishing family time, etc. In"The Simple Solution," Cecile Andrews admonishes readers to give up"obsessive multitasking." ("Think of the things you've seen people do while they're driving--putting on makeup, changing clothes, eating cereal, nursing a baby, reading the newspaper, and of course, jabbering on cell phones.") In"Can America Learn from Shabbat?", Rabbi Arthur Waskow argues that"there are deep human needs for rest and reflection, for family time and community time" and laments that"economic and cultural pressures are grinding those deep human needs under foot." Other authors suggest that the lethal consequences of overwork result in road rage, repetitive stress injuries, health problems, fast food mania, an increase in the working retired, inadequate child supervision, and even a proliferation of dog-walkers. De Graf also includes essays that help readers find ways to take time to be a citizen, retrieve shrinking vacation periods, cease the time-consuming pursuit of"stuff" and engage in job sharing, sabbaticals and other strategies. Illuminating and even surprising (e.g., the average American labors 350 more hours per year than his western European counterpart), this book should sell particularly well in areas were the"simplicity" movement is popular.

Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.