Key Moments
The Books I Read In December | 2021
Deep Questions with Cal NewportKey Moments
Cal Newport discusses five books read in December 2021, covering Star Wars, slow living, adventure novels, self-help, and essays on technology and rural life.
Key Insights
George Lucas was a visionary director with immense ambition, influencing the blockbuster movie era alongside Steven Spielberg.
Shortening the work week (e.g., four-day week) may not solve knowledge worker burnout; reducing work volume is crucial for slow productivity.
Wilbur Smith's debut novel, 'When the Lion Feeds,' offers an influential, albeit dated, perspective on adventure and colonial Africa.
Self-help books, whether nuanced or straightforward, can provide valuable frameworks for finding meaning and purpose in life.
Wendell Berry advocates for a deliberate approach to technology and a strong connection to place, critiquing modern work and societal shifts.
The concept of a 'getaway plot' for focused work or escape, ideally reachable within two hours, offers a practical solution for creatives.
BIOGRAPHY AND THE STAR WARS PHENOMENON
Cal Newport begins by discussing 'How Star Wars Conquered the Universe' by Chris Taylor. This book serves as a biography of George Lucas, interspersed with cultural commentary on the Star Wars phenomenon. Newport initially debated skipping the cultural reception chapters but found the author eventually focused more on Lucas's biography. He learned about Lucas's early promise as a director, his collaborative relationships with contemporaries like Coppola and Spielberg, and his ambitious drive to innovate filmmaking technology, setting the stage for the modern blockbuster.
THE RISE OF SLOW MOVEMENTS AND PRODUCTIVITY
Next, Newport delves into Carl Honoré's 'In Praise of Slowness,' a book exploring various 'slow' movements that emerged in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, starting with 'slow food.' He read this for a New Yorker article on 'slow productivity.' Newport argues against simply shortening the work week, suggesting that knowledge worker burnout stems more from excessive work volume. True solutions require rethinking work processes to lower overall commitments, a concept he terms slow productivity, contrasting it with calls for a four-day work week.
ADVENTURE NOVEL ICON AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The discussion shifts to fiction with 'When the Lion Feeds,' the debut novel by the late Wilbur Smith. Newport, a fan of adventure and techno-thriller genres, read this in tribute to Smith. The book chronicles the life of Sean Courtney, spanning his childhood, rise in gold mining, loss of fortune, and subsequent ivory hunting in colonial Africa. Newport notes that the novel, written in the 1960s from a colonial perspective, reflects the social and political sensibilities of its time and may be challenging for contemporary readers due to its dated viewpoints.
STRAIGHTFORWARD SELF-HELP AND LIFE MEANING
Newport then reviews 'Hero On A Mission' by Donald Miller, a direct self-help book focused on making one's life more meaningful. He appreciates Miller's ambitious approach to a complex topic, even if a single book can't capture all nuances. A specific anecdote that resonated was Miller's long-term project of cultivating 15 acres of land outside Nashville, transforming it by planting trees, creating an orchard, and renovating a house for retreats. This emphasis on deliberate cultivation and creation of a meaningful space highlights the book's core themes.
AN ESSAYIST'S CRITIQUE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MODERN LIFE
The book 'The World-Ending Fire,' a collection of essays by Wendell Berry, is highlighted next. Berry, an influential writer who eschewed modern technology, including computers, returned to his Kentucky farm to write about rural life, farming, and the environment. Newport was particularly struck by Berry's 1980s essay, 'Why I Didn't Buy a Computer,' which argued for a farmer's strict criteria for adopting new technology. The essay sparked a significant debate, revealing a cultural clash between traditional agrarian values and burgeoning technological determinism.
THE CULTURE CLASH AND HOME ECONOMICS
The collection of Wendell Berry's essays and the surrounding letters provided insight into a significant cultural shift in the 1980s. Berry's concept of 'home economics'—viewing household and farm labor as a collective economic unit—contrasted sharply with the rise of dual-income, salaried professional families. This collision of ideas, seen in the heated correspondence around Berry's anti-computer essay, offered a dialectical view of changing societal structures, work, and the definition of a meaningful life.
