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ios_reads's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I love this book. It brought in so much information about walking, both in psychology and anthropology. I’ve been walking a lot more because of this book! Absolutely informative and gives a good glimpse into the wonders of going around just taking a walk. Must read!
malachi_oneill's review against another edition
3.0
Almost had me at a 4.
Kept it at a 3 when he (and other authors do it as well) make blanket statements about various highly-debatable policy topics (not even necessarily the main topic of the book itself - often tangential topics) from one side and presume it is "settled science" and every one of their readers is lockstep (walking pun) with that particular theory, ideology, conclusion.
Overall a good book and fun read.
Kept it at a 3 when he (and other authors do it as well) make blanket statements about various highly-debatable policy topics (not even necessarily the main topic of the book itself - often tangential topics) from one side and presume it is "settled science" and every one of their readers is lockstep (walking pun) with that particular theory, ideology, conclusion.
Overall a good book and fun read.
quentin_r's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
brontherun's review against another edition
4.0
I have read books on meditative walking, walking for health, pilgrimage, and hiking. They have been authored by spiritualists, priests, weight loss proponents, comediennes, and every day people. This may be the first book about walking I've read by a professor of brain research.
In Praise of Walking is filled with well supported arguments for why we should all be walking, based primarily on the impact of walking on the brain. The interaction between brain and body is strengthened by navigating a space, moving our bodies, reacting to stimulus, and simultaneously allowing the cognitive parts of our brain wander into creative ventures or solve problems that have been crowding our thoughts.
As a species, O'Mara argues we are made to walk. Walk far. Walk fast. Walk alone. Walk in small cohorts. Walk in large groups. In the city. By the sea. In the woods. Always, humans are meant to be afoot. "Furthermore, we first colonised the planet by walking in small migratory groups - at its core our walking is social." We need to move as units, talking and bonding and showing solidarity as we go. Walking can help us solve problems, bond with others, become more creative, and improve our mood.
Walking is such a critical part of our cognitive and psychological health that it is amazing folks can survive without walking regularly. And, indeed, the impact of not walking on our physical bodies has almost become common knowledge, leading to fitbits and step counters built into our smart phones. We should walk with our coworkers to talk out problems and brainstorm solutions. We should walk with families and friends to strengthen social bonds.
We should walk alone to allow for mind-wandering. "But mind-wandering is not mere idleness or time-wasting, at least by the common understanding of the term: rather, it is a necessary part of mental housekeeping, allowing us to integrate our past, present and future, interrogate our social lives, and create a large-scale personal narrative." Without mind-wandering we cannot know ourselves. And walking is a pathway to mind-wandering, and thus a gateway to self-knowledge. That is a lot of potential benefit from one activity that is free and available to almost all people all over the world.
In Praise of Walking is filled with well supported arguments for why we should all be walking, based primarily on the impact of walking on the brain. The interaction between brain and body is strengthened by navigating a space, moving our bodies, reacting to stimulus, and simultaneously allowing the cognitive parts of our brain wander into creative ventures or solve problems that have been crowding our thoughts.
As a species, O'Mara argues we are made to walk. Walk far. Walk fast. Walk alone. Walk in small cohorts. Walk in large groups. In the city. By the sea. In the woods. Always, humans are meant to be afoot. "Furthermore, we first colonised the planet by walking in small migratory groups - at its core our walking is social." We need to move as units, talking and bonding and showing solidarity as we go. Walking can help us solve problems, bond with others, become more creative, and improve our mood.
Walking is such a critical part of our cognitive and psychological health that it is amazing folks can survive without walking regularly. And, indeed, the impact of not walking on our physical bodies has almost become common knowledge, leading to fitbits and step counters built into our smart phones. We should walk with our coworkers to talk out problems and brainstorm solutions. We should walk with families and friends to strengthen social bonds.
We should walk alone to allow for mind-wandering. "But mind-wandering is not mere idleness or time-wasting, at least by the common understanding of the term: rather, it is a necessary part of mental housekeeping, allowing us to integrate our past, present and future, interrogate our social lives, and create a large-scale personal narrative." Without mind-wandering we cannot know ourselves. And walking is a pathway to mind-wandering, and thus a gateway to self-knowledge. That is a lot of potential benefit from one activity that is free and available to almost all people all over the world.
bev3203's review against another edition
informative
2.5
Had too much history of walking, not enough how walking helps.