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Product Description
From Library Journal
While many self-help books purport to tell readers how to find happiness, few such titles can claim to be based on any scientifically valid, large-scale studies. One of the happy exceptions was University of Chicago psychologist Csikszentmihalyi's Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (LJ 3/15/90). There the author published the results of studies using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), in which he found that people were happiest when most absorbed in their actions, a state the author termed flow. The current book (part of Basic's series purporting to present "a crystallization of a lifetime's work and thought" by noted scholars) presents similar material, but with an emphasis slightly shifted toward practical applications of the ESM findings. Public librarians should check their shelves: if their copies of Flow are tattered or nonexistent, they should definitely buy this new title; if they have a decent copy of the older book, this is still a recommended purchase. Academic libraries need to have the author's more scholarly book but will find this popular with undergraduates.?Mary Ann Hughes, Neill P.L., Pullman, Wash.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
Part psychological study, part self-help book, Finding Flow is a prescriptive guide that helps us reclaim ownership of our lives. Based on a far-reaching study of thousands of individuals, Finding Flow contends that we often walk through our days unaware and out of touch with our emotional lives. Our inattention makes us constantly bounce between two extremes: during much of the day we live filled with the anxiety and pressures of our work and obligations, while during our leisure moments, we tend to live in passive boredom. The key, according to Csikszentmihalyi, is to challenge ourselves with tasks requiring a high degree of skill and commitment. Instead of watching television, play the piano. Transform a routine task by taking a different approach. In short, learn the joy of complete engagement. Thought they appear simple, the lessons in Finding Flow are life-altering.
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Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting ideas and good practical advice,
By A Customer
This review is from: Finding Flow: The Psychology Of Engagement With Everyday Life (Paperback)
This book has lots of interesting ideas about how to reach a state of happiness moment by moment in your life. The author discusses that this optimal state can be reached in any type of circumstance if approached in the right way. And he discusses the right way or at least a few of them. I'd recommend this book and "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato to anyone in search for real happiness. "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" explains this experience in a wider context, in relation to consciousness, development, close relationships, and evolution. Both books are truly excellent and have been the most helpful to me in my search.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
His Name's The Hardest Thing,
By Julian King (Melbourne, Ozstralia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Finding Flow: The Psychology Of Engagement With Everyday Life (Paperback)
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (MC from now on) is a Psychologist based at the University of Chicago who has extensively studied what makes people happy and fulfilled. Through his Experience Sampling Method (ESM), MC asks his subjects at random times (through a beeper) to record what they're doing, how they feel about it, whether they feel happy and so on. Through these studies he has come up with the concept of 'flow'. 'Flow' is when we are at our most fulfilled and it is usually at times when we are using our skills to the maximum and at the same time being challenged - its that simple.Not having read MCs other books the whole flow thing is new to me but by the end of the book I was starting to get the idea. MC also offers some ways you can spend more time in 'flow' activities. It has the faults of many self help books - mainly constant repetition and those hard to believe anecdotes from 'real life' but there's a practicality about this book that saves it. It's also mercifully short, which means you'll get through it quickly and I don't think MCs erratic conversational style would survive a longer publication. I can't agree with the criticism of MC lacking scientific rigour. Being a scientist I don't think he made claims that went beyond his research which is all referenced should you like to follow it up and it's obvious when he is offering opinion ahead scientific analysis. While I wasn't totally inspired the concept of 'flow' has stuck with me and I'd recommend you at least find out what 'flow' is about.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Optimal Experience,
By
This review is from: Finding Flow: The Psychology Of Engagement With Everyday Life (Paperback)
This is not pop psychology. This is a well written work that helps us understand the psychology of optimal experience. Dr. Csiksentmihalyi challenges us to seek out activities that require skill and commitment. He provides us with the scientific evidence of why this is important to our happiness.
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