Work A History of How We Spend Our Time, reviewed

By Simon Cocking, a review of Work, A History of How We Spend Our Time by James Suzman. Available from Bloomsbury here. Published:
03-09-2020 Format: Hardback Edition: 1st
ISBN: 9781526604996 Imprint: Bloomsbury Circus

A revolutionary new history of humankind through the prism of work, from the origins of life on Earth to our ever-more automated present

‘A fascinating exploration that challenges our basic assumptions of what work means’ Yuval Noah Harari

The work we do brings us meaning, moulds our values, determines our social status and dictates how we spend most of our time. But this wasn’t always the case: for 95% of our species’ history, work held a radically different importance.

How, then, did work become the central organisational principle of our societies? How did it transform our bodies, our environments, our views on equality and our sense of time? And why, in a time of material abundance, are we working more than ever before?

Work A History of How We Spend Our Time, reviewed

This book is great, challenging, thought provoking and perhaps fundamentally depressing, or rather a call to arms to not hit that infamous death bed, wishing you had spent less time at work.

First up, Suzman uses a wide and refreshing range of ethnic groups and cultures from around the world. Having worked and lived in Namibia personally it was a pleasant surprise to have examples from the Khohsian people included, or San people as they were known where we were based in Oshakati in the 90s. Suzman’s examples are well chosen and carefully considered to question and deconstruct many elements of western received wisdom about what work is and how it has come to be so closely bound up with our sense of self.

Throughout the book, which ranges rapidly and provocatively all over the world and time spans, it questions again and again why we now do things the way we do. It also reminds us that with all the labour saving devices that we have created, surely we should be working less, and striving for less material possessions. Sadly, as our planet tumbles into a climate emergency, we clearly have not mastered what is truly important for our well being, and what we should not be spending excessive amounts of our time on.

It is clear that this is an important, provocative book. Current working lives do not have to continue as they are, we do not need to endlessly work, more and more, for money, to buy things. Rather than spending time with loved ones and doing things that are actually important, and worthwhile. During these current covid lockdown times it seems like the perfect opportunity to reassess much of our current working practices and this book provides an excellent guide, and nudge, to consider how to better use our time and energies.

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