What do you think?
Rate this book
Goodbye Phone, Hello World: 65 Ways to Disconnect from Tech and Reconnect to Joy
This book is not a phone! Goodbye Phone, Hello World features 65 bite-size, device-free activities scientifically proven to promote true happiness.
With wit, wisdom, and warmth, bestselling author Paul Greenberg presents practices for connection, mindfulness, conversation, creativity, and well-being.
Reconnect to life's enduring pleasures: friendship, family, romance, laughter, food, books, music, sleep, nature, art, and so much more.
• Teaches tricks to cut down on phone use—the average person spends 1,400 hours per year on their phone
• Presented in a petite, phone-like case with rounded corners
• Filled with colorful, meditative artwork throughout
For anyone who needs a break from their device, Goodbye Phone, Hello World is a rousing call to reclaim the precious hours lost to screen time.
This collection of life-affirming exercises is an uplifting gift or self-purchase to reach for instead of a phone.
• This book is for anyone who wants to do a digital detox, challenge their dependency on their phone, and seek out true connections.
• Author Paul Greenberg is a New York Times bestselling author and the winner of the James Beard Award for Writing and Literature.
• Perfect gift for anyone who claims to be addicted to their phone
• Add it to the shelf with books like 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke. How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price, and Off: Your Digital Detox for a Better Life by Tanya Goodin.
With wit, wisdom, and warmth, bestselling author Paul Greenberg presents practices for connection, mindfulness, conversation, creativity, and well-being.
Reconnect to life's enduring pleasures: friendship, family, romance, laughter, food, books, music, sleep, nature, art, and so much more.
• Teaches tricks to cut down on phone use—the average person spends 1,400 hours per year on their phone
• Presented in a petite, phone-like case with rounded corners
• Filled with colorful, meditative artwork throughout
For anyone who needs a break from their device, Goodbye Phone, Hello World is a rousing call to reclaim the precious hours lost to screen time.
This collection of life-affirming exercises is an uplifting gift or self-purchase to reach for instead of a phone.
• This book is for anyone who wants to do a digital detox, challenge their dependency on their phone, and seek out true connections.
• Author Paul Greenberg is a New York Times bestselling author and the winner of the James Beard Award for Writing and Literature.
• Perfect gift for anyone who claims to be addicted to their phone
• Add it to the shelf with books like 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke. How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price, and Off: Your Digital Detox for a Better Life by Tanya Goodin.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published November 10, 2020
31 people are currently reading
2088 people want to read
About the author
Paul Greenberg
8 books102 followersPaul Greenberg is the New York Times bestselling author of Four Fish, American Catch, The Omega Principle and Goodbye Phone, Hello World. A regular contributor to the Times and many other publications, Mr. Greenberg is the winner of a James Beard Award for Writing and Literature, a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation and the writer-in-residence at the Safina Center. He has been featured on Fresh Air with Terry Gross, TED and PBS's Frontline.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
May 16, 2020
"These are wise words,
enterprising men quote 'em
Don't act surprised, you guys,
'cause I wrote 'em."
(sorry I couldn't help quoting Hamilton when Goodreads asked me to review my own book)
enterprising men quote 'em
Don't act surprised, you guys,
'cause I wrote 'em."
(sorry I couldn't help quoting Hamilton when Goodreads asked me to review my own book)
July 12, 2020
The Amish aside, we’re all way too connected to our smartphones and way too dismissive of the real world. Author Paul Greenberg begins the book with a quote from the Vietnamese Buddhist sage Thich Nhat Hanh, “Life is available only in the present moment.” How many “present moments” do we miss by checking email, tweeting, “liking” on Facebook or becoming more involved with a celebrity’s family on Instagram than our own?
Greenberg confesses that, like the average American, he’d spent a little less than four hours per day on his iPhone — time he regrets not showering on his son. With a smartphone, “Every tick of the clock can be sold. Every minute can be bundled and shopped to a third party. And the power of the moment-merchants has grown apace.”
So Greenberg quit. Cold turkey. In 2019, he switched to a flip phone. Then came the hard part: “What could I do with 4 extra hours a day? Two extra months in a year? How could I change my life? How could I transform my world?”
I thought that Greenberg’s book would be a shallow one. While the book is slender, it certainly isn’t shallow. It served as a wake-up call to me. I’d never realized how much of my life (and sometimes money) has been stolen from me by Angry Birds, Spider Solitaire, Small Town Murders (don’t ask), Twitter and the ubiquitous Facebook. I haven’t quit cold turkey, but I have cut down — way, way down — since reading this. Thank you so much, Paul Greenberg!
