Leisure: The Basis of Culture [Paperback]

Josef Pieper (Author), James Schall S.J. (Foreword) (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2009

One of the most important philosophy titles published in the twentieth century, Josef Pieper's Leisure, the Basis of Culture is more significant, even more crucial, today than it was when it first appeared more than fifty years ago. This special new edition now also includes his little work The Philosophical Act.

Leisure is an attitude of the mind and a condition of the soul that fosters a capacity to perceive the reality of the world. Pieper shows that the Greeks and medieval Europeans, understood the great value and importance of leisure. He also points out that religion can be born only in leisure a leisure that allows time for the contemplation of the nature of God. Leisure has been, and always will be, the first foundation of any culture.

Pieper maintains that our bourgeois world of total labor has vanquished leisure, and issues a startling warning: Unless we regain the art of silence and insight, the ability for non-activity, unless we substitute true leisure for our hectic amusements, we will destroy our culture and ourselves.

''Pieper's message for us is plain... The idolatry of the machine, the worship of mindless know-how, the infantile cult of youth and the common mind all this points to our peculiar leadership in the drift toward the slave society... Pieper's profound insights are impressive and even formidable.''
New York Times Book Review

''Pieper has subjects involved in everyone's life; he has theses that are so counter to the prevailing trends as to be sensational; and he has a style that is memorably clear and direct.''
Chicago Tribune

Editorial Reviews

Review

Pieper has subjects involved in everyone's life; he has theses that are so counter to prevailing trends as to be sensational; and he has a style that is memorably clear and direct. --Chicago Tribune

Pieper's message for us is plain.... The idolatry of the machine, the worship of mindless know-how, the infantile cult of youth and the common mind-all this points to our peculiar leadership in the drift toward the slave society.... Pieper's profound insights are impressive and even formidable. --New York Times Book Review

These two short essays by a contemporary German philosopher go a long way towards a lucid explanation of the present crisis in civilisation.... The first essay... should be read by anyone-and young people in particular-anxious to come to some conclusions about the nature of society." --The Spectator, London

About the Author

Josef Pieper (1904-1997) was an influential German Catholic philosopher, scholar, and author.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press (October 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586172565
• ISBN-13: 978-1586172565
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars philosophically engaging short book, June 10, 2010

By 

J. Jones (PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Leisure: The Basis of Culture (Paperback)

I read this short book in one sitting and felt inspired at the end of each chapter. Pieper encourages us to escape the routine of our work life to contemplate the transcendental. Pieper's question, "what are we doing here and now?" gave me pause to think about my existence and purpose. Throughout the work, Pieper uses the metaphor of the "dome" that imprisons people into a life focused on work. While work is necessary to fulfill basic needs, modernity has made it into something that has stolen what it means to be human. Pieper begs us to throw open the window to seek the metaphysical divine and to engage in philosophical deliberation, which provides hope and wonder to an otherwise totalizing life.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two for the price of one, July 11, 2011

By 

Lee Benson - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Leisure: The Basis of Culture (Paperback)

This book is really two in one. The first "Leisure, The Basis of Culture" and "The Philosophical Act."
The first book starts with the premise that "the foundation of Western culture is leisure." Something not easily appreciated in our hectic life. Yet the end point of this leisure is not laziness but celebration. "The most festive festival it is possible to celebrate is divine worship." I never thought of liturgy as leisure before I read this book. Pieper makes a wonderful point that liturgy does not serve any pratical purpose. Rather liturgy carries us into another dimenension. "Carried away out of the straitness of the workaday world into the heart of the universe."
In the second book, Pieper asks the question. "What does philosophizing mean?" For Pieper it means to step outside our everday world, "to see the stars above the roof, to preserve our apprehension of the universality of things in the midst of the habits of daily life." Wonderful!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, April 12, 2011

By 

Fr. Dismas Sayre, OP (Antioch, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Leisure: The Basis of Culture (Paperback)

Pieper at his usual excellent self. He asks some insightful questions about our modern world, and about how we misunderstand the purpose of leisure, sloth, and Sabbath. The second half was not quite as striking, but still great.