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The Hedonism Handbook: Mastering the Lost Arts of Leisure and Pleasure
In the age of Oprah, Dr. Phil, and countless other self-help disciplinarians, indulging in any kind of pleasurable pastime is on the brink of extinction. But it's not too late to revive those lost pleasures that make life worth living. The Hedonism Handbook can help put the three-martini lunch, the baguette with real butter, the deep tan, the unfiltered cigarette, or the simple act of lying in a hammock under the stars back within our grasp. A tongue-in-cheek, satirical guide to the "good" life, The Hedonism Handbook will help us reclaim it all.With his characteristic wit, author Michael Flocker combines humorous reviews of historical excesses, suggestions for everyday indulgences, lists of hedonistic icons with famous quotes and earnest warnings about the perils of structured living. Made up of ten worldly wise chapters arranged to form a journey for the reader-a path from the straight-and-narrow into wide-open fields of frivolity-The Hedonism Handbook will help readers master the lost arts of leisure and pleasure. It provides an entertaining, yet (if you're not careful), life-changing read.
208 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
September 20, 2013
Five years ago, I sat on a quiet North Shore Kauai beach with a book entitled Bohemian Manifesto in hand. By the time I closed the back cover, I finally knew what label to slap on myself...and experienced a newfound sense of kinship with a totally unorganized tribe. Today, thanks to this book, I can tack "Hedonist" onto the end. Okay, probably redundant but what the heck.
This is a light, fun, but ultimately profound read by a guy who GETS IT. What's "it"? "It" is what life is all about. Having just returned from Burning Man, I'm convinced this guy is a Burner. If not, he needs to be recruited. See, burners grasp the value of play, of love, of seizing the moment. They realize, like the author, that life is fleeting and will be over before we know it. It's begging to be lived...not just for the sake of money, but for the sake of our souls.
This is a light, fun, but ultimately profound read by a guy who GETS IT. What's "it"? "It" is what life is all about. Having just returned from Burning Man, I'm convinced this guy is a Burner. If not, he needs to be recruited. See, burners grasp the value of play, of love, of seizing the moment. They realize, like the author, that life is fleeting and will be over before we know it. It's begging to be lived...not just for the sake of money, but for the sake of our souls.
June 15, 2018
A bit of history of extreme hedonistic lifestyles and proposals for living a life of pleasure in the current century, this book proved to be a bit of a disappointment to me. Being a natural introvert, I suppose living a hedonistic life is not really for me, at least not as Flocker describes it. Maybe my own mindset just rebels at the idea. At any rate, the book is written with a good deal of humor and has some interesting ideas that rang true to me.
March 11, 2025
This might be the sixth or seventh time I've read this book in the past ten years. It's still one of the most influential books I've ever read.
June 5, 2025
Después de terminar esta obra de arte me declaro hedonista. Os dejo una sección que me ha encantado:
THE MUUMUU YEARS : AGING DISGRACEFULLY
We now come to the most crucial juncture of life’s grand schema—old age. Conventional wisdom would have us believe that old age is a time for resolution, resignation and retirement. While this is a comfortable notion that has stood the test of time, in truth, it is entirely optional. To a true hedonist, old age is an opening of the gate, an opportunity for freedom and a free pass in the grand cosmic paradigm. Youth is a time of torment. Are you cute enough, clever enough, ambitious enough? Decades pass quickly as the young struggle to maintain their allure and the middle-aged scramble for status. But by the time you hit seventy, who gives a shit? You have lived, you have learned, you have won and you have failed. You have wisdom and you are entitled to cut loose. But in order to fully enjoy your golden years, you must plan ahead. To age in the most fabulously disgraceful manner possible, deals must be struck in advance. While you are young, you must identify those friends with whom you would be comfortable for a lifetime. Regardless of the marriages, careers and commitments that may arise, you must make a pact with a select few with whom you will work toward purchasing country homes around the world. Regardless of whether they are CEOs or lifelong waiters, everyone must contribute to the pot. Some will provide real estate, some will supply sexy young distractions, but everyone must bring something to the game. These are your partners in the muumuu years. “Be sure to live your life, because you are a long time dead.” —Scottish Proverb Up until the age of seventy, it is advisable to keep it together, retain your youth and build your personal empire, but once seventy hits, all bets are off. Carbohydrates, alcohol and pain killers are the name of the game, and everyone shares in the riches. At that point, everyone retires and the long, debauched slide into senility begins. Spouses, tricks and crazy strangers are welcome. A traveling loop is formed between so-and-so’s place in Miami, what’s-her-name’s place in Monte Carlo, and thingamajig’s place in the Catskills. Whatever locations are available, the idea is that the party keeps moving, the players all participate and no flight attendant is safe from the occasional grope. The essential uniform for all, male or female, is a roomy muumuu and orthopedic flip-flops. Large, ping pong ball–size rings are encouraged if only for show. Skinny gray braids and obvious wigs are optional. Once the pretense of propriety is eliminated, and 401(k)s have been cashed out, old age can be supremely liberating, surprisingly sexy and altogether satisfying. The trick is to plan ahead. Who do you want to spend your golden years with? Make that call and make that plan. Once a solid plan for the muumuu years is in place, life becomes infinitely easier. Knowing that a grand old time is on the horizon serves the same purpose as believing in heaven. Having something to look forward to rather than dreading a slow decline into isolation makes all the difference. It’s all about having goals, after all.
