{"title":"Robert Dessaix","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the collection of works by Robert Dessaix, an acclaimed Australian author renowned for his reflective and insightful writing. Dessaix's works often blend memoir, travel, and cultural commentary, offering readers a rich tapestry of thought-provoking narratives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDelve into titles like \u003cem\u003eAs I Was Saying\u003c\/em\u003e, where Dessaix explores the nuances of language, love, and life through a series of engaging essays. This book provides a delightful journey into musings on everyday life and deeper philosophical questions, making it a perfect choice for those interested in \u003cstrong\u003eArts \u0026amp; Culture\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eChameleon\u003c\/em\u003e, Dessaix's signature storytelling comes to life in an inventive twist on the traditional memoir. This work invites readers to reflect on the complexities of identity and human experience, neatly fitting into the \u003cstrong\u003eBiography \u0026amp; Memoir\u003c\/strong\u003e category.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor those who delight in the beauty and simplicity of life's rare moments, \u003cem\u003eThe Pleasures of Leisure\u003c\/em\u003e offers a graceful exploration of relaxation and joy in a hectic world. This book perfectly complements the \u003cstrong\u003eScience \u0026amp; Nature\u003c\/strong\u003e category, encouraging a deeper appreciation of our everyday surroundings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRobert Dessaix's books are ideal for readers who appreciate literary works that challenge perspectives, inspire introspection, and celebrate the richness of the human experience. Enjoy browsing his collection and uncover the layers of wisdom and wit in each of his books.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-pleasures-of-leisure-by-robert-dessaix-9780143780052","title":"The Pleasures of Leisure","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Pleasures of Leisure\u003c\/i\u003e is Robert Dessaix's guide to work and play in the 21st century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Almost everybody I know has done it at least once. Some of my friends indulge on a regular basis. Women seem especially susceptible to giving it a go. I've been at it since I was at least five. What on earth do we imagine we're doing?'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMany of us lack a talent for leisure. We are working longer hours as we consume more than ever before, and new forms of technology erode the work-life balance. Yet, we often feel that only work can give real meaning to our existence. In a world where time is money, what is the value of walking without purpose, or socialising without networking, or travelling for reasons other than our jobs?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRobert Dessaix lays out the dilemma that modern Westerners face, but never in a didactic or dogmatic way. He writes that leisure allows us to be the masters of our own time. It allows us to freely choose to do something pleasurable, for its own sake, or to deepen our sense of who we are as human beings. How can we reclaim our right to 'rest well', and to loaf, groom, nest, and play?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn his trademark personal and anecdotal style, Robert Dessaix guides us through the history of leisure. As with all of his writing, this book will be full of wise lessons and intellectual games, but above all, it will be a lively and engaging conversation with his readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46342791692524,"sku":"9780143780052","price":24.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/4516713482239.jpg?v=1743943484"},{"product_id":"chameleon-by-robert-dessaix-9781923058279","title":"Chameleon","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRobert Dessaix’s \u003ci\u003eChameleon\u003c\/i\u003e is about everything that matters, a book of memories that flow so freely they seem to happen as we read. Cartwheeling from story to story, Dessaix describes an identity in flux: his beginnings as an adopted child named Thomas Robert Jones, his youthful interest in religious thinking, his obsession with all things Russian, his marriage to Lisa and divorce, and his discovery of travel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn North Africa, he finds different ways of feeling and being, and in Australia, he begins his abiding relationship with his partner Peter Timms. At every point, he muses on pleasure, art, sex, literature, infatuation, happiness, music, life, death and all the rest. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eChameleon\u003c\/i\u003e is a virtuoso performance of self-revelation, as Dessaix explores how the restless mind takes constant detours to search for what makes life good, a place of wisdom and love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46370118205676,"sku":"9781923058279","price":41.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781923058279.jpg?v=1744848959"},{"product_id":"as-i-was-saying-by-robert-dessaix-9781742753072","title":"As I Was Saying","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eAs I Was Saying\u003c\/i\u003e is a swirling conversation with the reader on everything from travel to dogs and cats, from sport and swearing to the pleasures of idleness. Punctuated at regular intervals by talks Dessaix has given on a wide range of subjects, as well as by some of his most incisive journalism, the conversation invites the reader to join a leisurely guided tour of his chamber of curiosities, featuring pieces collected all over the globe from across the centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether writing home from Vladivostok or Damascus, discussing what makes for good conversation or thinking aloud about the paintings, poems and books he loves, Dessaix always writes with an intimacy and attentiveness that beguile, entertain and make his readers eager for new discoveries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47362516975852,"sku":"9781742753072","price":34.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/13432403482808.jpg?v=1772886735"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/robert-dessaix.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}