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review.
Greenberg confesses that, like the average American, he’d spent a little less than four hours per day on his iPhone — time he regrets not showering on his son. With a smartphone, “Every tick of the clock can be sold. Every minute can be bundled and shopped to a third party. And the power of the moment-merchants has grown apace.”
So Greenberg quit. Cold turkey. In 2019, he switched to a flip phone. Then came the hard part: “What could I do with 4 extra hours a day? Two extra months in a year? How could I change my life? How could I transform my world?”
I thought that Greenberg’s book would be a shallow one. While the book is slender, it certainly isn’t shallow. It served as a wake-up call to me. I’d never realized how much of my life (and sometimes money) has been stolen from me by Angry Birds, Spider Solitaire, Small Town Murders (don’t ask), Twitter and the ubiquitous Facebook. I haven’t quit cold turkey, but I have cut down — way, way down — since reading this. Thank you so much, Paul Greenberg!
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review.
May 12, 2021
Quick and easy read. Offers simple advice to make small changes in your life to not be fully dependent on technology in every aspect. A good read for everyone!
Thank you to Chronicle Books via NetGalley for providing the digital reader copy.
Thank you to Chronicle Books via NetGalley for providing the digital reader copy.
June 30, 2020
‘Goodbye Phone, Hello world’ explains what to do with all those newfound hours you suddenly get when you ditch screen time and why you should do it in the first place.
I am a phone addict, I admit it. I often go through phases in which I reduce phone usage to a minimum, get a a lot done and then slowly bad habits start to creep back in until I feel its too much and I cut down again. ‘Goodbye Phone, hello world’ was useful reminder explaining what you could do if you don’t spend your days glued to the screen and I appreciate it for that. Nevertheless, in terms of books critical of phone usage, I believe there are better options out there, such as ‘Digital minimalism’ by Cal Newport and ‘How to break up with your phone’ by Catherine Price. The author also endorses a very radical approach of getting rid of the smartphone completely when a softer approach might be more feasible for most people.
Thank you to Negalley for granting me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book.
I am a phone addict, I admit it. I often go through phases in which I reduce phone usage to a minimum, get a a lot done and then slowly bad habits start to creep back in until I feel its too much and I cut down again. ‘Goodbye Phone, hello world’ was useful reminder explaining what you could do if you don’t spend your days glued to the screen and I appreciate it for that. Nevertheless, in terms of books critical of phone usage, I believe there are better options out there, such as ‘Digital minimalism’ by Cal Newport and ‘How to break up with your phone’ by Catherine Price. The author also endorses a very radical approach of getting rid of the smartphone completely when a softer approach might be more feasible for most people.
Thank you to Negalley for granting me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book.
December 5, 2021
A quick, easy read. Overall, the author gave some good tips and tricks to reduce phone usage. However, I did find some of the tips to be cheesy (i.e., don’t take pictures! Live in the moment!) or just not aligning with the current state of the world. I think it’s possible to reduce phone usage and find more time in your day without switching to a flip phone or disabling your web browser in your phone.
June 22, 2020
I adored this book. It's got a strange simplicity that makes it ever the more impactful. There are simple observations about how memory and action have changed after smart phones. As someone who lived so long without one, and now can't remember that existence, this was a particularly important reminder to disconnect. The layout and the illustrations really add to the power of the book. This is one that surprises you. I'm excited to own a copy to keep on my bedside table.
June 6, 2020
An epidemic is silent and generally harmful to masses. It slowly harms from inside leaving many hollow souls.
Digital addiction is such epidemic. No one is spared and people are hopelessly addicted to their smartphones.
This is a beautiful Book. Book formatting is wonderful. A clean and soothing page appears after every page.
Author discusses various things that humans can do to set themselves free.
He himself went to the extent that he bought a flip phone.
A very good book which is easy on mind. It is full of useful insights and free of useless page filling that we generally see in self help books.
Digital addiction is such epidemic. No one is spared and people are hopelessly addicted to their smartphones.
This is a beautiful Book. Book formatting is wonderful. A clean and soothing page appears after every page.
Author discusses various things that humans can do to set themselves free.
He himself went to the extent that he bought a flip phone.
A very good book which is easy on mind. It is full of useful insights and free of useless page filling that we generally see in self help books.
June 27, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early review copy. I must say, though, that experiencing this book as an e-galley when it so frequently extolls the virtues of paper and hard copy, feels off.
