The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere (TED Book 2) eBook : Iyer, Pico: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store
The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere (TED Book 2)
by
Pico Iyer (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars
(2,074)Part of the TED series: The Art of Stillness
In this age of constant movement and connectedness, when so many of us are all over the place, perhaps staying in one place - and locating everything we need for peace and happiness there - is a more exciting prospect, and a greater necessity than ever before.
Through his extensive interviews with creative geniuses of our day, as well as historical records and his own life experience, acclaimed author Pico Iyer paints a picture of why so many have found such richness in stillness and how - from Marcel Proust to Blaise Pascal to Phillipe Starck - they've gathered such rare and exhilarating fruits there. He explores the counter-intuitive truth: the more ways we have to connect, the more many of us seem desperate to unplug.
In both The Art of Stillnessand his captivating TEDTALK Where is Home?, Iyer reflects that this is perhaps the reason why more and more people - even those with no religious commitment - seem to be turning to yoga, or meditation, or tai chi. These aren't New Age fads so much as ways to connect with what could be called the wisdom of an earlier age. There is even a growing trend toward observing an "Internet sabbath" every week, turning off online connections from Friday night to Monday morning, so as to try to revive those ancient customs known as family meals and conversation.
Read less
Review
"In lesser hands this tiny volume might be a throwaway of glib, "new age" comfort-speak, but like Henry David Thoreau's equally brief classic on another seemingly mundane exercise -- walking -- Iyer's thoughtful nature leads him to peel back layer upon layer, nodding toward the infinite.... Plunging effortlessly beneath platitudes, this wafer-thin volume reminds us of what might just be the greatest paradox of travel -- after all our road running, after all our flights of fancy to the farthest corners of the globe, after all our touring, our seeking and questing, perhaps, just perhaps, fellow travelers, there really is no place like home."-- "New York Times Book Review"
"[A] wonderful read in its entirety."-- "Brain Pickings"
"This book isn't a meditation guide or a New-Age tract but rather a celebration of the age-old practice of sitting with no goal in mind and no destination in sight.... Rather than reading it quickly and filing it, readers will likely slow down to meet its pace and might continue carrying it around as a reminder."-- "Kirkus (starred)"
"[A] cool drink of water, in book form"-- "People"
"A heartfelt manifesto to the benefits of ditching the cellphone and snipping up the frequent flier card, The Art of Stillness is anything but a self-help book or how-to guide for achieving inner peace."-- "Associated Press"
"A bustling paean to the stationary life . . . Iyer's argument is an engaging amalgam of memoir, reportage, and literary essay . . . Iyer uses a fluid blend of argument and anecdote to make a persuasive and eloquent case that contemplating internal landscapes can be just as rich an experience as traveling through external ones. The fact that he has traveled to some of the world's most obscure corners only strengthens his credibility as a defender of stillness."-- "Boston Globe"
"[A] beautiful little book. . . fills an important niche. . . Iyer wants to make the conscious practice of stillness palatable to everyone."-- "Los Angeles Review of Books"
About the Author
Pico Iyer is a British-born essayist and novelist long based in both California and Japan. He is the author of numerous books about crossing cultures, among them Video Night in Kathmandu, The Lady and the Monk, and The Global Soul. An essayist for Time since 1986, he also publishes regularly in Harper's, The New York Review of Books, The New York Times, and many other publications across the globe.
Product details
ASIN : B00JSRQTPG
Publisher : Simon & Schuster UK
Accessibility :
Learn morePublication date : 6 November 2014
Edition : UK ed.
Language : English
File size : 1.4 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 97 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-1471138874
Page Flip : Enabled
Part of series :
TEDBest Sellers Rank: 197,132 in Kindle Store (
See Top 100 in Kindle Store)254 in
Healthy Living277 in
New Age Meditation626 in
HappinessCustomer Reviews:
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars
(2,074)
TopAbout this itemSimilarFrom the AuthorQuestionsReviews
The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere (TED Book 2)===
From Australia
Michelle
5.0 out of 5 stars Like coming home
Reviewed in Australia on 12 March 2019
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
It was, as promised, an invigorating story of a man uncovering what most people are afraid to dream is true: that standing still is the best way to move forward. Beautifully simple and restrained. The photos between chapters were like palate cleansers. It was like a close friend tapping you on the shoulder and reminding you what really matters.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Sandy Peyrolle
4.0 out of 5 stars Reading Picos books is never disappointing This one is small but satisfying. Only wish he wwould continue ..Bringing L Cohen artform to us so truthfuly
Reviewed in Australia on 19 October 2019
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
I would recomend it to all frantically busy creative people, to use its visdom it offers.losing fear of staying put and finding a nourishing Nowhere Land
One person found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Paul Vincent Cannon
5.0 out of 5 stars Stillness
Reviewed in Australia on 25 September 2017
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Pico Iyer writes from his experience, from the heart, it is a heartwarming read and one that encourages, rather than preaches, that stillness is both vital and healthy.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Sue
5.0 out of 5 stars Being in the here and now
Reviewed in Australia on 11 September 2016
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Of looking and listening and actually seeing and hearing is a real delight. This book will help you to recover.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
Report
EH Thistlethwaite
5.0 out of 5 stars BE STILL
Reviewed in Australia on 5 January 2015
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Loved this short book that teaches us about the importance of being still at some point in or day or week. Valuable lessons to be learned from these writings by Pico Iyer.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
From other countries
EGCURIEL
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro. Muy recomendable.
Reviewed in Mexico on 25 June 2024
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Libro que me ha sacado en más de un apuro por regalar algo que sea verdaderamente útil. Particularmente, para quienes pueden aprovechar el tiempo de una convalecencia en leer algo constructivo, o en general, para quienes no se han dado la oportunidad de detenerse en el tiempo para reflexionar sobre su vida, como le sucedió al inolvidable cantautor canadiense Leonard Cohen, según se menciona en el libro.
Report
Translate review to English
Alexandre Pacheco
5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good, straight forward and efficient
Reviewed in Canada on 12 February 2026
Verified Purchase
Pretty good, straight forward and efficient. Nothing really new was said, nowadays the obvious need to be declared out and laud though.
Report
juan antonio
4.0 out of 5 stars Un libro sobre el silencio interior
Reviewed in Spain on 5 October 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Compre este libro por un video de ted.com que hizo el escritor, me pareció interesante el hecho de que se retirase a un monasterio para encontrarse alejado del ruido y buscar la paz.
Recomiendo este libro para aquellas personas que deseen encontrar su yo interior y alejarse de él.
Report
Translate review to English
Suzannah Maria
5.0 out of 5 stars A tonic for the mind . . .
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 April 2019
Verified Purchase
This book was just what I needed. Finding my life as a carer for my partially sighted husband and with health issues of my own I have been losing my grip on day to day life. Becoming too concerned with housework and appointments and finding no time to spend on my art led me into depression and anxiety. Feeling that my life would be over before I am ready to let go I found this book just in the nick of time. My house is cluttered - as is my head and I know that I need some help to clear both but didn't know what to do or where to look. The only place I have ever found peace is wrapped in the words and music of Leonard Cohen, so when Pico Iyer spoke of his friendship with and guidance from the Master himself I knew that this book was for me.
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing grace...
Reviewed in Germany on 15 February 2019
Verified Purchase
Short but nevertheless delish read! Makes you want to seek out that silent place of clarity as soon as you put the book down.
Report
Translate all reviews to English
anas
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly written and simple
Reviewed in India on 21 February 2016
Verified Purchase
I was unsure if I needed to order this book at all since I had already seen the TED talk. But the book was well worth it. The message of the book is exactly what I needed at this point. Brilliantly written and simple. This is a book worth keeping around.
Report
B. Grant
5.0 out of 5 stars An Important Book for our Times
Reviewed in the United States on 10 November 2014
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
The ability to consume a book in a brief time is in and of itself a special and rare experience. One easily could have made it much longer, but would it have been any better for the added pages? It is a pearl that resonates and challenges the reader to consider his/her choices and direction.
This is an important and valuable book. I find myself often thinking about the glut of information and data we face. I am currently assisting my son in getting his new phone up and running and in the process of converting thousands of his songs on his computer so they can transfer to the new phone. This level of digital consumption was simply not possible for the vast history of our species and is he or we any better for it?
