Robert Dessaix's guide to work and play in the 21st century.

'Almost everybody I know has done it at least once. Some of my friends indulge on a regular basis. Women seem especially susceptible to giving it a go. I've been at it since I was at least five. What on earth do we imagine we're doing?'

Many of us lack a talent for leisure. We are working longer hours as we consume more than ever before, and as new forms of technology erode the work-life balance. And yet, we often feel that only work can give real meaning to our existence. In a world where time is money, what is the value of walking without purpose, or socialising without networking, or travelling for reasons other than our jobs?

Robert Dessaix lays out the dilemma that modern Westerners face, but never in a didactic or dogmatic way. He writes that leisure allows us the masters of our own time. It allows us to freely choose to do something pleasurable, for its own sake or to deepen our sense of who we are as human beings. How can we reclaim our right to 'rest well', and to loaf, groom, nest and play?

In his trademark personal and anecdotal style, Robert Dessaix guides us through the history of leisure. As with all of his writing, this book will be full of wise lessons and intellectual games, but above all, it will be a lively and engaging conversation with his readers.