How to Be Free

How can we be free? This is a question that I frequently ask myself when at work, trudging through the increasing workload and constantly chasing my tail. I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm not alone in my increasing frustration and boredom of the nine till five culture that has sucked the soul and spirit from us all. We have become a nation of slaves. We have sold our freedom for a monthly wage.

That's when I stumbled across a gem of a book entitled " How to be free" By Tom Hodgkinson. This book is a follow on from Hodgkinon's first book " How to be idle". I stumbled across this book when browsing Amazon and as you can imagine I thought all my Christmas's had come at once. The title instantly caught my interest and I had to buy it. After all who doesn't want to be free and this book offered a how to.

The blurb reads as follows,

'Have you ever wondered why you bother to go to work? Why so much of consumer culture is crap? Whether there might be a better, freer, happier way to live our lives? If so, this book is for you. Following up his cult bestseller "How To Be Idle", Tom Hodgkinson takes us on an inspirational journey towards true freedom and happiness. Read "How To Be Free" and learn how to throw off the shackles of anxiety, bureaucracy, debt, governments, housework, moaning, pain, poverty, ugliness, war and waste, and much else besides.'

After reading the introduction I was hooked. The book contains a lot of philosophical quotes and ideas that Hodgkinson uses well and blends them fluently into the flow of the book. The use of quotes from philosophers and historical figures makes the book really work, rather than just being Hodgkinsons opinion and ideas about freedom we are given evidence and ideas from a number of sources which really helps the book, both inform and persuade the reader to question societies current values and to understand why we are in this situation. More importantly it really got me thinking and questioning the whole concept of selling my time to work.

This book is especially well suited to the current climate of looming recession causing stress and misery for many people. Hodgkinson points out the obvious in a lighthearted and thoroughly entertaining way but with serious meaning. We are a society addicted to spending. If we simply bought and consumed less, we could work less and be much happier. We do not need the big car, the fancy house and material items that offer a quick fix to shopping junkies. He talks about a more laid back approach to life, which personally sounds very attractive.

If you are sick of the stress and anxiety of modern living and want an interesting book that makes you think and question the values of the society we live in then this is the book for you. A great read.