Books for Idle Hours

Books for Idle Hours PDF

Author: Donna Harrington-Lueker

Publisher: UMass + ORM

Published: 2019-08-30

Total Pages: 291

ISBN-13: 1613766319

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The publishing phenomenon of summer reading, often focused on novels set in vacation destinations, started in the nineteenth century, as both print culture and tourist culture expanded in the United States. As an emerging middle class increasingly embraced summer leisure as a marker of social status, book publishers sought new market opportunities, authors discovered a growing readership, and more readers indulged in lighter fare. Drawing on publishing records, book reviews, readers' diaries, and popular novels of the period, Donna Harrington-Lueker explores the beginning of summer reading and the backlash against it. Countering fears about the dangers of leisurely reading—especially for young women—publishers framed summer reading not as a disreputable habit but as a respectable pastime and welcome respite. Books for Idle Hours sheds new light on an ongoing seasonal publishing tradition.

How to Be Idle

How to Be Idle PDF

Author: Tom Hodgkinson

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2013-07-30

Total Pages: 178

ISBN-13: 006231341X

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Yearning for a life of leisure? In 24 chapters representing each hour of a typical working day, this book will coax out the loafer in even the most diligent and schedule-obsessed worker. From the founding editor of the celebrated magazine about the freedom and fine art of doing nothing, The Idler, comes not simply a book, but an antidote to our work-obsessed culture. In How to Be Idle, Hodgkinson presents his learned yet whimsical argument for a new, universal standard of living: being happy doing nothing. He covers a whole spectrum of issues affecting the modern idler—sleep, work, pleasure, relationships—bemoaning the cultural skepticism of idleness while reflecting on the writing of such famous apologists for it as Oscar Wilde, Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Johnson, and Nietzsche—all of whom have admitted to doing their very best work in bed. It’s a well-known fact that Europeans spend fewer hours at work a week than Americans. So it’s only befitting that one of them—the very clever, extremely engaging, and quite hilarious Tom Hodgkinson—should have the wittiest and most useful insights into the fun and nature of being idle. Following on the quirky, call-to-arms heels of the bestselling Eat, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss, How to Be Idle rallies us to an equally just and no less worthy cause: reclaiming our right to be idle.

The Idle System

The Idle System PDF

Author: Pegaz

Publisher:

Published: 2018-11-07

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780244131784

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There's a single ambition no man can reject: Immortality. For John, death was merely the beginning. Transmigrating into a new world granted him an opportunity to change his view on life. With power and immortality as new goals, he is willing to pay any price. Unfortunately, there are those willing to take advantage of him and his unfamiliarity with a new world. Shadows behind the curtains, unwilling to reveal themselves, will trick him into doing their bidding. Now, John faces an entire kingdom on his own. Deceived? Conned? They don't care. His actions carry a sin none of them are willing to forgive. With the world as an enemy, John will fight to accomplish his goals. His path will be stopped by no one. Read this novel to enjoy a journey of self-discovery, ambition and revenge. Inspired by classical LitRPG, Xianxia and Fantasy, Idle System is a new take on these genres.

American Idle

American Idle PDF

Author: Mary Collins

Publisher: Capital Books

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 9781933102887

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**First Place Grand Prize Winner for Non-Fiction books at the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards!! Congratulations Mary!!**

Idle Hour Romp

Idle Hour Romp PDF

Author: Stephen C Carlisle

Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub

Published: 2013-03-21

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9781482708400

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Young enough to be a son of the “Greatest Generation” yet too old to be a “Baby Boomer”, the boy grew up in the 1940s and '50s in a small rural town on Long Island. In a four-volume series he presents his memoirs as little time capsules, set in the context of their happening, unembellished, for the most part, by later events or other accounts. In this volume, the first in the series, the boy describes the unique playground of his youth, a world dominated by woods and waterways and the remnants of Vanderbilt opulence. In a sequel, “Idle Hour Retrospect - A Native Son's Study of 20th Century Oakdale”, the adult adds historical context, gained from later research, to the scenes of “Idle Hour Romp”.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life PDF

Author: Eric Idle

Publisher: Crown Archetype

Published: 2018-10-02

Total Pages: 314

ISBN-13: 1984822608

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the ingenious comic performer, founding member of Monty Python, and creator of Spamalot (now back on Broadway!), comes an absurdly funny memoir of unparalleled wit and heartfelt candor—now featuring a new afterword. “A hilarious, charming book by this incredible, i̶n̶s̶u̶f̶f̶e̶r̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ interesting genius.”—Steve Martin We know him best for his unforgettable roles on Monty Python—from the Flying Circus to The Meaning of Life. Now, Eric Idle reflects on the meaning of his own life in this entertaining memoir that takes us on a remarkable journey from his childhood in an austere boarding school through his successful career in comedy, television, theater, and film. Coming of age as a writer and comedian during the Sixties and Seventies, Eric stumbled into the crossroads of the cultural revolution and found himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of George Harrison, David Bowie, and Robin Williams, all of whom became dear lifelong friends. With anecdotes sprinkled throughout involving other close friends and luminaries such as Mike Nichols, Mick Jagger, Steve Martin, Paul Simon, Lorne Michaels, and many more, as well as John Cleese and the Pythons themselves, Eric captures a time of tremendous creative output with equal parts hilarity and heart. In Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, named for the song he wrote for Life of Brian and which has since become the number one song played at funerals in the UK, he shares the highlights of his life and career with the kind of offbeat humor that has delighted audiences for five decades. 2019 marked the fiftieth anniversary of The Pythons, and Eric commemorated the occasion with this hilarious memoir chock full of behind-the-scenes stories from a high-flying life featuring everyone from Princess Leia to Queen Elizabeth.

The Violet Hour

The Violet Hour PDF

Author: Katherine Hill

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2013-07-16

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 1476710341

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A pitch-perfect, emotionally riveting novel about the fracturing of a marriage and a family: “A gripping debut” (People) from an award-winning young writer with superb storytelling instincts. Life hasn’t always been perfect for Abe and Cassandra Green, but an afternoon on the San Francisco Bay might be as good as it gets. Abe is a rheumatologist, piloting his coveted new boat. Cassandra is a sculptor, finally gaining modest attention for her art. Their beautiful daughter Elizabeth is heading to Harvard in the fall. Somehow, they’ve made things work. But then, tensions overflow, and they plunge into a terrible fight. In a fit of fury, Abe throws himself off the boat. “A bittersweet tale of breakup and forgiveness” (O, The Oprah Magazine), The Violet Hour follows a modern family through past and present. As Cassandra, Abe, and Elizabeth navigate the passage of time—the expectations of youth, the concessions of middle age, the headiness of desire, the bitterness of loss—they must come to terms with the fragility of their intimacy, the strange legacies they inherit from their parents, and the kind of people they want to be. Exquisitely written, The Violet Hour is “a rewarding family saga reminiscent of Anne Tyler’s novels...Hill’s story unfurls from the kind of sensational marital spat that makes you feel better about your own imperfect union…wonderfully witty and assured” (The Washington Post Book World).