HOW TO DO NOTHING Resisting the Attention Economy

Listeners expecting instruction on the art of doing nothing (especially those who hope to unplug, listen, and return to work refreshed and productive) will be surprised: This audiobook is less about HOW to do nothing than WHY to do nothing--it illuminates what we gain by doing less and unplugging from the "cult of productivity." Narrator Rebecca Gibel offers a spirited sense of company as she unfolds this extended essay. Odell invokes Montaigne's definition--the work is more open-ended exploration than argument. Gibel's insight and guidance are especially useful in highlighting Odell's sometimes circuitous questioning of the nature of productivity and the way that our current social-media-driven culture asks us to curate our lives. A provocative invitation to reconsider the nature--and benefits--of paying attention. J.C.G. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2019]