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 enlarge | Author: Ernie J. Zelinski
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $8.89
You Save: $8.06 (48%)
New (30) Used (26) from $4.94
Rating:  56 reviews
Sales Rank: 30898
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 9.8 x 6.6 x 0.8
ISBN: 1580085520
Dewey Decimal Number: 306.38
EAN: 9781580085526
ASIN: 1580085520
Publication Date: October 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: -BRAND NEW- DIRECT FROM DISTRIBUTOR- LIGHT SHELFWEAR- REMAINDER MARK
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| Customer Reviews:
 The Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed and Overworked- 21st Century Edition November 4, 2006
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
I have read several books on retirement, and this is by far the best. It helps you lay out a realistic road map of activities for your retirement years.
I would have preferred giving 3.5 stars... June 19, 2006
19 out of 20 found this review helpful
Since there's no option to give half stars, I opted to give Ernie the benefit of the doubt and go up one star.
The book is on the concepts behind enjoying leisure, not a step-by-step how-to guide. Understanding this will keep the reader from disappointment. Ernie throws the "work" of learning to enjoy your own leisure back on you, and you must discover your own path.
I found at least 4 chapters very difficult to read in that they were simply a little tedious. Perhaps these were areas that personally did not challenge me or I had already conquered; I do not know, but there were times when it was a struggle to pick up the book.
Other times, however, I found the subject matter very hard to put down. The most unique chapter, after reading similar books, seems to be learning to live in the "now" as one did as a child. Enjoying the moment without dwelling on the past or worrying about the future seems to be the best lesson in the entire book on how to find joy in leisure.
For those who seek a step-by-step how-to achieve financial independence, including planning for ridiculously high medical costs, in order to responsibly live the "life of Riley" that Mr. Zelinski proports, try reading "Your Money or Your Life" by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez.
The True Test of Character- Live Free or Die! June 16, 2006
38 out of 40 found this review helpful
The essence of this book is attitude adjustment. Most people tune out when they hear "attitude adjustment" because of the way that it usually misused in North American society. It is usually misused by managers that want you to accept a rotten situation and "adjust" to being an obedient and cheerful slave. When Zelinski uses it, he means that you need to realise that the situation is rotten and that you need to free your mind- and realise that there are options and you don't have to be a slave. It is all about realising that wage slavery isn't the norm, nor the only option. In fact, I realised that I probably would go farther than the author when it comes to taking chances. He states that short of certain death you should take the leap- I have come to believe that you cannot even take death into account. You need to say, live or die, I'm going to live free.
I also found it reassuring in the way that it is pointed out that classical Greeks such as Plato and Aristotle would be horrified by what we consider "normal" work. They would have considered it slavery and beneath the dignity of free men. The Greeks lived for leisure. Our puritan work ethic is abnormal, unhealthy, and historically anomalous. There is nothing sadder than a person who enslaves himself due to conditioning by a socialisation process designed to profit others. You don't even need to pay an "overseer" for this kind of slave- he carries one in his head that tells him that he is worthless if he isn't working and making money.
This is a book that will help to break your mind free. You will begin to see that "leisure" isn't a dirty word- and it isn't the same as idleness. It is a matter of taking control of your own life and living for what you truly need to be doing. Of course, first you need to "know thyself", but the classical Greeks would have understood that, also.
Good on yer, Ernie! April 20, 2006
16 out of 17 found this review helpful
Some books you lend to others;this one you don't. Keep it on your shelf as a ready antidote to what many of us chose as a normal lifestyle. Too much work, too much TV, too little exercise, too much junk. About 25 years ago, physical education students in an Australian university were warned to prepare for the future when people would have almost too much leisure time. Oops, what happened? Consumerism and "habitually striving for more and bigger stuff". On average, our standard of living is triple that of 1950 ... are we happy yet?
This is a positive,inspiring book - sort of like an old friend that you can call at any time for a chat. You hang up the phone feeling recharged and reassured that you are on the right track.
The title is perhaps a little restricting as the book is also very useful for those not quite ready to give up working. It gives a healthy perspective and reminds us that we are not defined by the work we do and that, in the big picture, we are not indepensible at work (but hopefully at home with our family).
The Joy of Not Working is thought-provoking and friendly. It includes a storehouse of relevant quotations and you can just read a few pages at a time (handy if you work long hours!).
Go on, take a risk and buy the book. Out of the hundreds of ideas in it there are sure to be a few that you can incorporate in your life's journey.
As we say in Australia "Have a bludge"!
If you want to get out of the rat race, read this book first!... February 26, 2006
12 out of 13 found this review helpful
I bought the first edition of this book just about the time I decided to quit the corporate rat race in the very early 90's. I was then forty three years old. Since then, I have found it - in fact, I have reread it several times - to be a very provocative, entertaining, down-to-earth, and tremendously inspiring book. It also strikes a common chord with me: Like the author, I was trained as an engineer. I simply love the author's personal philosophy as expressed in his wonderful book: We work so hard - and over-value work so much - that we have forgotten how to just live! Life is short! - go and enjoy it all!
I highly recommend this book to all corporate rats who are longing or aspiring to pursue their dreams, to work more productively (by working less), to be financially independent (with less money), embrace enjoyable leisure and pursue "creative unemployment."
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