Product Description

The typical American worker puts in nine weeks more on the job than his or her European counterpart. The costs of this overwork are enormous, both personally and societally. This bracing collection of essays is both a wide-ranging analysis of the phenomenon and a blueprint for change. With contributions by such notable names as Vicki Robin, author of Your Money or Your Life, and David Korten, author of When Corporations Rule the World, this book shows what ordinary citizens can do to restore balance to themselves and their communities. Take Back Your Time is the official handbook for Take Back Your Time Day, a national event rallying support for reclaiming a proper work-life balance.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #46668 in Books
• Published on: 2003-07
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 250 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Touted as the official handbook of Take Back Your Time Day (a national event to be held on October 24, 2003), this compilation of expert views on America's battles against "time poverty" pulls out all the stops with its 30 powerful essays. De Graaf, author of Affluenza and TBYT Day's national coordinator, introduces each piece with background on its author and anecdotes drawn from his career as a teacher, documentary television producer and leader in public policy groups. The contributors, who range from economists and policymakers to activists and clergy, describe the problems of the 24/7 lifestyle: rising health care costs, diminishing family time, etc. In "The Simple Solution," Cecile Andrews admonishes readers to give up "obsessive multitasking." ("Think of the things you've seen people do while they're driving-putting on makeup, changing clothes, eating cereal, nursing a baby, reading the newspaper, and of course, jabbering on cell phones.") In "Can America Learn from Shabbat?", Rabbi Arthur Waskow argues that "there are deep human needs for rest and reflection, for family time and community time" and laments that "economic and cultural pressures are grinding those deep human needs under foot." Other authors suggest that the lethal consequences of overwork result in road rage, repetitive stress injuries, health problems, fast food mania, an increase in the working retired, inadequate child supervision, and even a proliferation of dog-walkers. De Graf also includes essays that help readers find ways to take time to be a citizen, retrieve shrinking vacation periods, cease the time-consuming pursuit of "stuff" and engage in job sharing, sabbaticals and other strategies. Illuminating and even surprising (e.g., the average American labors 350 more hours per year than his western European counterpart), this book should sell particularly well in areas were the "simplicity" movement is popular.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
John de Graaf has been a documentary television producer for the past 25 years. More than 15 of his programs have been broadcast nationally in prime time on PBS, including the popular specials AFFLUENZA and RUNNING OUT OF TIME. John co-wrote the bestselling Affluenza: The All-Consuming He has taught at the college level for the University of Washington Extension program and as the Evans Chair Scholar at The Evergreen State College. He is the President of the Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Network, and the co-chair of the Public Policy Committee for the Simplicity Forum, a leadership group for the Voluntary Simplicity Movement. He is the National Coordinator for TAKE BACK YOUR TIME DAY and a frequent speaker on college campuses and elsewhere. He has won more than 100 regional, national, and international awards for filmmaking. He lives in Seattle, Washington

Customer Reviews

Important Topic But Marred By Marxist Propaganda
As a Physician I can personally vouch for the toll "time poverty" has on health and happiness. I don't believe a day goes by where I don't see someone stressed to the max. Time is the ultimate commodity: With enough time virtually every other limitation of life can be surmounted.

It was with this in mind that I eagerly approached this book, hoping to find some wisdom to pass on to my patients (and to absorb myself). Unfortunately, instead of useful tips on priortizing, frugality and responsibility, what I found was a collection of Marxist propaganda regarding the evils of capitalism.

According to this book, a young boy is a murderer because his welfare mother was forced to work for a living for a change. Pehaps if The State (productive members of society) had been less cruel in asking that she pull her weight and provide for those she brought into this world, her son may not have committed murder, at least until he was an adult. Then we would have to find someone else to blame (just not the murderer).

Perhaps if we all lived in a communtist utopia where citizens are imprisoned for speaking out against the People (government) such as modern day communist China or the recently deceased Soviet Union, we would all be perfectly happy. That is unless you want something better for you or your family. Shame on you for working harder because you want to take care of your family.

Apparently I only struggled through years of brutal schooling and worked over hundred hours per week to learn to care for others (at far less than minimum wage and mostly at my expense) out of pure capitalist greed. I guess I went over six months without a day off simply to oppress the poor. This sort of polemic makes me sick. Please don't be poisoned by this garbage.

This book is not about helping you to spend your time on what is important or effective time or life management. It is simply a Marxist polemic angainst capitalism. It is unfortunate that one can't find a reasonable critique and review of the shortcomings our current system without a subversive agenda. I guess I'll keep searching.

I would love to give this one back to Amazon, but I think I will keep it in the "Know Your Enemy" section of my bookshelf.

Factual America
This book really illustrates the problem we have in this country. Most people are busy paying on 300K + houses, paying SUV bills and are starved for time to live life the way it is to be lived. My hope is that people will use this book to fight corporate greed and gain a real life.

Amazingly writting, great thoughts and research
This book is not repetitive like others book in genres similar. This has many wonderfully written topics on time and our lack there of it in the United States. Different issues can arise due to lack of time. Some others also cross compare other countries who have more time and leisure, yet still have a great economy with more relaxed workers. Defienntly worth the time to read and may give you ideas on starting a movement to bring about more time for us.