In the age of Oprah, Dr. Phil, and countless
other self-help disciplinarians, indulging in any kind of pleasurable pastime
is on the brink of extinction. But it's not too late to revive those lost
pleasures that make life worth living. The Hedonism Handbook can help put
the three-martini lunch, the baguette with real butter, the deep tan, the
unfiltered cigarette, or the simple act of lying in a hammock under the
stars back within our grasp. A tongue-in-cheek, satirical guide to the
"good" life, The Hedonism Handbook will help us reclaim it all.
With his characteristic wit, author Michael
Flocker combines humorous reviews of historical excesses, suggestions for
everyday indulgences, lists of hedonistic icons with famous quotes and
earnest warnings about the perils of structured living. Made up of ten
worldly wise chapters arranged to form a journey for the reader- a path
from the straight-and-narrow into wide-open fields of frivolity- The
Hedonism Handbook will help readers master the lost arts of leisure and
pleasure. It provides an entertaining, yet (if you're not careful),
life-changing read.
"Flocker, that oracle of panache who wrote
the best-selling Metrosexual Guide to Style, returns with this fetching
little paperback that celebrates life as it should be lived."
“By hilariously demolishing the ideals and
delusions of overachievers and technomaniacs, The Hedonism Handbook cleverly outlines the path to
Nirvana.”
- Instinct
“Delightfully laid out, with amusing
marginalia and wonderful Victorian-era illustrations, and there are
plenty of barbs to keep readers chuckling.”
- Publishers Weekly
“It’s a simple message, but a good
one.”
- New York Post
“A refreshing change from earnest
self-help books.”
- Chicago Tribune
"No one, runs the gag, went to the grave
wishing they'd spent more time at the office. Now, into the gloom of
presenteeism, long hours and the work-till-you-die culture comes a
corrective. Entitled The Hedonism Handbook: Mastering the Lost Arts of
Leisure and Pleasure, this manifesto offers career-driven office drones a
step-by-step guide to having fun. Flocker's book is for fun, but one
senses that he is tapping into something deeper."
- The Independent News UK
"Debauchery is de best when your life lacks
luster, says Flocker, so unleash your inner wild child."
