Why might a lifelong traveler like Pico Iyer, who has journeyed from Easter Island to Ethiopia, Cuba to Kathmandu, think that sitting quietly in a room might be the ultimate adventure? Because in our madly accelerating world, our lives are crowded, chaotic and noisy. There’s never been a greater need to slow down, tune out and give ourselves permission to be still.
In The Art of Stillness—a TED Books release—Iyer investigate the lives of people who have made a life seeking stillness: from Matthieu Ricard, a Frenchman with a PhD in molecular biology who left a promising scientific career to become a Tibetan monk, to revered singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, who traded the pleasures of the senses for several years of living the near-silent life of meditation as a Zen monk. Iyer also draws on his own experiences as a travel writer to explore why advances in technology are making us more likely to retreat. He reflects that this is perhaps the reason why many people—even those with no religious commitment—seem to be turning to yoga, or meditation, or seeking silent retreats. These aren’t New Age fads so much as ways to rediscover the wisdom of an earlier age. Growing trends like observing an “Internet Sabbath”—turning off online connections from Friday night to Monday morning—highlight how increasingly desperate many of us are to unplug and bring stillness into our lives.
The Art of Stillness paints a picture of why so many—from Marcel Proust to Mahatma Ghandi to Emily Dickinson—have found richness in stillness. Ultimately, Iyer shows that, in this age of constant movement and connectedness, perhaps staying in one place is a more exciting prospect, and a greater necessity than ever before.
In 2013, Pico Iyer gave a blockbuster TED Talk. This lyrical and inspiring book expands on a new idea, offering a way forward for all those feeling affected by the frenetic pace of our modern world.
I love all your books. Can you please upload 'dead aid: why aid is not working in Africa……'
Hi Pham.
I regularly follow your blog n read all the historical books suggested by you.
Could you please upload “Ashoka by Charles Allen”
Thanks
Durga
Not a single book is getting downloaded. Any problem?
what do you mean?
Hi Tuan, thanks a lot for all the great books. you have made tremendous contributions to the book-reading community!
Could you please upload this book (The India Way: How India's Top Business Leaders Are Revolutionizing Management).
Many thanks and have a nice day Tuan!
Thank you for your kind compliment. You can download your requested via this link: http://libgen.org/book/index.php?md5=376CF972EB90DCE77E92ED8E7242F84B
This book is a good read!
Many thanks mate. And nice day huh 😉