In generations past, one did not have to make the choice to do nothing, or be still; that was the state of being for many, much of the time. We lived and died within 30 miles of our birth. Travel abroad was a one way trip or the stuff of adventurers. Today, we are awash in stuff and choices.
We as a society face a real challenge in organizing our lives in the face of infinite choices and consumptive options that are so brilliantly marketed and instantly available. This in contrast to the fact that we have not and will not eliminate the essential limits of our consumptive capacity and our finite lives. This book reminds the reader that we exercise choices in our daily norms.
Recently on a flight I elected to do as one of the Iyer's fellow passengers did as described in the book - sit quietly and do nothing, . but only for a brief time. I experienced a brief portion of the ride without reading, listening or external engagement. It was remarkable in its novelty for me. Iyer's book has a number of examples of stillness in practice. Many readers may give it a try themselves.
There is an inherent challenge in this book that devotes pages discussing some celebrities and celebrated people who have to a degree commoditized their stillness. There is benefit in this as in the cases of Merton or Dickenson; who wrote brilliantly of their experiences. The challenge for most is to find a personal path that is not subsequently commoditized for others, which to a degree defeats the purpose of inner stillness by public declaration. And can there be anything less still than TED conferences (TED published this book) and the acolytes who attend? But at least there is a level of awareness by many attendees and the organizers of their inherent contradictions in actions vs. ideas, and some as Iyer points out are trying to figure out how to reconcile them.
An added treat are the interspersed photographs in this lovely book.
Report
Antonella Crisafulli
4.0 out of 5 stars inspiring book
Reviewed in Italy on 12 April 2016
Verified Purchase
the book is an ispiring one, the experience of the author and his willingness to share his reflections with the reader, in a clear and nice way.. i really suggest to read it to anyone.
the price is a bit high being a 50 pages book, but we cannot price culture i suppose..
Report
Ian Mann
4.0 out of 5 stars best appreciated while unwinding on vacation
Reviewed in the United States on 12 April 2017
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Pico Iyer is a travel writer, and a regular contributor to the New York Times, Harpers, Time, and other magazines. His is a lifestyle determined by deadlines and the rigours of travelling for work. “I’m not a member of any church, and I don’t subscribe to any creed; I’ve never been a member of any meditation or yoga group,” he disclaims.
The title of the book, The Art of Stillness, is a call to use stillness in a world he accurately describes as “madly accelerating.” If you have any doubts about this description, try recall when last you had nights off, or did no work at all on the weekend. (Reading business literature does qualify as work.)
To get the most benefit from this book you should read it slowly and thoughtfully. It is a slim book on an important topic, best appreciated while unwinding on vacation.
“More and more of us feel like emergency-room physicians, permanently on call,” says Iyer. We have mastered so many parts of our lives in the last half century, except how to enjoy living. Geography is fast coming under our control; we send messages around the world in seconds, parcels in hours and can talk to people anywhere easily and inexpensively. However, the clock seems to be “exerting more and more tyranny over us.”
Iyer advocates regular periods of stillness, daily if possible. Times when we take a journey to “Nothing.” It is a short period when we retreat from our busy-nes, “so that you can see the world more clearly and love it more deeply.”
In the second century, the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius pointed out that it is not our experiences that form us, but the way we understand them and respond to them. Being still puts distance between our present and our experience, so we can view experiences with “clarity and sanity” and reap the benefits that comes from that. The opportunity to distance ourselves helps experiences acquire the appropriate importance. All it involves is sitting still. Nothing more.
Iyer reports that in his work world, “Every time I take a trip, the experience acquires meaning and grows deeper only after I get back home and, sitting still, begin to convert the sights I’ve seen into lasting insights.”
When he attended retreat centres, he met bankers, teachers, real estate agents, people leading normal business lives who came the centres, just to be still for a few days.
Kevin Kelly, the founding executive editor of Wire magazine is certainly one of the most articulate representatives for the technologies of our time. His wrote his latest book on the uses of technology to expand human potential while living without a smartphone, a laptop or a TV in his home. He explains that he keeps “the cornucopia of technology at arm’s length so that I can more easily remember who I am.”
Many in Silicon Valley observe what Iyer calls an “Internet Sabbath” turning off their devices from Friday evening to Monday morning. It is telling that people who do so much to speed up the world see the benefit of slowing down regularly.
At General Mills, a company with revenues of almost $14b offered a seven-week programme to senior executive on “stillness.” 80% reported a positive improvement in their ability to make decisions, and 89% that they were becoming better listeners. It is estimated that programmes like this save American businesses $300b a year!
The most telling report Iyer relays is a Stanford peer-reviewed study of the effect of stillness of military veterans. The author’s husband, a Marine Corp Scout Sniper, undertook a 40-day personal trial to see if he has similar results. He reported that his hours of concentrated attention left unusually happy, and worrying him that he was softening.
His adviser assured him that he was still hyper-alert only more selective about the “potential threats or targets to respond to.” He reported his surprise that “something so soft could also make me so much harder as a Marine.”
On a flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles Iyer was seated next to a woman who after a few pleasantries, sat in silence, doing nothing, for the next twelve hours. At the end of the journey, she explained that her job was exhausting, and she is beginning a five weeks of vacation in Hawaii. She was using the flight to get rid of the stress ready for her days of rest. Nothing for twelve hours. No reading, no watching movies, nothing.
We are living in an age of constant movement that makes being still so much more urgent.
The Art of Stillness is an important holiday read. Iyer offers the following summary advice: “Don’t just do something. Sit there.”
Readability Light +--- Serious
Insights High +---- Low
Practical High ----+ Low
*Ian Mann of Gateways consults internationally on leadership and strategy and is the author of Strategy that Works. .
Report
@cryptozone
2.0 out of 5 stars Insuficiente
Reviewed in Spain on 30 December 2015
El tema es interesante pero apenas profundiza. Utiliza demasiados recursos de terceros (testimonios, citas, etc.) y aporta poco o nada nuevo al iniciado. Recomendable para quien no haya tenido contacto previo con la meditación.
Report
Translate review to English
solly
1.0 out of 5 stars Plat
Reviewed in France on 20 November 2016
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Je me suis obligée de lire jusqu'au bout, mais j'ai vraiment trouvé plat ... sans relief. En tout cas pas le livre qui (me) porte !
Report
Translate review to English
Sutapa
4.0 out of 5 stars and if you enjoy listening to Leonard Cohen then it's one more reason ...
Reviewed in India on 31 December 2014
Verified Purchase
Pick Iyer is of course a superb writer. This book is special..and if you enjoy listening to Leonard Cohen then it's one more reason to read it
Report
Rosa Frei
4.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes doing nothing is so rewarding!
Reviewed in Germany on 12 September 2015
Verified Purchase
A wonderful still book for a busy, loud world. This book will greatly inspire you to unplug your life from time to time and go Nowhere. As the author quotes Leonhard Cohen: "Sitting still is the real deep entertainment. Going nowhere for me is not about turning your back on the world; it's about stepping away now and then so that you can see the world more clearly and love it more deeply."
Report
wolfgang
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in Canada on 12 January 2017
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
great book and wonderful reminder for the practice of mindfulness.
Report
Tartan Girl
4.0 out of 5 stars This Doesn't go Anywhere Either
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 February 2025
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this book. It told you all about how important it is to go nowhere and what can be gained from it. But nowhere does it actually describe what to do. Is it meditation? Does it involve the breath? Is it something else and if so, what? So, although the book was an entertaining read (and I learned more about Leonard Cohen) and I learned it's important to be still at points in your life, I then felt left high and dry. You'd think there would be a little help on how to access this for yourself.
Report
Translate all reviews to English
Volker Schorge
5.0 out of 5 stars Lesenswert!!!
Reviewed in Germany on 30 December 2014
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
... in einer immer hektischeren Welt eine Reise ins Innere zu Frieden und Gelassenenheit! Für Jeden der das Leben sucht!
Report
Translate review to English
Jim Gray
5.0 out of 5 stars A Travel Guide to Stillness, Slowing Down, and Creating One's Own Sabbath... Ancient and Current Widsom
Reviewed in the United States on 6 December 2014
Verified Purchase
I just finished reading the Art of Stillness; Adventures in Going Nowhere by Pico Iyer. What a stimulating yet calming and thoughtful book. The book is filled with insights both philosophical and scientific regarding the wisdom of taking time to slow down and celebrate one’s own Sabbath. Iyer offers beautifully that not only will it be good for us but also we the reader will get more done, and done well, if we make time for stillness.
