Dex's Book Review: in praise of SLOW

Carl Honore is a journalist (and a speedaholic) who has written for the Economist,Observer,National Post and Houston Chronicle. And while researching this book in Italy,he was slapped with a speeding ticket.

The first thing you would normally do in the morning is to check the time to make sure you are not late for work.You try to rush to office but is caught in a traffic jam.And there are work assignments to complete which you cannot finish but to bring it home.Instead of cooking for dinner,you buy some fast food for the family to save time so that you can finish your company's work at home.While you do your work,you children and husband will be on Facebook and emails.You most probably will worked till late night and get tired and stressed up the next morning.As this routine keeps repeating, your body cannot take it anymore and you fall sick.If this scenario sounds familiar to you,then this book is recommended for you.

For the past hundred years,we have been obsessed with speed.Our culture  teaches us faster is better.But in the race to keep up everything suffer-our work,diet,health,our relationships and sex lives.

Now there is revolution known as "the slow movement" which guide people to instill a sense of slowness that can enhance relationships with others either at home or at the workplace.
Carl explores several slow movements through some interviews with the gurus,such as the practice of Slow Sex(Tantric sex where Sting is quoted as a practitioner) Slow Medicine,Slow Food,Slow Cities,He also stressed on the importance of the benefits of working less and the importance of being at rest and the need to raise children unhurriedly.

Carl will do better with his interviews if the lower income groups are involved to get a better perspective instead on concentrating on the rich and white collar workers.I find that some of the examples given are over exaggerated,like the boy who after slowing down his life style,is able to play better football.

This book in not about doing things at a snail pace but at striking a balance between fast and slow. As Carl suggests,read this book one chapter a day to allow its subversive message to sink slowly in so it has a chance of changing your life.



Rating:7/10