A.C. Grayling, D.Phil., a fellow at St. Anne's College in Oxford, England, has given us a book of contemplations. A distinctive voice that falls somewhere between Mark Twain and Michel de Montaigne, Grayling offers short analyses on a wide range of topics related to the human condition. The search for happiness, he reminds us, "is one of the main sources of unhappiness." Of death, he writes, "Hopes for an afterlife are, in fact, a sad reflection on, and a condemnation of, the facts of this life." Though perhaps not always agreeable, Grayling's comments are always stimulating. Give this book to the more thoughtful heads on your Christmas list-but read it yourself, first.
The Rise Of The Creative Class And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community And Everyday Life
Basic Books, $26
The most influential workers of this millennium will also be "creative workers," argues Richard Florida, Ph.D., professor of regional economic development at Carnegie Mellon University. He defines creative workers as those "whose function is to create new ideas, new technology and/or new creative content." They include scientists, educators and artists, among others, and their existence has more than doubled since 1980. Already 30 percent of the U.S. workforce, the creative class will change our economy, values, lifestyles, education and geography, Florida says. If true, its rise will also be a major phenomenon in American society in this century.