The Book is filled with great characters and quotes. Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz offers: “ If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with.” And the musician Leonard Cohen “ Sitting still as a way of falling in love with the world and everything in it” … And Iyer himself say’s “… talking about stillness is really a way of talking about clarity and sanity and the joys that endure. “
Accompanying this book and as a supplement to it is a Ted Talk , Here is link to Iyer’s 15 minute Ted Talk http://www.ted.com/talks/pico_iyer_the_art_of_stillness?language=en
I heartily recommend feasting on this book about stillness, and unexpected pleasures … and enjoy the advice of a travel writer who provides an invitation to the adventure of going nowhere. In an age of distraction, nothing can feel more luxurious than paying attention. And in an age of constant movement, nothing is more urgent than sitting still.
I give it 5 Stars… And heartily recommend it as a simple pleasure.
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on 25 March 2017
Verified Purchase
Must have, must read.
Report
BJ
5.0 out of 5 stars ...
Reviewed in Canada on 15 January 2016
Verified Purchase
The book gave me better words and phrases to describe what I valued most - and why - on my el Camino trek. The silence, the stillness, the lack of distractions on the Meseta were so calming. This book has inspired me to fit more opportunities for contemplation in my life.
Report
Home Skeletor
5.0 out of 5 stars Every page is treasure
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 February 2019
Verified Purchase
Short. Full of Leonard Cohen anecdotes. But so full of stillness and wisdom. Well worth the read, and reread, and reread....
Report
Sandra Whitworth
4.0 out of 5 stars TED stuff seems to always grab your attention. The ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 December 2014
Verified Purchase
TED stuff seems to always grab your attention. The effective communication of its participants gives quite a bit in a nutshell. Afterwards, you feel as though the presenter has done your thinking for you and that you are on the same plateau as they. It concludes leaving you to your own wisdom to utilise in future. It's theme is the 'here and now' and how to be mindful of it. Another slant on 'mindfulness' and how to relish 'stillness' as a main refresher and mainstay of our lives. The challenge is to live the ethic. This TED book encourages the necessity in practising 'stillness' on a practical level. Worth a read.
Report
DronePilot3098
4.0 out of 5 stars Very nice but short.
Reviewed in Germany on 22 November 2014
Verified Purchase
Enjoyed the book very much. Alrhough it was the author's intention to keep the book short, I still would have liked it to be longer. Maybe to have a little more detail on how to meditate in a busy world.
Report
Gary Petingola
3.0 out of 5 stars Not as riveting as expected but a nice read
Reviewed in Canada on 2 September 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
An enjoyable read. A bit disappointing having seen how dynamic the authurs TED video is.
Report
Margie's Grandgirl
3.0 out of 5 stars Affirms the Importance of Stillness in Life
Reviewed in the United States on 21 April 2015
Format: Audio CDVerified Purchase
Have the audio book version and have listened to it three times to make sure I didn't miss anything while driving in LA traffic. This book is more about the importance and benefits in practicing the art of stillness. It doesn't provide guidance on how to make it happen, because each person has to figure out what stillness means and how to attain it for themselves. I intuitively already know what the author says; though, I appreciate having the affirmation that stillness is essential to life. It is a purposefully written short book, so the reader doesn't spend too much time reading and gets to practicing.
Report
Ty Schultz
5.0 out of 5 stars Meditative
Reviewed in Canada on 7 October 2018
Verified Purchase
This book provides a pathway to explore the quiet corners of consciousness that we all should afford more time and attention in our busy existence.
Report
Translate all reviews to English
vigroovian
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and ponderous quick read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 November 2018
Verified Purchase
Came in great condition and a really great quick read.
Interesting insights and ponders to consider.
If you’re struggling to slow down or feel like you need to always be doing something maybe think about reading this and embracing nothing for a little while 👍😊
Report
Srikanth
5.0 out of 5 stars Like a breath of fresh air
Reviewed in India on 17 July 2016
Verified Purchase
A simple and powerful idea with the genius of Pico Iyer's writing.
Report
Markus H.
5.0 out of 5 stars Sehr empfehlenswertes Buch
Reviewed in Germany on 22 January 2019
Verified Purchase
Sehr empfehlenswertes Buch
Report
Translate review to English
Jabberwocky
5.0 out of 5 stars Not my type of book, but great gift for those that like this writer!
Reviewed in the United States on 18 December 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Book arrived well packaged and on time. Thumbs up to the seller!
Report
Wilson John
4.0 out of 5 stars Illuminating experience
Reviewed in India on 17 August 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
delivered on time in excellent condition. as expected Pico Iyer at his best.. A great read. Illuminating as well as inspiring.
Report
Roman
5.0 out of 5 stars Still contemplating
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 December 2016
Verified Purchase
This book is a masterpiece of its own despite its small size, which seems to me the reason for complaint by some reviewers. I don't think size here matters at all. The message has been delivered, clear and crisp. As to the message itself: it is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, put ever so gracefully.
Report
Stew Salowitz
4.0 out of 5 stars Little Book with Nice Information
Reviewed in the United States on 30 August 2026
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I've had this book sitting on a shelf for 12 years and figured I was finally ready. About what I expected, this slim volume was interesting and informative - learned more about Leonard Cohen and Emily Dickinson than I had anticipated. The artwork inside the book was great for a landscape painter to see.
Report
Laural Matthews
4.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic read to begin my slow.
Reviewed in Canada on 25 July 2015
Verified Purchase
Pick Iyer has captured the brilliance of slow and going nowhere. I am beginning my journey with 5 minutes a day and building up to more quiet and less to do lists!
Report
MYegres
5.0 out of 5 stars great book
Reviewed in Germany on 9 December 2014
Verified Purchase
Is a short story that makes you think about everything!! Plus it was a fast delivery and very nice service
Report
Abhinav Sahai
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on 10 September 2015
Verified Purchase
Amazingly refreshing!
Report
Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Be still and read!!
Reviewed in the United States on 13 April 2026
Verified Purchase
I just completed this fine read and I am grateful that I did. It pointed me to the idea of being still. I applaud the author for teaching us the importance of stillness. Thank you for writing and sharing. /
Report
Sue T.
5.0 out of 5 stars TED Talk book a great read
Reviewed in Canada on 21 January 2017
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I enjoy most of the TED talk books and videos on the computer. This was particularly interesting so I ordered the book. Great read.
Report
Nicholas
5.0 out of 5 stars A mental departure from the usual fare
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 September 2019
Verified Purchase
This little book is so different.. pedantic and difficult to follow but thought provoking...somewhat academic and needs to be studied rather than read!!...a very objectI've view of mundane issues!!!
Report
Peg Cheng
5.0 out of 5 stars Take time to sit still and read this book
Reviewed in the United States on 13 October 2020
Verified Purchase
I love books that I can read in one or two sittings, and so when I found Pico’s book and realized I could read about stillness in just an hour or two, I was thrilled. This book was exactly what I needed to read as I’ve been feeling restless because of the pandemic. I can’t wait to travel someday again! But reading Pico’s book helped me realize that I don’t need to travel to remove my restlessness and gain peace and serenity. I can do that now, from the comfort of my home. Then, when I can travel again, I can do so with a clearer mind and more peaceful spirit.
Report
Amazon Customer
2.0 out of 5 stars Though I love pico Iyer
Reviewed in India on 22 July 2017
Verified Purchase
Though I love pico Iyer, art of stillness, is not his best. While the message of the book is valid and crucial, the book has not been written as well as you've come to expect from this fine author. His talk on TED on the same, much better.
Report
Tammy LaPlante
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in Canada on 5 July 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Great book
Report
Ceejlekabeejle
2.0 out of 5 stars Nice but not especially helpful.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 December 2014
Verified Purchase
A very short book, beautifully written and easy to read, Iyer makes a persuasive case for practicing stillness. I did feel, however, that the work was a bit too short, and lacked in substance. Whilst it never claimed to be a self-help guide to mindfulness, you would think that a text called 'The Art of Stillness' would give a little more advice on how the reader might also master it, even if this was just suggested reading, Iyer's own methods or links to websites.
