The Idler team believe that idleness is unjustly criticised in modern society when it is, in fact, a vital component of a ...

We are all agreed that there's a lot to complain about in contemporary society. Boredom, exploitation, an explosion of legislation & interference with our everyday freedoms: central government & big business seem to make life more difficult with each month that passes.

But do we really need to take to the streets to protest? Or would a more effective form of resistance be to take to our beds & quietly recreate our own lives? In this issue of the Idler, we reflect & philosophise on the notion of protest.

CORINNE MAIER interviews three French filmmakers making anti-work movies; we meet the brilliant history professor RONALD HUTTON. JAY GRIFFITHS writes on missionaries; JOHN NICHOLSON celebrates paradise; we ask whether there's any point in going to university & PENNY RIMBAUD reveals the meaning of life. Plus articles on the practical side of idling with advice on treehouse-building & beer-brewing.



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Sex today seems too much like hard work. Magazines tell us we have to put more effort in & learn new tips. So how can we bring the playfulness back?

This issue of the Idler features an exclusive cover from Damien Hirst & an interview with Esther Perel, author of the best-seller Mating in Captivity. Michael Bywater condemns the rise of frantic sex. Neil Boorman asks whether he is the only one who

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Essential British words & deeds, dates & phrases, songs, speeches & commandments from Stonehenge to the present day in one simple book. No judgement, no padding, just the bare bones of our glorious history, brought to life by soul-stirring"ations that still echo down the ages. Presenting complex information in the form of simple time-lines, setting key events in British history alongside those of world history, this book allows readers to view history in an astonishingly simple way. Courtauld reveals fascinating parallels: as Britain perfects the long bow, gunpowder reaches Europe; as Henry VIII celebrates his marriage to Anne Boleyn, the Inca Empire collapses. With over 100 full colour photographs, this winning book will delight anyone who is intrigued by the history of our isles & would like to know a little more. ...

This is Stephen Hawking's updated, expanded & illustrated edition of his celebrated work which

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