THE MUUMUU YEARS : AGING DISGRACEFULLY
We now come to the most crucial juncture of life’s grand schema—old age. Conventional wisdom would have us believe that old age is a time for resolution, resignation and retirement. While this is a comfortable notion that has stood the test of time, in truth, it is entirely optional. To a true hedonist, old age is an opening of the gate, an opportunity for freedom and a free pass in the grand cosmic paradigm. Youth is a time of torment. Are you cute enough, clever enough, ambitious enough? Decades pass quickly as the young struggle to maintain their allure and the middle-aged scramble for status. But by the time you hit seventy, who gives a shit? You have lived, you have learned, you have won and you have failed. You have wisdom and you are entitled to cut loose. But in order to fully enjoy your golden years, you must plan ahead. To age in the most fabulously disgraceful manner possible, deals must be struck in advance. While you are young, you must identify those friends with whom you would be comfortable for a lifetime. Regardless of the marriages, careers and commitments that may arise, you must make a pact with a select few with whom you will work toward purchasing country homes around the world. Regardless of whether they are CEOs or lifelong waiters, everyone must contribute to the pot. Some will provide real estate, some will supply sexy young distractions, but everyone must bring something to the game. These are your partners in the muumuu years. “Be sure to live your life, because you are a long time dead.” —Scottish Proverb Up until the age of seventy, it is advisable to keep it together, retain your youth and build your personal empire, but once seventy hits, all bets are off. Carbohydrates, alcohol and pain killers are the name of the game, and everyone shares in the riches. At that point, everyone retires and the long, debauched slide into senility begins. Spouses, tricks and crazy strangers are welcome. A traveling loop is formed between so-and-so’s place in Miami, what’s-her-name’s place in Monte Carlo, and thingamajig’s place in the Catskills. Whatever locations are available, the idea is that the party keeps moving, the players all participate and no flight attendant is safe from the occasional grope. The essential uniform for all, male or female, is a roomy muumuu and orthopedic flip-flops. Large, ping pong ball–size rings are encouraged if only for show. Skinny gray braids and obvious wigs are optional. Once the pretense of propriety is eliminated, and 401(k)s have been cashed out, old age can be supremely liberating, surprisingly sexy and altogether satisfying. The trick is to plan ahead. Who do you want to spend your golden years with? Make that call and make that plan. Once a solid plan for the muumuu years is in place, life becomes infinitely easier. Knowing that a grand old time is on the horizon serves the same purpose as believing in heaven. Having something to look forward to rather than dreading a slow decline into isolation makes all the difference. It’s all about having goals, after all.
November 17, 2020
This was such a fun read. I learned a lot about history, the world and myself and more important than anything, I laughed a lot.
December 21, 2025
Wonderful exploration of life's pleasures. Deliciously dry writing style adds to the fun.
October 6, 2022
Iepure sau broasca țestoasă? Toti ajungem in acelasi loc.
September 18, 2021
What started out as a joke among friends essentially became my Bible (along with 'The Bohemian Manifesto' and 'The Re-enchantment of Everyday Life'). This isn't a book about laziness. It's about subverting this godawful Puri-tyrannical society we mere peasants try to exist in. Overworked, exhausted, and uninspired, we're constantly gaslit and told that pleasure is only for the ones who "earn it." Women especially are told to ignore and deny their own desires and pleasures. And no, this isn't a book about sex, although it does touch on that. It's a book about embracing the radical notion that we are here to experience more than just austerity and strife. We're not here to exist as wage slaves and breeders. We can - and should - take back our power as citizens of earth. Soak every drop of joy, beauty - and yes ecstatic pleasure - and drink it all in. Tip that glass out of spite. And get drunk on living life on your own terms.