Since most of those who'll read the book will already be interested in what stillness might grant them, and are likely to have some knowledge already, Iyer is rather preaching to the converted. So it's a shame he hasn't really given those converts anything more to go on than 'stillness is great'.
Report
Carrie J. Bylina
4.0 out of 5 stars Where's the Working Man's Art of Stillness
Reviewed in the United States on 14 June 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
It's short, perhaps too short, as if in its brevity it is emulating the stillness that Pico Iyer feels we are missing out on in our lives. And we probably are missing out. But I find, like I do most books that cover similar topics, that it is more geared toward philosophical and time management techniques that only those who have the means and luxury to kick back can afford to do so. His cavalier response to the woman caller with kids trying to start a business and get on with life was cavalier beyond belief. No Pico, we all don't have two hours to sit around and contempt our belly buttons. While philosophical I agree with him, for I do enjoy doing nothing on occasion, just watching the world go by, perhaps his next book will address something more practical for the working stiffs in life who are not at Google or Aetna or executives who shut down for four hours per week and feel that they have saved their company from making horrible business adventures, and then reward themselves with bigger bonuses. That's great, and no, I'm not being sarcastic, because the execs do need that pause that refreshes. But would you dare to shut down the production line for four hours a week so that your $7.25-12 per hour employees can feel good about theirselves? For what it is, this is a good read and written very well, deserving four stars.
Report
Steve Gladis
5.0 out of 5 stars The Power of Going Nowhere
Reviewed in the United States on 10 February 2016
Verified Purchase
Ever thought about chucking it all and rebooting your life? That’s sort of what Pico Iyer did; he headed for Japan. Along the way he met musician Leonard Cohen, who had become a contemplative monk, steeped in the wisdom of being alone. Cohen told Iyer that stepping away from your daily work was so that you might see it anew and “love it more deeply.” The ironic subtitle of this book, by a travel writer no less, says it all: ‘Adventures in going nowhere.’ It also could have been called ‘the journey inside’ or ‘finding happiness without ever looking for it.’ So this is a book about experiencing the world within a “framework of stillness.” It’s also about being present. As the author says, “Heaven is the place where you think of nowhere else.” And in a hyper-speed world chock full of distractions, finding respite within ourselves might just be the best thing we can do every day.
Report
CENK
5.0 out of 5 stars Reading while doing nothing
Reviewed in the United States on 29 October 2017
Verified Purchase
This might be one of the best investment one can do himself just by reading this short book. Try to find a real quiet place with a peaceful view and read this book with “no particular aim”. I bumped into it accidentally while browsing some videos in Youtube. And from the first watching of it I fell in love with Pico Iyer’s “going nowhere” philosophy. May be I was at the right stage in my life, may be I was ready to accept the idea of slowness after all those years of hectic turmoil life. In any case, I highly recommend it to everyone at all ages to read this and watch some of Pico’s videos at Youtube. Sooner or later the idea will grasp you. Hope it does sooner than later.
Report
SG
2.0 out of 5 stars Nowhere Near What I Hoped For
Reviewed in Canada on 23 December 2014
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
This little book promised exactly what I was looking for: a short treatise on the art of stillness. I've been lukewarm about Pico Iyer's style over the years, but was willing to give this a try on the basis of reviews and my attraction to the subject. I have to say it's pretty thin, though well enough researched. And what's with page 2, when "the monk" he's visiting (Leonard Cohen) offers him a "wife," because he has one for him if he wants one? (He doesn't, he tells us, since he has one on the way.) This little moment reads as self-aggrandizing gender positioning. Or maybe "wife" is a term for hot-water-bottle. In any case, it has no relevance to the narrative. Apart from that, the book has a few moments of interest but not what I would call depth or insight.
Report
laine langridge
5.0 out of 5 stars A reflective, thoughtful and inspiring read.
Reviewed in the United States on 20 May 2016
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
While Beyond Belief is not about one particular belief, I found it was a thoughtful exploration about believing - not in doctrines - but in the world we live in. Pico Iyer reflects on the way he has lived and travelled his life - places and people that have profoundly touched and influenced him. It is thoughtful without being pedantic. He is able to describe a feeling, a meeting, a view ... Just being witness to life. The accompanying photos are beautifully inspiring images. Although it can be a quick and easy book to read - it is thoughtful and reflective in a way that stays with you for long after reading it. I'll certainly read it again - probably many times. A book to keep on your shelf for future rereaddings.
Report
Beverly Poole
4.0 out of 5 stars Ordered by Mistake, But Keeping It
Reviewed in the United States on 11 February 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Actually, I haven't started reading it yet. I ordered it by mistake, as it was in with a list of "If you like Small Victories....you might like 'The Art of Stillness' ". I thought it was another book by Anne Lamott. Once I received "The Art of Stillness", however, I looked through it and decided it was a book that I'd like. I'm giving it 4 stars, as I think it will be good reading.
Report
Robin L. Messick
5.0 out of 5 stars Well Worth the Read is an Understatement
Reviewed in the United States on 23 September 2016
Verified Purchase
Pico Iyer has defined, in a nutshell and citing references from Ancient philosophers to modern songwriters, the benefits of stillness. This book resonated with me as nothing short of call to action. It's a concise summary of our current understanding of the health and mental health benefits of making time for stillness anywhere we find ourselves. I read it on Kindle and also am using the audio feature to listen to it as well. I will read, listen and repeat many times I'm sure. I recommend this book to everyone. It's short and easy to read. I recommend that if it didn't make sense when first reading it to try it another time. It may make sense then.
Report
Alan Fisher
5.0 out of 5 stars a wonderful new perspective
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 August 2023
Verified Purchase
Read the last page over again. It gives the vision of a different way of living- all realistically possible in our busy world.
Report
Jean-Louis B
5.0 out of 5 stars Great little book
Reviewed in the United States on 27 March 2017
Verified Purchase
I've read some critics about the short content of the book. Well it rung in me, it does have a lot of substance. Maybe listen to Old Ways album while reading, as an icing on the cake.
The author shares a few great references also. You should leave the book with a hunger for stillness and quiet.
In an age of speed, I began to think, nothing could be more invigorating than going slow.
In an age of distraction, nothing can feel more luxurious than paying attention.
And in an age of constant movement, nothing is more urgent than sitting still.
Report
Peter Baylis
4.0 out of 5 stars An easy read in one sitting and good motivation for getting ...
Reviewed in the United States on 17 December 2014
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
An easy read in one sitting and good motivation for getting started with meditation. I'm not about to go into a retreat but it is encouraging to hear what others are doing to better understand their own motivations. Pico Iyer's style is approachable and feels authentic.
I recommend this small volume to anyone interested in knowing more about meditation and how it might aid your peace of mind.
Report
Ray
5.0 out of 5 stars Great discussion
Reviewed in the United States on 25 February 2023
Verified Purchase
Over the years I have developed many of the concepts outlined in this book. It was rewarding to realize I was right on target. I have always said everyone must make time for themselves, only you have the power to do that. Pico Iyer found that as did I.
Report
AbbyReads
3.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing, quick read about finding the beauty in stillness
Reviewed in the United States on 1 March 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Inspired by Iyer’s 2013 TED Talk, “The Art of Stillness” examines why stillness is so important in our lives. This emphasis on stillness is pretty ironic, considering the fact that Iyer is a travel writer—he literally makes a career out of NOT staying still! Comprised of really beautiful quotes, pictures, and stories of those who have found stillness, this short book gives off a very powerful message about human nature to crave stillness the more we continue moving in the world.
3 stars! It was a nice, quick read, but I didn’t find anything spectacular about it.
Report
Judith
4.0 out of 5 stars Stillness can be accomplished anywhere through practice.
Reviewed in the United States on 13 April 2015
Verified Purchase
Pico Ayer writes extremely well. I enjoyed his book about the Dalai Lama, so decided to read this. I really think that Yoga, Tai Chi, and/or regular meditation accomplishes what he is advocating. He expresses his ideas through extensive travel experience, but I think "stillness" or a sense of internal "peace" can be accomplished wherever a person is, through regular practice.
Report
Ann Yeong
5.0 out of 5 stars A refreshing and restful read
Reviewed in the United States on 16 April 2015
Verified Purchase
"Refreshing." That's the adjective that best describes this book for me. At 97 pgs in length, this book is light in more than the figurative sense of the word. To the reader whose heart is thirsting for stillness without knowing it, this book might bring that desire into consciousness. To the reader who has already befriended stillness and silence, this book will read like a warm sharing from a kindred spirit.