RETHINKING WORK AND THE GETAWAY PLOT
Newport also touches upon Oliver Burkeman's '4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals,' a book he previously recommended. Burkeman's central idea is that life is finite, and most ambitions will not be realized; embracing this limitation allows for greater enjoyment of what is achievable. This ties into the idea of a 'getaway plot'—a small, manageable piece of land, ideally within a two-hour commute, that provides a quiet space for focused work or creative pursuits, offering a practical approach to carving out meaningful time away from daily life.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Organizations
●Books
●Concepts
●People Referenced
Common Questions
This book by Chris Taylor is primarily a biography of George Lucas, offering insights into his career and the phenomenon of Star Wars. The speaker found it most interesting when focusing on Lucas's life rather than the cultural reception aspects.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
A book that challenges conventional time management by emphasizing the finiteness of life and accepting that most goals won't be achieved, encouraging focus on enjoyment.
The first novel by Wilbur Smith, focusing on the generational story of Sean Courtney in British colonial Africa, involving cattle farming, gold mining, and ivory hunting.
A straight self-help book by Donald Miller aiming to guide readers on making their lives more meaningful, featuring examples of land cultivation and renovation.
A book by the speaker that discusses adopting a farmer's mindset towards technology, a concept echoed in Wendell Berry's essays.
A book from the early 2000s that discusses the rise of slow movements like slow food, slow cities, slow parenting, and slow work. Used as background for an article on slow productivity.
A collection of Wendell Berry's essays, including 'Why I Didn't Buy a Computer', which explores his philosophy on technology, farming, and household economy.
Author of 'Hero on a Mission', a self-help book focused on making life more meaningful, including an anecdote about cultivating land outside Nashville.
Film director mentioned as being in George Lucas's circle.
Author of 'In Praise of Slow', a book discussing the rise of slow movements and its relevance to slow productivity.
A farmer mentioned as an example of someone with strict criteria for adopting new technology, similar to the mindset advocated in 'Deep Work'.
Actor who narrates the audiobook introduction for 'The World-Ending Fire', known for his role as Ron Swanson.
Author of 'How Star Wars Conquered the Universe', discussed in the context of a George Lucas biography and its structure.
Author of '4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals', a book lauded for its concept of accepting life's limitations and focusing on enjoyment.
US Congressman proposing a bill to make a four-day work week the official federal standard, which was endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Mentioned in relation to 'When the Lion Feeds', implying that individuals sensitive to post-colonial perspectives might find the book objectionable.
Filmmaker discussed in parallel with George Lucas, highlighting their shared rise during industry changes and their competition for box office records with films like Jaws, E.T., and Jurassic Park. He also directed 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' for Lucas.
Podcaster who read Oliver Burkeman's '4000 Weeks' after a suggestion and released the audiobook of the first chapter on his podcast.
Film director mentioned as part of George Lucas's circle at USC and his attempt to get lucas to direct Apocalypse Now.
Film director mentioned as being in George Lucas's circle.
Subject of the biography 'How Star Wars Conquered the Universe'. Discussed as a talented and ambitious director who revolutionized filmmaking with Star Wars and invented the blockbuster concept.
Mentioned as the originator of the 'New Yorker-style' self-help genre.
An 80s-year-old novelist, poet, and essayist from Kentucky who advocates for agrarianism, eschews modern technology like computers, and farms with horses. His essays are collected in 'The World-Ending Fire'.
Filmmaker noted for picking up George Lucas's torch in pushing technological boundaries for special effects.
Author of the novel 'When the Lion Feeds', whose death in December motivated the reading of his first book. He was influential in the adventure novel genre.
An author whose adventure novels were influenced by Wilbur Smith.
Mentioned as a writer whose style of essays on economy and environment is presaged by Wendell Berry.
Film mentioned as having held the number one box office record, which George Lucas and Steven Spielberg traded with other films.
Film mentioned as having surpassed Star Wars at the box office, held by Steven Spielberg.
Film mentioned as having held the number one box office record for a time.
Film directed by Steven Spielberg for George Lucas's production.
A character portrayed by Nick Offerman, mentioned as an example of someone living a particular lifestyle in Los Angeles.
Discussed extensively in relation to George Lucas's biography. Mentioned as a phenomenon that required new special effects technology and pioneered the blockbuster model.
Endorsed Mark Takano's bill for a four-day work week, signifying support from 100 members of Congress.
Publication for which the speaker writes articles, including one on 'slow productivity' that gained attention from subjects of the writing.
Publication where one of Wendell Berry's essays critical of computers was published, sparking a debate.
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