An endlessly fascinating, beautifully designed survey of time—how long things take, how long things last, and how we spend our days
Our relationship to time is complex and paradoxical: Time stands still. Time also flies. Tomorrow is another day. Yet there's no time like the present. We want to do more in less time, but wish we could slow the clock. And despite all our time-saving devices—iPhones, DVRs, high-speed trains—Americans feel that they have less leisure time than ever.
In an era when our time feels fractured and imperiled, The Book of Times encourages readers to ponder time used and time spent. How long does it take to find a new mate, digest a hamburger, or compose a symphony? How much time do we spend daydreaming, texting, and getting ready for work? The book challenges our beliefs and urges us to consider how, and why, some things get faster, some things slow down, and some things never change (the need for seven to eight hours of sleep).
Packed with compelling charts, lists, and quizzes, as well as new and intriguing research, The Book of Times is an addictive, browsable, and provocative look at the idea of time from every direction.
Lesley Alderman is a writer and editor on health and finance. She cowrote the "Patient Money" column for the New York Times for three years and is a former deputy editor of Real Simple and staff writer for Money. Alderman has contributed articles to a variety of national publications, including Barron's, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, EverydayHealth.com, Parenting, Prevention, and Time Books. She edited First Impressions: What You Don't Know About How Others See You (Bantam), which was translated into twenty-four languages. Alderman is also a certified yoga instructor. She lives with her family in Brooklyn.