If you enjoyed Pico Iyer's "The Joy of Quiet" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/opi...), then you will enjoy this book.
Report
David Bloom
5.0 out of 5 stars A vote for quiet and thoughtful regard in all the noise of life
Reviewed in the United States on 29 October 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Small book with a message gently told. To get a taste, watch the YouTube video of Iyer's commencement speech in spring 2015. It's based, I suspect, on the TED talk that led to this book. The message is basic: taking time to stop and appreciate the beautiful small things about us enriches and strengthens us against the onslaughts of daily life, and the tech-fueled frenzies we too often stumble through many days. It's a quick and lovely read, if you can stop long enough to take it in.
Report
Mike Hales
4.0 out of 5 stars Simple and intriguing
Reviewed in the United States on 11 April 2021
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
A very quick read but plenty to chew on as the idea of stillness and introspection talks hold. Read on a single sitting but will read again as well written and stimulating.
Report
J. Johnson
4.0 out of 5 stars A nice little book
Reviewed in the United States on 11 May 2015
Verified Purchase
We often aren't still and more times than not, we need to be. It is a simple message, but an important one. In this TED book, we are reminded to be still. The focus is mostly on Leonard Cohen, which seemed odd, but the more you learn about Cohen, the more it makes sense. A very short book, but some great writing.
Report
Anonymous
4.0 out of 5 stars Great for beginners
Reviewed in the United States on 27 April 2020
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
GREAT INTRO BOOK- seriously loved the concept, got me really thinking about everything!
if you’re already into philosophy, though, you probably know a lot of this and it might just be better to just listen to the TED talk
Report
SK
2.0 out of 5 stars Could Be Shorter
Reviewed in the United States on 4 May 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I was looking for some short books. This short one on what is described as "Nowhere" was on an interesting topic. It did not distract me with bad writing, so I'm assuming it is well written, but I think it could have been condensed at least 50%.
Report
Charlotte
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for your Library
Reviewed in the United States on 11 April 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Excellent. Would be wonderful if everyone, 6th grade and older, read this book once a year. And that everyone, from age 3 yrs to 6th grade, were given the model of this book lived by the people around them. Learned of this book when the author was interviewed "On Being" by Krista Tippett. Small book, first read will only take a few hours. Worth every minute. More to say, but have to go back to my place of stillness.
Report
Gina Goff
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Insightful
Reviewed in the United States on 21 April 2025
Format: Audio CDVerified Purchase
Very insightful & helpful.
Report
Rebeca Ponce
5.0 out of 5 stars but a great challenge when practice to sit quietly and do nothing
Reviewed in the United States on 19 August 2017
Verified Purchase
Although I have listen to your videos before, it was a pleasure reading your book. Thanks for sharing your personal experiences regarding such “simple” concept in words, but a great challenge when practice to sit quietly and do nothing. I liked your description of how we are currently living, like being permanently on call, true and scary!! You inspired me to make an effort to sit still, and I know that if I am persistent, and sit still long enough, I will at some point turn inward.
Report
Brad4d
5.0 out of 5 stars Brevity is the soul of insight
Reviewed in the United States on 9 February 2017
Verified Purchase
Another five-star review for this wonderful and insightful book.
As a long-time "contemplative" and traveler, I appreciate how the author has has described the essence of both novelty and stability, and how the two can merge into complementarity. Not many essays so successfully reconcile two apparent opposites.
If you enjoy exploring the human mind, how opposites can bring out the best in each other, or the value of stillness, the probability is high you will find much of value in this little e-book.
Report
Lynne
5.0 out of 5 stars the art of stillness
Reviewed in the United States on 25 October 2020
Verified Purchase
Pico Iyer is known to be a world traveler, however, his books and essays dig much deeper about peoples society... the smells, the lights, the food.
when I read his books, i start to believe I'm there.
This book actually speaks of stillness, as a means of clearing stress and anxiety. I highly recomend this book to "busy" people.
Report
Ravi Ramaswami
5.0 out of 5 stars Zero is infinity
Reviewed in the United States on 10 February 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
This is a very short book but tall in its philosophy. Our lives are inundated with so much trivialities that one fails to realize that sometimes doing nothing can be the best recharger. Pico Iyer does not get preachy,does not advocate monastic life styles nor gives us a methodology to achieve nothingness. Rather he gives some of his experiences and espouses the value of taking time off one's busy life to spend a few moments doing nothing-thus achieving stillness and re-equilibration.
Report
June
4.0 out of 5 stars Food for thought.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 April 2018
Verified Purchase
Reflective. Contemplative. In stillness we find our best thoughts. In stillness we find our best moves. In stillness we find our basic needs.
Report
SandySEPA
5.0 out of 5 stars Permission
Reviewed in the United States on 7 May 2015
Verified Purchase
This is a very short book, but with an extremely important message- It's OK to just do nothing every once in a while. To step back from the ever-accelerating modern world, from achievement and striving, from all the electronic devuces which make our rat-wheels run faster and faster. One of the best parts was where he says many Silicon Valley developers of all the modern electronic devices turn off the Internet, their cell phones, etc on the weekends.
Report
RangelMilner
4.0 out of 5 stars More on the stressed out society we have become.
Reviewed in the United States on 3 August 2015
Verified Purchase
Nothing is new about the fast pace we maintain to the detriment of our health and relationships. The remedy of absolute stillness is. It is a behaviour that is difficult to master and sometimes illusive with more effort. It is the singular reward of happiness that is worth the effort of stillness.
Report
Siamzen
1.0 out of 5 stars There is NO ART when your secretary take away your money
Reviewed in the United States on 1 December 2014
Verified Purchase
Thanks Pico for your previous books NOT for the last two Great part of the book is about your friend Leonard Cohen BUT you forgot to write for us something very important When her secretary taken away his money suddenly he is back giving interviews ... World wide concerts ... back to boogy street MONEY MONEY He should have stay above Los Angeles writing beautiful poems on empty bank accounts You have miss my fellow spirit Pico YES the art of stillness BUT when our bank bank account is low there is not stillness The hypocrisy of the spiritual elite Next book Pico about this subject. Not only one side of the story Anyway my favorite book is the lady and the monk As frequently visitor to kyoto his book was an inspiration for me and I would like to thanks him for this Video nights in Kathmandu as well Thanks Pico and do not only worship the spiritual elite and your originality as well.
Report
JA
5.0 out of 5 stars Great advice!
Reviewed in the United States on 15 February 2023
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Read this book years ago and just purchased and reread! Makes me think of the book all the time!
Stillness is something we all need to appreciate!
Report
G. Bernard Wandel
5.0 out of 5 stars great book.
Reviewed in the United States on 18 March 2016
Verified Purchase
great book...it's a little '"fan" crazy for Leonard Cohen and his journey, however, it is quite relevant to the author's points.
i enjoyed reading it and hearing the audio of the author reading his work. This is an important book. the points made are necessary and it offers vital tools for dealing with modern society and information overload. I hope that reading this book brings many others to the practice of stillness.
Report
owen lynch
5.0 out of 5 stars A self help book that isn't selling a product.
Reviewed in the United States on 4 January 2015
Verified Purchase
I love books like these. It's a breath of fresh air from typical self help instruction panflettes that attempt to fix a problem by filling that issue with an 'action plan'. This book doesn't issue a set of instructions for leading a better life. Instead, it suggests happiness and self stability may rest with being content with yourself. The problem with such suggestions is that practicing 'going nowhere' is free. No monthly membership fee is necessary.
Report
nano
1.0 out of 5 stars Read this review before you buy it!
Reviewed in the United States on 1 June 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
The cover is an insult. It is bigger than the book itself.
The book is hard like those one can do in an amateur printer.
The content? Well.... there is information in it as the information you can read in a blog about meditation. Then there are some stories about people who seat still, but the stories are not well written and he could find better stories.
Then there is that monk at the end of the book. He did some music about dead.... Is it then the conclusion of seating still that we think about dying? This is actually a bad example and at the end of the book. What an end!
Besides that... I was expecting a book where I can see the world through the eyes of someboy who meditates. Abook where a person was travelling around and seeing the world differently because of that. Well..... but this is what they are selling right? This was the point of the book. So the content of this book is pointless.