October 3, 2011
A CURE AGAINST THE RAT RACE?
In particular interesting book for people who work 60h+ per week and have no fun. Or people feeling in a mid life crysis. A gem of a book. Some highlights;
o our obsession with dieting (enjoy food, dress well...feel well)
o the mad race about being number one (yes, there are alternatives)
o review on your deadbed (can be a wake up call for some)
Well written and always with 'littel slap on the head' remarks like; if i want it it must be right or life is short, so i must dress well.
I'm finishing now and enjoy with my partner some care-free time, wine, s... and a cigarette ;-)
In particular interesting book for people who work 60h+ per week and have no fun. Or people feeling in a mid life crysis. A gem of a book. Some highlights;
o our obsession with dieting (enjoy food, dress well...feel well)
o the mad race about being number one (yes, there are alternatives)
o review on your deadbed (can be a wake up call for some)
Well written and always with 'littel slap on the head' remarks like; if i want it it must be right or life is short, so i must dress well.
I'm finishing now and enjoy with my partner some care-free time, wine, s... and a cigarette ;-)
January 1, 2010
Many thanks to friends Mark and Darcy for giving me this book - it's superb! A highly entertaining book discussing the nature of hedonism, oozing with witty and surprising information [for example, Benjamin Franklin: "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy"]. Loads of stuff on how to enjoy life in all its guises all the way from start to finish, so not a book for ultra-conservative control-freak types - or maybe that should be, *especially* for ultra-conservative control-freak types!
October 21, 2013
I really loved this book. Not only because lightening up and having a bit (lot) more fun in my likfe is something that I really need to do, but I thoroghly enjoyed the combination of snarkiness and sarcasm mixed with truth and humor. A great read for anyone, whether you need the lessons in this book or not. :)
January 11, 2008
Although written with a tongue in cheek style this book has superior information on mastering the art of a life of pleasure. Plus, it also includes some outstanding historical context. I dug it. You probably would too!
August 4, 2010
full of miss-interpreted quotes, somehow trying too hard to be funny. not that I didn't agree with some of the ideas, but too many other ideas were either wrongly understood in a sick way, either completely missing. just too light, in a disappointing way. there, I said it!
January 22, 2008
Funny. Tongue in cheek, sure, but it'll still make you want to go out and buy yourself spa treatments and first-class plane tickets.
December 15, 2010
Fairly entertaining. Lovely artwork. Several passages worth pondering, but overall, not very hedonistic.
September 25, 2011
FUNNY + ENTERTAINING + LIVE THE MOMENT NOW
July 18, 2023
I really enjoyed this short, simple but humorous book. Blazed through it in less than 24 hours, in fact.
It speaks on the importance of pleasure in our lives at a time when spending it purely on goals and achievements has become the norm. Nothing wrong with the occasional goal or purpose but surely a time consuming plethora of them become meaningless when we can no longer take a nice, relaxing loooong timeout to enjoy the lives we currently live? Life without joy is no life to live...
Flocker uses many aspects of pleasure in his book to bring his point home. From historical reviews of hedonism, laugh out loud quotes made by serious people like Churchill who also loved his beer and cigars, laws enacted and still being enacted by the non-partying elements of society trying to impose their beliefs on the partygoers, numerous suggestions for enjoying life well without tipping the scales and a light-hearted look at aging and death, he has made a strong case for the regular practice of hedonism in our lives.
Screw my diet! I can't take this body with me at the end so I'm gonna go quaff some chocolate!
It speaks on the importance of pleasure in our lives at a time when spending it purely on goals and achievements has become the norm. Nothing wrong with the occasional goal or purpose but surely a time consuming plethora of them become meaningless when we can no longer take a nice, relaxing loooong timeout to enjoy the lives we currently live? Life without joy is no life to live...
Flocker uses many aspects of pleasure in his book to bring his point home. From historical reviews of hedonism, laugh out loud quotes made by serious people like Churchill who also loved his beer and cigars, laws enacted and still being enacted by the non-partying elements of society trying to impose their beliefs on the partygoers, numerous suggestions for enjoying life well without tipping the scales and a light-hearted look at aging and death, he has made a strong case for the regular practice of hedonism in our lives.
