Super Short Summary

Patricia Hampl's memoir, The Art of the Wasted Day, explores the value of leisure and daydreaming, weaving reflections on figures such as Michel de Montaigne and Gregor Mendel with her own experiences as a writer. She questions societal obsession with busyness, intertwining personal and historical narratives while grappling with grief over her late husband and parents. Discussion of grief and loss appears.