Report
Birdsong Way
1.0 out of 5 stars The Art of (not-so-subtle) Bragging
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 March 2023
Verified Purchase
Judging by comments under the 5-star reviews, some people have clearly been moved by this book. Im happy for them.
To me it is poorly-written (self-edited?) tripe, irritating in the extreme : “me me, me…….and how wonderfully privileged and well-travelled I am, along with all my ultra-famous buddies.” Dollop upon dollop of smugness.
If you want to read about STILLNESS, look somewhere else : Eckhart Tolle, Khalil Gibran, the Bhagavad Gita, whatever or whoever best suits your path.
Report
Diane C. Gilson
5.0 out of 5 stars a reminder that the something that's missing, really isn't
Reviewed in the United States on 24 December 2014
Verified Purchase
Too much to do, too little time? Minutes, hours, weeks, and years seem to fly by at a breakneck pace. But maybe 10 or 15 or 30 minutes a day being "in touch" with our inner self could make all the difference in our quality of life, and in how effective we are as we move through it. Mr Iyer helped me to get back in touch with that concept! Many thanks...
Report
Poornima Vijayashanker
4.0 out of 5 stars Short and sweet read of the importance of sitting still in an on-the-go era
Reviewed in the United States on 23 December 2016
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
While I was aware of the brevity of the book, I would have liked for Iyer to dig in a little bit deeper, perhaps by showcasing more stories of situations where people chose to sit still and how it benefited their lives.
Report
Fourie
5.0 out of 5 stars Our Own Nowhere
Reviewed in the United States on 1 May 2021
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
I never thought about stillness and the art of doing nothing as a way to gain energy. We all constantly feel the need to do something! Yet doing nothing can be as invigorating. This book explains it in very simple terms.
Report
L. Shapiro
4.0 out of 5 stars A breeze of a read
Reviewed in the United States on 11 April 2020
Verified Purchase
You will get through this well written short book quickly and smile. Well written with a fair number of lines to highlight/save for quoting.
Report
Kristy
4.0 out of 5 stars Reading this book lowers my blood pressure and helps me ...
Reviewed in the United States on 31 March 2015
Verified Purchase
Reading this book lowers my blood pressure and helps me breath more calmly. I read it on my original Kindle, which means the photographs were in black and white, which isn't ideal. Even so, they were still an important part of the book.
Report
B Mayer
5.0 out of 5 stars A return to yourself
Reviewed in the United States on 28 June 2015
Verified Purchase
I found this book very calming and insightful. A gentle awakening of our potential to bring out the best in all of us. An insightful reminder of the goodness we are all capable of if we so choose. It's easy to be cruel, harder to be kind and giving. This is a road map to the potential of being a kind and giving person.
Report
Milla
4.0 out of 5 stars Easy Read
Reviewed in the United States on 2 June 2020
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
It's a quick read. It gets the point across and explains why Stillness iss important and what can be accomplished.
Report
Chris Hyland
4.0 out of 5 stars Short but very sweet
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 December 2014
Verified Purchase
The ideas in this book sound absurdly simple and promising, but despite the rewards, we will almost certainly get in our own way.
What better challenge?
Report
Art K
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully honest.
Reviewed in the United States on 31 December 2014
Verified Purchase
Simple, eloquent, insightful. I appreciated the author's honesty in saying that stillness is a profound but complicated place. It isn't all peace and wisdom. It is that some but it is also often scary, challenging and troubling. Watching the mind at work is amazing but often troubling. It would just be a science experiment except that you are the subject and the implications are often unexpected.
Report
Show 10 more reviews
===
Kindle
$12.99
The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere
by
Pico Iyer (Author) Format: Hardcover
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars
(2,074)Part of: TED (24 books)Review
"A bustling paean to the stationary life . . . Iyer's argument is an engaging amalgam of memoir, reportage, and literary essay . . . Iyer uses a fluid blend of argument and anecdote to make a persuasive and eloquent case that contemplating internal landscapes can be just as rich an experience as traveling through external ones. The fact that he has traveled to some of the world's most obscure corners only strengthens his credibility as a defender of stillness."-- "Boston Globe"
"This book isn't a meditation guide or a New-Age tract but rather a celebration of the age-old practice of sitting with no goal in mind and no destination in sight.... Rather than reading it quickly and filing it, readers will likely slow down to meet its pace and might continue carrying it around as a reminder."-- "Kirkus (starred)"
"[A] beautiful little book. . . fills an important niche. . . Iyer wants to make the conscious practice of stillness palatable to everyone."-- "Los Angeles Review of Books"
"[A] cool drink of water, in book form"-- "People"
"[A] wonderful read in its entirety."-- "Brain Pickings"
"A heartfelt manifesto to the benefits of ditching the cellphone and snipping up the frequent flier card, The Art of Stillness is anything but a self-help book or how-to guide for achieving inner peace."-- "Associated Press"
"In lesser hands this tiny volume might be a throwaway of glib, "new age" comfort-speak, but like Henry David Thoreau's equally brief classic on another seemingly mundane exercise -- walking -- Iyer's thoughtful nature leads him to peel back layer upon layer, nodding toward the infinite.... Plunging effortlessly beneath platitudes, this wafer-thin volume reminds us of what might just be the greatest paradox of travel -- after all our road running, after all our flights of fancy to the farthest corners of the globe, after all our touring, our seeking and questing, perhaps, just perhaps, fellow travelers, there really is no place like home."-- "New York Times Book Review"
About the Author
Pico Iyer is a British-born essayist and novelist long based in both California and Japan. He is the author of numerous books about crossing cultures, among them Video Night in Kathmandu, The Lady and the Monk, and The Global Soul. An essayist for Time since 1986, he also publishes regularly in Harper's, The New York Review of Books, The New York Times, and many other publications across the globe.
Product details
Publisher : Simon & Schuster/ Ted
Publication date : 4 November 2014
Language : English
Print length : 96 pages
===
See all formats and editionsOr $7.20 /payment at 0% (Pay in 4). View 2 plans
A follow up to Pico Iyer's essay "The Joy of Quiet," The Art of Stillness considers the unexpected adventure of staying put and reveals a counterintuitive truth: The more ways we have to connect, the more we seem desperate to unplug.
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 Gandhi 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.
===
310 customer reviews
Translate all reviews to English
From Australia
Michelle
5.0 out of 5 stars Like coming home
Reviewed in Australia on 12 March 2019
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
It was, as promised, an invigorating story of a man uncovering what most people are afraid to dream is true: that standing still is the best way to move forward. Beautifully simple and restrained. The photos between chapters were like palate cleansers. It was like a close friend tapping you on the shoulder and reminding you what really matters.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Sandy Peyrolle
4.0 out of 5 stars Reading Picos books is never disappointing This one is small but satisfying. Only wish he wwould continue ..Bringing L Cohen artform to us so truthfuly
Reviewed in Australia on 19 October 2019
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
I would recomend it to all frantically busy creative people, to use its visdom it offers.losing fear of staying put and finding a nourishing Nowhere Land
One person found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Paul Vincent Cannon
5.0 out of 5 stars Stillness
Reviewed in Australia on 25 September 2017
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Pico Iyer writes from his experience, from the heart, it is a heartwarming read and one that encourages, rather than preaches, that stillness is both vital and healthy.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Sue
5.0 out of 5 stars Being in the here and now
Reviewed in Australia on 11 September 2016
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Of looking and listening and actually seeing and hearing is a real delight. This book will help you to recover.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
Report
EH Thistlethwaite
5.0 out of 5 stars BE STILL
Reviewed in Australia on 5 January 2015
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Loved this short book that teaches us about the importance of being still at some point in or day or week. Valuable lessons to be learned from these writings by Pico Iyer.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
From other countries
EGCURIEL
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro. Muy recomendable.
Reviewed in Mexico on 25 June 2024
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Libro que me ha sacado en más de un apuro por regalar algo que sea verdaderamente útil. Particularmente, para quienes pueden aprovechar el tiempo de una convalecencia en leer algo constructivo, o en general, para quienes no se han dado la oportunidad de detenerse en el tiempo para reflexionar sobre su vida, como le sucedió al inolvidable cantautor canadiense Leonard Cohen, según se menciona en el libro.
Report
Translate review to English
Alexandre Pacheco
5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good, straight forward and efficient
Reviewed in Canada on 12 February 2026
Verified Purchase
Pretty good, straight forward and efficient. Nothing really new was said, nowadays the obvious need to be declared out and laud though.