Screw my diet! I can't take this body with me at the end so I'm gonna go quaff some chocolate!
July 30, 2021
Really easy reading and very life affirming! (well, if you're a hedonist that is ;-) The 'Muumuu Years' was a fresh revelation - now I have something to aim for (other than a retirement home!). Epicurus had the right take on life: have a blast, but be responsible! It's great to look back on one's life and realise it has indeed been rather drenched with hedonism. Good advice about sleeping and loving your bed. And I guess I also learned that being a true hedonist doesn't only mean squeezing as much pleasure as possible out of life; but it's also one's attitude towards society, authority and the countless idiots we have to share this planet with. True hedonism is a take on life, an attitude, a philosophy. Crikey, when one considers that life is a mere 'crack of light between two eternities of darkness'; how can one NOT strive for hedonism? Oh, and a fabulous new quote: "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not" - Epicurus
January 15, 2021
Anyone that has a general liking of history and has a sense of humor will enjoy this book. Its an easy read, and I found it a bit surprising given the topic. When I initially thinks of the term Hedonist, I think of a person that is totally immersed in the quest for pleasure, but what surprised me was that the author wrote a lot about taking life as it comes but not overdoing it. He wrote about not being afraid to take a risk for the sake of enjoying life rather than sit in the relative safety of boredom. I'm more into Buddhist or yoga philosophy which on its face doesn't exactly jive with hedonism, but I thoroughly enjoyed the book, so don't decide not to read it because the topic may sound scandalous or immoral, but take the chance and crack it open. You won't regret it.
August 1, 2020
Not entirely convincing of why we should optimise for pleasure either, reading just the first half is probably enough already. The key message is to balance between long term success and short term happiness because life is about pleasure and happiness. Biggest takeaway is probably that even shallow pleasures are unworthy of a true hedonist, true hedonism involves experience (e.g. go to nature instead of staying at home watching TV)
November 16, 2019
Facile, undisciplined, tedious, pointless - this is less a manual for hedonism than a quippy self-help guide for middle-aged managers who minored in philosophy once upon a time. It’s a winking, listicle-filled introduction to what bourgeois bohemians think of as decadence.
Pleasure is good, and the pursuit of it is deeply human. Too bad this book is neither.
Pleasure is good, and the pursuit of it is deeply human. Too bad this book is neither.
May 30, 2020
I really loved this book, but it unfortunately had sexist & colonial tidbits thrown in :( for instance, flight attendants are there to be groped, or colonial decorations make a good mood. Too bad, because otherwise this put me in a good mood, was light & fun & funny. (Update: a friend who read this too said she thought he was being ironic, so maybe he was🤷🏼♀️)
February 27, 2022
I think 2 stars is a generous rating for this disappointing book. I was hoping this was a somewhat more serious book on not taking life too seriously and how to relax a bit more, more of an Epicurean type of hedonism. It is filled with 90% nonsense and immature notions of living. Don’t waste your time. Glad I didn’t waste money buying this.
July 19, 2023
I wish there was a bibliography of all the sources used. there are a lot of statements claiming facts that i would love to know the origin of. there is a source for one of the side facts/quotes, so i would love to see that incorporated throughout next time. gives me more reading materials.
all around great book with a great message.
all around great book with a great message.
January 16, 2024
It makes a few good points that I agree with, but also a lot that I don't agree with. Many of the problems we have in our society with being too stressed, over-worked and unable to enjoy life is in my opinion solved by moderation and finding balance. Peacefulness and quietness is indeed something lacking for most of us living in a capital and money driven society. So we should not forget to have pleasure and regret we didn't have more free time on our deathbed, but I think hedonism is no solution to basically any problem. So it begs the question of what the point of the book is. To convince us to become more hedonistic? Doesn't sound like a good idea for a society that can fall so easily pray to hedonism and addictive technologies.
But hey, atleast it has decent humor.
But hey, atleast it has decent humor.
May 30, 2025
It's very tongue in cheek and obviously isn't meant to be a serious how to guide but there are a couple good insights in there. That being said, it's pretty dated and the parts about the joys of smoking and "dating 19 yead olds" are pretty questionable.
September 9, 2017
Fun little book about remembering to make time for fun!
January 6, 2018
This is an interesting book. I found some great advice within it's pages as well as some stuff I'd like to think was satire.
May 9, 2023
An astonishingly insightful and even invaluable volume in defense of an underrated way of life.
July 17, 2024
easy, light hearted and humorous to read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews