In Defence of Leisure
Embracing rest, creativity and change
By Akshi Singh | Publisher: Random House
About the book
Leisure is time when something can be discovered, where certainties are called into question, where lives change
'Essential' Frieze
'Elegant, invigorating and beautiful' Amy Key
The celebrated psychoanalyst Marion Milner lived for the entirety of the twentieth century. By the age of ninety-eight she had written nine books revealing how free time and creativity are vital for a fulfilled life.
Akshi Singh was born ninety years after Milner, in Rajasthan, over four thousand miles away from where Milner lived and worked. At first glance, the worlds of these two women seem entirely separate. Yet when Singh found herself standing at a crossroads in her life and grieving personal loss, she realised the questions and preoccupations Milner was exploring were her own.
In Defence of Leisure presents Marion Milner as a writer for our times. In asking the simple question: how do I want to spend my free time? Milner developed a method for discovering her true likes and dislikes. As Singh follows Milner's approach - from keeping a diary to painting, building a home to travelling to the sea - she discovers the importance of rest, creativity and play in all of our lives, and how it can open the door to achieving what we truly desire.
'An exquisite, open-hearted celebration of desire, friendship and lives imaginatively lived' Marianne Brooker
'Astounding, generous, and quietly exhilarating' Daisy LaFarge
Editions of In Defence of Leisure
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781787335059
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781787335066
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781529928945
- EBook
- ISBN 9781529928952
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9781529946499
Read an Excerpt
Leisure is time when something can be discovered, where certainties are called into question, where lives change
'Essential' Frieze
'Elegant, invigorating and beautiful' Amy Key
The celebrated psychoanalyst Marion Milner lived for the entirety of the twentieth century. By the age of ninety-eight she had written nine books revealing how free time and creativity are vital for a fulfilled life.
Akshi Singh was born ninety years after Milner, in Rajasthan, over four thousand miles away from where Milner lived and worked. At first glance, the worlds of these two women seem entirely separate. Yet when Singh found herself standing at a crossroads in her life and grieving personal loss, she realised the questions and preoccupations Milner was exploring were her own.
In Defence of Leisure presents Marion Milner as a writer for our times. In asking the simple question: how do I want to spend my free time? Milner developed a method for discovering her true likes and dislikes. As Singh follows Milner's approach - from keeping a diary to painting, building a home to travelling to the sea - she discovers the importance of rest, creativity and play in all of our lives, and how it can open the door to achieving what we truly desire.
'An exquisite, open-hearted celebration of desire, friendship and lives imaginatively lived' Marianne Brooker
'Astounding, generous, and quietly exhilarating' Daisy LaFarge
Frequently Asked Questions
What is In Defence of Leisure about?
Leisure is time when something can be discovered, where certainties are called into question, where lives change
'Essential' Frieze
'Elegant, invigorating and beautiful' Amy Key
The celebrated psychoanalyst Marion Milner lived for the entirety of the twentieth century. By the age of ninety-eight she had written nine books revealing how free time and creativity are vital for a fulfilled life.
Akshi Singh was born ninety years after Milner, in Rajasthan, over four thousand miles away from where Milner lived and worked. At first glance, the worlds of these two women seem entirely separate. Yet when Singh found herself standing at a crossroads in her life and grieving personal loss, she realised the questions and preoccupations Milner was exploring were her own.
In Defence of Leisure presents Marion Milner as a writer for our times. In asking the simple question: how do I want to spend my free time? Milner developed a method for discovering her true likes and dislikes. As Singh follows Milner's approach - from keeping a diary to painting, building a home to travelling to the sea - she discovers the importance of rest, creativity and play in all of our lives, and how it can open the door to achieving what we truly desire.
'An exquisite, open-hearted celebration of desire, friendship and lives imaginatively lived' Marianne Brooker
'Astounding, generous, and quietly exhilarating' Daisy LaFarge
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in In Defence of Leisure?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Memoirs
Where can I read a sample of In Defence of Leisure?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781787335059
Who is/are the Author/s of the book In Defence of Leisure?
Akshi Singh
Who is the Publisher of the book In Defence of Leisure?
Random House
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
In Defence of Leisure is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781787335059) and paperback(ISBN 9781787335066) and paperback(ISBN 9781529928945) and ebook(ISBN 9781529928952) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781529946499)
Where can I buy In Defence of Leisure online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy In Defence of Leisure from below
Where can I buy In Defence of Leisure?