Report
juan antonio
4.0 out of 5 stars Un libro sobre el silencio interior
Reviewed in Spain on 5 October 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Compre este libro por un video de ted.com que hizo el escritor, me pareció interesante el hecho de que se retirase a un monasterio para encontrarse alejado del ruido y buscar la paz.
Recomiendo este libro para aquellas personas que deseen encontrar su yo interior y alejarse de él.
Report
Translate review to English
Suzannah Maria
5.0 out of 5 stars A tonic for the mind . . .
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 April 2019
Verified Purchase
This book was just what I needed. Finding my life as a carer for my partially sighted husband and with health issues of my own I have been losing my grip on day to day life. Becoming too concerned with housework and appointments and finding no time to spend on my art led me into depression and anxiety. Feeling that my life would be over before I am ready to let go I found this book just in the nick of time. My house is cluttered - as is my head and I know that I need some help to clear both but didn't know what to do or where to look. The only place I have ever found peace is wrapped in the words and music of Leonard Cohen, so when Pico Iyer spoke of his friendship with and guidance from the Master himself I knew that this book was for me.
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing grace...
Reviewed in Germany on 15 February 2019
Verified Purchase
Short but nevertheless delish read! Makes you want to seek out that silent place of clarity as soon as you put the book down.
Report
Translate all reviews to English
anas
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly written and simple
Reviewed in India on 21 February 2016
Verified Purchase
I was unsure if I needed to order this book at all since I had already seen the TED talk. But the book was well worth it. The message of the book is exactly what I needed at this point. Brilliantly written and simple. This is a book worth keeping around.
Report
B. Grant
5.0 out of 5 stars An Important Book for our Times
Reviewed in the United States on 10 November 2014
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
The ability to consume a book in a brief time is in and of itself a special and rare experience. One easily could have made it much longer, but would it have been any better for the added pages? It is a pearl that resonates and challenges the reader to consider his/her choices and direction.
This is an important and valuable book. I find myself often thinking about the glut of information and data we face. I am currently assisting my son in getting his new phone up and running and in the process of converting thousands of his songs on his computer so they can transfer to the new phone. This level of digital consumption was simply not possible for the vast history of our species and is he or we any better for it?
In generations past, one did not have to make the choice to do nothing, or be still; that was the state of being for many, much of the time. We lived and died within 30 miles of our birth. Travel abroad was a one way trip or the stuff of adventurers. Today, we are awash in stuff and choices.
We as a society face a real challenge in organizing our lives in the face of infinite choices and consumptive options that are so brilliantly marketed and instantly available. This in contrast to the fact that we have not and will not eliminate the essential limits of our consumptive capacity and our finite lives. This book reminds the reader that we exercise choices in our daily norms.
Recently on a flight I elected to do as one of the Iyer's fellow passengers did as described in the book - sit quietly and do nothing, . but only for a brief time. I experienced a brief portion of the ride without reading, listening or external engagement. It was remarkable in its novelty for me. Iyer's book has a number of examples of stillness in practice. Many readers may give it a try themselves.
There is an inherent challenge in this book that devotes pages discussing some celebrities and celebrated people who have to a degree commoditized their stillness. There is benefit in this as in the cases of Merton or Dickenson; who wrote brilliantly of their experiences. The challenge for most is to find a personal path that is not subsequently commoditized for others, which to a degree defeats the purpose of inner stillness by public declaration. And can there be anything less still than TED conferences (TED published this book) and the acolytes who attend? But at least there is a level of awareness by many attendees and the organizers of their inherent contradictions in actions vs. ideas, and some as Iyer points out are trying to figure out how to reconcile them.
An added treat are the interspersed photographs in this lovely book.
Report
Antonella Crisafulli
4.0 out of 5 stars inspiring book
Reviewed in Italy on 12 April 2016
Verified Purchase
the book is an ispiring one, the experience of the author and his willingness to share his reflections with the reader, in a clear and nice way.. i really suggest to read it to anyone.
the price is a bit high being a 50 pages book, but we cannot price culture i suppose..
Report
Ian Mann
4.0 out of 5 stars best appreciated while unwinding on vacation
Reviewed in the United States on 12 April 2017
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Pico Iyer is a travel writer, and a regular contributor to the New York Times, Harpers, Time, and other magazines. His is a lifestyle determined by deadlines and the rigours of travelling for work. “I’m not a member of any church, and I don’t subscribe to any creed; I’ve never been a member of any meditation or yoga group,” he disclaims.
The title of the book, The Art of Stillness, is a call to use stillness in a world he accurately describes as “madly accelerating.” If you have any doubts about this description, try recall when last you had nights off, or did no work at all on the weekend. (Reading business literature does qualify as work.)
To get the most benefit from this book you should read it slowly and thoughtfully. It is a slim book on an important topic, best appreciated while unwinding on vacation.
“More and more of us feel like emergency-room physicians, permanently on call,” says Iyer. We have mastered so many parts of our lives in the last half century, except how to enjoy living. Geography is fast coming under our control; we send messages around the world in seconds, parcels in hours and can talk to people anywhere easily and inexpensively. However, the clock seems to be “exerting more and more tyranny over us.”
Iyer advocates regular periods of stillness, daily if possible. Times when we take a journey to “Nothing.” It is a short period when we retreat from our busy-nes, “so that you can see the world more clearly and love it more deeply.”
In the second century, the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius pointed out that it is not our experiences that form us, but the way we understand them and respond to them. Being still puts distance between our present and our experience, so we can view experiences with “clarity and sanity” and reap the benefits that comes from that. The opportunity to distance ourselves helps experiences acquire the appropriate importance. All it involves is sitting still. Nothing more.
Iyer reports that in his work world, “Every time I take a trip, the experience acquires meaning and grows deeper only after I get back home and, sitting still, begin to convert the sights I’ve seen into lasting insights.”
When he attended retreat centres, he met bankers, teachers, real estate agents, people leading normal business lives who came the centres, just to be still for a few days.
Kevin Kelly, the founding executive editor of Wire magazine is certainly one of the most articulate representatives for the technologies of our time. His wrote his latest book on the uses of technology to expand human potential while living without a smartphone, a laptop or a TV in his home. He explains that he keeps “the cornucopia of technology at arm’s length so that I can more easily remember who I am.”
Many in Silicon Valley observe what Iyer calls an “Internet Sabbath” turning off their devices from Friday evening to Monday morning. It is telling that people who do so much to speed up the world see the benefit of slowing down regularly.
At General Mills, a company with revenues of almost $14b offered a seven-week programme to senior executive on “stillness.” 80% reported a positive improvement in their ability to make decisions, and 89% that they were becoming better listeners. It is estimated that programmes like this save American businesses $300b a year!
The most telling report Iyer relays is a Stanford peer-reviewed study of the effect of stillness of military veterans. The author’s husband, a Marine Corp Scout Sniper, undertook a 40-day personal trial to see if he has similar results. He reported that his hours of concentrated attention left unusually happy, and worrying him that he was softening.
His adviser assured him that he was still hyper-alert only more selective about the “potential threats or targets to respond to.” He reported his surprise that “something so soft could also make me so much harder as a Marine.”
On a flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles Iyer was seated next to a woman who after a few pleasantries, sat in silence, doing nothing, for the next twelve hours. At the end of the journey, she explained that her job was exhausting, and she is beginning a five weeks of vacation in Hawaii. She was using the flight to get rid of the stress ready for her days of rest. Nothing for twelve hours. No reading, no watching movies, nothing.
We are living in an age of constant movement that makes being still so much more urgent.
The Art of Stillness is an important holiday read. Iyer offers the following summary advice: “Don’t just do something. Sit there.”
Readability Light +--- Serious
Insights High +---- Low
Practical High ----+ Low
*Ian Mann of Gateways consults internationally on leadership and strategy and is the author of Strategy that Works. .
Report
@cryptozone
2.0 out of 5 stars Insuficiente
Reviewed in Spain on 30 December 2015
El tema es interesante pero apenas profundiza. Utiliza demasiados recursos de terceros (testimonios, citas, etc.) y aporta poco o nada nuevo al iniciado. Recomendable para quien no haya tenido contacto previo con la meditación.
