THE ART OF THE WASTED DAY

In a nonlinear fashion, Patricia Hampl's essays moves from topic to topic--from place to biography to marriage--as she discusses the importance of daydreaming, solitude, and the pursuit of happiness. (For Hampl, pursuit is the key.) What makes this audiobook remarkable is Hampl's performance--gentle and wise, along with a dash of wry humor and an edge of melancholy. When Hampl, a Catholic, learns that the Church considers daydreaming a sin, she just shrugs because it cannot be helped. She travels and learns about her inspirations--two ladies who retired together to read and garden in Wales, a monk at Brno, and writer Michel de Montaigne, who popularized the personal essay. Throughout, Hampl weaves in sweet memories of her husband with a wistful and dreamy tone that leaves no doubt of her grief at his unexpected death. A.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2018]