Get a Hobby!: 101 All-Consuming Diversions for Any Lifestyle [Paperback]

Tina Barseghian (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 1, 2007

Is your daily grind taking the joy out of life? Don't get glum—get a hobby!

In this entertaining, information-packed guide, journalist and ReadyMade contributing editor Tina Barseghian invites you to explore 101 thoroughly absorbing diversions, from conventional to downright wacky, that'll satisfy every taste, talent, and timetable. The bonus: Practicing a hobby boosts your all-around mental and physical health, as longtime family practitioner Dr. Miguel Figueroa reveals in the Foreword.

Are you an independent, nature-loving, outdoorsy type? Consider beachcombing, caving, or mushroom hunting. Crafty, meticulous, and patient? You might enjoy needlework, knotting, or growing bonsai. Just take the personality quiz to identify those hobbies that best match your aptitude, interests, and even your mood, then it's on to the hobbies. Each hobby entry provides a playful mix of information: overviews, histories, and sample projects to help you get your hobby on, plus profiles of dedicated hobbyists and resources that'll help take you to the next level. Get a Hobby! might just be the inspiration you've been looking for.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

As baby boomers face retirement, chances are that many of them won't have a clue about exploring activities outside of work--except, naturally, for the usual ones, such as golfing, reading, moviegoing, and dining out. ReadyMade magazine editor Barseghian has the answer, or rather, 101 responses that range from the traditional (drawing, knitting, and train modeling) to the unique (ant farming, dumpster diving, and storm chasing). Bewildered? Too many choices? Take the 19-question hobby personality quiz, which attempts (in a somewhat confusing manner) to match character traits, such as independence and artistic vision, to a number of specific pastimes. The entries are in alphabetical order and feature an overview of the hobby, history, resources, and some sort of project, whether fashioning ant food or finding a nearby shop that teaches crocheting. Also often given are a profile of a hobbyist, potential hazards, other similar hobbies, and, as appropriate, illustrations. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061215279
• ISBN-13: 978-0061215278
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #787,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars All Grown Up and Nothing to Do March 14, 2008

By Barbara Miller

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

That's where I was when I found this book. I took the little test and came out with not very many choices, I thought. But I read through each hobby definition for my "types" and I'll be darned if it didn't come up with 3 activities that I definitely plan to pursue. I needed this. You forget as you age and some of the responsibility starts dropping off, just exactly who you are and what it is you like to do - just for your own entertainment. It was a blessing to me and I plan to really enjoy this summer as I start pursuing my new hobbies. Thanks, Tina.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Gift Idea June 10, 2007

By Jennifer Donovan

Format:Paperback

In Get a Hobby!, author Tina Barseghian has compiled "101 All-Consuming Diversions for Any Lifestyle." The book opens with a slightly tongue-in-cheek quiz to determine your hobby personality. Each of the 101 hobbies is given a two-page spread which includes all of the essentials:

* overview

* history

* what you'll need

* resources (books and websites)

* a project

* and sometimes a neat section that offers additional suggested hobbies if you already enjoy this hobby.

I think that this book would be a great gift for a college graduate, retiree, or even for a wedding shower along with some of the resources or project supplies suggested for hobbies you think might interest them.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A great overview of hobbies and hobbyists! May 18, 2007

By T. Hanauer

Format:Paperback

I attended Tina's book signing in th Bay Area recently and was impressed not only with the variety of hobbies reviewed--from falconry to building Bible scenes from Leggos to animal husbandry--but with the interesting profiles of the people behind the hobby. The book recounts some great stories about hobbyists that provide insight into the hobby and the joy that people find in their hobbies. I'd recommend this book to anyone who was interested in exploring a new hobby or is just curious about the variety of hobbies out there. Who knows, you might pick up a new hobby you'd never dreamed of. The book made me want to take my scrapbooking to a new level. Thanks Tina for this inspiring book.