Report
Translate review to English
solly
1.0 out of 5 stars Plat
Reviewed in France on 20 November 2016
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Je me suis obligée de lire jusqu'au bout, mais j'ai vraiment trouvé plat ... sans relief. En tout cas pas le livre qui (me) porte !
Report
Translate review to English
Sutapa
4.0 out of 5 stars and if you enjoy listening to Leonard Cohen then it's one more reason ...
Reviewed in India on 31 December 2014
Verified Purchase
Pick Iyer is of course a superb writer. This book is special..and if you enjoy listening to Leonard Cohen then it's one more reason to read it
Report
Rosa Frei
4.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes doing nothing is so rewarding!
Reviewed in Germany on 12 September 2015
Verified Purchase
A wonderful still book for a busy, loud world. This book will greatly inspire you to unplug your life from time to time and go Nowhere. As the author quotes Leonhard Cohen: "Sitting still is the real deep entertainment. Going nowhere for me is not about turning your back on the world; it's about stepping away now and then so that you can see the world more clearly and love it more deeply."
Report
wolfgang
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in Canada on 12 January 2017
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
great book and wonderful reminder for the practice of mindfulness.
Report
Tartan Girl
4.0 out of 5 stars This Doesn't go Anywhere Either
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 February 2025
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this book. It told you all about how important it is to go nowhere and what can be gained from it. But nowhere does it actually describe what to do. Is it meditation? Does it involve the breath? Is it something else and if so, what? So, although the book was an entertaining read (and I learned more about Leonard Cohen) and I learned it's important to be still at points in your life, I then felt left high and dry. You'd think there would be a little help on how to access this for yourself.
Report
Translate all reviews to English
Volker Schorge
5.0 out of 5 stars Lesenswert!!!
Reviewed in Germany on 30 December 2014
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
... in einer immer hektischeren Welt eine Reise ins Innere zu Frieden und Gelassenenheit! Für Jeden der das Leben sucht!
Report
Translate review to English
Jim Gray
5.0 out of 5 stars A Travel Guide to Stillness, Slowing Down, and Creating One's Own Sabbath... Ancient and Current Widsom
Reviewed in the United States on 6 December 2014
Verified Purchase
I just finished reading the Art of Stillness; Adventures in Going Nowhere by Pico Iyer. What a stimulating yet calming and thoughtful book. The book is filled with insights both philosophical and scientific regarding the wisdom of taking time to slow down and celebrate one’s own Sabbath. Iyer offers beautifully that not only will it be good for us but also we the reader will get more done, and done well, if we make time for stillness.
The Book is filled with great characters and quotes. Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz offers: “ If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with.” And the musician Leonard Cohen “ Sitting still as a way of falling in love with the world and everything in it” … And Iyer himself say’s “… talking about stillness is really a way of talking about clarity and sanity and the joys that endure. “
Accompanying this book and as a supplement to it is a Ted Talk , Here is link to Iyer’s 15 minute Ted Talk http://www.ted.com/talks/pico_iyer_the_art_of_stillness?language=en
I heartily recommend feasting on this book about stillness, and unexpected pleasures … and enjoy the advice of a travel writer who provides an invitation to the adventure of going nowhere. In an age of distraction, nothing can feel more luxurious than paying attention. And in an age of constant movement, nothing is more urgent than sitting still.
I give it 5 Stars… And heartily recommend it as a simple pleasure.
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on 25 March 2017
Verified Purchase
Must have, must read.
Report
BJ
5.0 out of 5 stars ...
Reviewed in Canada on 15 January 2016
Verified Purchase
The book gave me better words and phrases to describe what I valued most - and why - on my el Camino trek. The silence, the stillness, the lack of distractions on the Meseta were so calming. This book has inspired me to fit more opportunities for contemplation in my life.
Report
Home Skeletor
5.0 out of 5 stars Every page is treasure
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 February 2019
Verified Purchase
Short. Full of Leonard Cohen anecdotes. But so full of stillness and wisdom. Well worth the read, and reread, and reread....
Report
Sandra Whitworth
4.0 out of 5 stars TED stuff seems to always grab your attention. The ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 December 2014
Verified Purchase
TED stuff seems to always grab your attention. The effective communication of its participants gives quite a bit in a nutshell. Afterwards, you feel as though the presenter has done your thinking for you and that you are on the same plateau as they. It concludes leaving you to your own wisdom to utilise in future. It's theme is the 'here and now' and how to be mindful of it. Another slant on 'mindfulness' and how to relish 'stillness' as a main refresher and mainstay of our lives. The challenge is to live the ethic. This TED book encourages the necessity in practising 'stillness' on a practical level. Worth a read.
Report
DronePilot3098
4.0 out of 5 stars Very nice but short.
Reviewed in Germany on 22 November 2014
Verified Purchase
Enjoyed the book very much. Alrhough it was the author's intention to keep the book short, I still would have liked it to be longer. Maybe to have a little more detail on how to meditate in a busy world.
Report
Gary Petingola
3.0 out of 5 stars Not as riveting as expected but a nice read
Reviewed in Canada on 2 September 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
An enjoyable read. A bit disappointing having seen how dynamic the authurs TED video is.
Report
Margie's Grandgirl
3.0 out of 5 stars Affirms the Importance of Stillness in Life
Reviewed in the United States on 21 April 2015
Format: Audio CDVerified Purchase
Have the audio book version and have listened to it three times to make sure I didn't miss anything while driving in LA traffic. This book is more about the importance and benefits in practicing the art of stillness. It doesn't provide guidance on how to make it happen, because each person has to figure out what stillness means and how to attain it for themselves. I intuitively already know what the author says; though, I appreciate having the affirmation that stillness is essential to life. It is a purposefully written short book, so the reader doesn't spend too much time reading and gets to practicing.
Report
Ty Schultz
5.0 out of 5 stars Meditative
Reviewed in Canada on 7 October 2018
Verified Purchase
This book provides a pathway to explore the quiet corners of consciousness that we all should afford more time and attention in our busy existence.
Report
Translate all reviews to English
vigroovian
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and ponderous quick read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 November 2018
Verified Purchase
Came in great condition and a really great quick read.
Interesting insights and ponders to consider.
If you’re struggling to slow down or feel like you need to always be doing something maybe think about reading this and embracing nothing for a little while 👍😊
Report
Srikanth
5.0 out of 5 stars Like a breath of fresh air
Reviewed in India on 17 July 2016
Verified Purchase
A simple and powerful idea with the genius of Pico Iyer's writing.
Report
Markus H.
5.0 out of 5 stars Sehr empfehlenswertes Buch
Reviewed in Germany on 22 January 2019
Verified Purchase
Sehr empfehlenswertes Buch
Report
Translate review to English
Jabberwocky
5.0 out of 5 stars Not my type of book, but great gift for those that like this writer!
Reviewed in the United States on 18 December 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Book arrived well packaged and on time. Thumbs up to the seller!
Report
Wilson John
4.0 out of 5 stars Illuminating experience
Reviewed in India on 17 August 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
delivered on time in excellent condition. as expected Pico Iyer at his best.. A great read. Illuminating as well as inspiring.
Report
Roman
5.0 out of 5 stars Still contemplating
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 December 2016
Verified Purchase
This book is a masterpiece of its own despite its small size, which seems to me the reason for complaint by some reviewers. I don't think size here matters at all. The message has been delivered, clear and crisp. As to the message itself: it is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, put ever so gracefully.
Report
Stew Salowitz
4.0 out of 5 stars Little Book with Nice Information
Reviewed in the United States on 30 August 2026
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I've had this book sitting on a shelf for 12 years and figured I was finally ready. About what I expected, this slim volume was interesting and informative - learned more about Leonard Cohen and Emily Dickinson than I had anticipated. The artwork inside the book was great for a landscape painter to see.
Report
Laural Matthews
4.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic read to begin my slow.
Reviewed in Canada on 25 July 2015
Verified Purchase
Pick Iyer has captured the brilliance of slow and going nowhere. I am beginning my journey with 5 minutes a day and building up to more quiet and less to do lists!
Report
MYegres
5.0 out of 5 stars great book
Reviewed in Germany on 9 December 2014
Verified Purchase
Is a short story that makes you think about everything!! Plus it was a fast delivery and very nice service
Report
Abhinav Sahai
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on 10 September 2015
Verified Purchase
Amazingly refreshing!
Report
===
Report an issue with this product