Waiting for the Weekend

I wish they had you read this in school. So much we take for granted

Rybczynkski has a wonderful gift for exploring the seemingly ordinary. Why should a week have seven days? Haven't we always had Saturday and Sunday off? What about ancient civilizations using other calendars? All of these questions and more are answered. However, the book is recommended not because of the answers, but because it evidences the joy of scholarship--the pleasure of researching and discovering forgotten truths that illuminate present practice. I wish my High School teachers had recommended books such as this as Rybczynski demonstrates that everything has a story worth knowing and that our modern world is based upon a real foundation of historical facts. And, besides all that, it made me tremendously grateful to live in a world where we have a chance to live independently of our professions and occupations, where we have the ability to spend time on private pursuits.

I thought it was a great summer reading book to keep your mind level headed and not out in space twenty-four seven. It places facts into your mind and leaves room for open thought. You might ponder questions from this writing for hours. A great book for discussion with friends. Two thumbs up!!

In an overall sense, this is an outstanding book. Rybczynski, has an ability to force the reader to think about life situations normally taken for granted. In, Waiting for the Weekend, the author looks at several angles concerning the ideas of the "weekend" and "leisure". After reading this book, I will never look at leisure the way I did in the past. This is not the type of book to read if the reader does not want to be challenged. Rybczynski's writing style is thorough, witty, and informative. This is a worthwhile book.