Leisure, the Basis of Culture, by Josef Pieper

Josef Pieper examines the traditional concept of leisure and how it gave rise to the achievements of Western civilization. He contrasts it to our modern idea of leisure and the low value we place on it. Traditionally, leisure was something people aspired to have because it was the time they had in which to do the things most important to them; one worked in order to have leisure. Today, leisure is mostly thought of as time to recuperate so as to prepare one to work some more; one has leisure in order to work. This book raises important questions about ways of thinking about work and leisure that we take for granted.