The author has structured this book as a bit of a laundry list, and it's up to the reader to see what will resonate and stick. There are some true soundbites that give one reason to pause, reflect, or research - and then a lot that just feels like a regurgitation of facts and quotes from elsewhere.
The author has structured this book as a bit of a laundry list, and it's up to the reader to see what will resonate and stick. There are some true soundbites that give one reason to pause, reflect, or research - and then a lot that just feels like a regurgitation of facts and quotes from elsewhere.
January 5, 2023
This is the first one star I’ve ever given. The book was so boring. Hard to keep my attention and even harder to pick back up. I picked this up with hope of putting my phone down more, but it was really a list of strategies already plentifully listed elsewhere. I don’t know, not the book for me
June 28, 2020
A fast read discussing an important topic nowadays. The false busy we deceive ourselves with and the mad need to be always connected depriving ourselves from privacy and precious real time living.
June 24, 2020
This was available to read now rather than request or wish for it so I thought why not? Just to make you aware it is not available to download to your kindle device.
This was such an interesting and some what scary read!
I know myself, that I am on my phone way to much. I sound old saying this but I'm grateful that phones weren't really around during my day. I remember having fun and making memories but most importantly I remember being STRESS FREE.
I got my first phone when I was around 12 and the only thing you could do with it was phone, text and play snakes and ladders.
Now at 31, I've had an i-phone for around 10 years maybe and I am probably on my phone for more than your average 4 hours a day and I have never been more stressed in my life! Especially with recent events going on in the world, the internet and social media have not been my friend at all. With having anxiety also, being on my phone just increases this to a whole new level.
I cant wait to get my hands on the physical book as it is something I will want to come back to time and time again.
I don't want to go into any details about this book as it would just spoil it for everyone who hasn't read it but I think this book is defiantly ideal for everyone. Its very short book therefore, a quick read.
It is filled with 65 simple free activities that have proven to promote deep connection, mindfulness, conversation, creativity and well-being.
Very informative and fascinating. I am excited to try many of the challenges out.
This was such an interesting and some what scary read!
I know myself, that I am on my phone way to much. I sound old saying this but I'm grateful that phones weren't really around during my day. I remember having fun and making memories but most importantly I remember being STRESS FREE.
I got my first phone when I was around 12 and the only thing you could do with it was phone, text and play snakes and ladders.
Now at 31, I've had an i-phone for around 10 years maybe and I am probably on my phone for more than your average 4 hours a day and I have never been more stressed in my life! Especially with recent events going on in the world, the internet and social media have not been my friend at all. With having anxiety also, being on my phone just increases this to a whole new level.
I cant wait to get my hands on the physical book as it is something I will want to come back to time and time again.
I don't want to go into any details about this book as it would just spoil it for everyone who hasn't read it but I think this book is defiantly ideal for everyone. Its very short book therefore, a quick read.
It is filled with 65 simple free activities that have proven to promote deep connection, mindfulness, conversation, creativity and well-being.
Very informative and fascinating. I am excited to try many of the challenges out.
June 14, 2020
Though a relatively short book, GOODBYE PHONE, HELLO WORLD packs an unexpectedly powerful and emotional punch. For me it was simultaneously an easy read, a difficult chore and a necessary exercise.
A GOOD READ: the author’s style is concise, fluid and articulate. Intelligent observations there are aplenty, but what really makes this work engaging is how much it seems to come from the heart. The author makes the personal stakes known right off the bat with a painful confession: how time spent on his smartphone took away precious hours/days/months that could have been spent with his beloved son. From that moment on, I was hooked. As a father myself, I understood where the author was coming from; admittedly though, his honesty made me afraid of where he would be going. I knew I was about to learn some unpleasant things about myself and my own obsession with this technology. This is what makes the book…
A DIFFICULT CHORE: the author throws down the gauntlet with a startling observation: the average person spends 1,400 hours per year on their smartphone — almost two months out of every twelve. Though we’d like to think that phone-time is devoted to work or family or friends, we know it isn’t. It’s spent on mindless distractions that ultimately mean nothing.
Coming to terms with that statistic is frankly heartbreaking. I found myself asking two questions: how the hell could I have given up so much of my life? What could I have done differently with that time? This self-examination is the difficult chore, one which the author had to undertake to write this book. I imagine he was tempted to turn away from such painful reflections (I know I was). Fortunately, he kept going, offering an array of wise solutions in how to move forward. These are what turn GOODBYE PHONE into…
A NECESSARY EXERCISE: drawing on his own experience as well as the guidance of great thinkers from around the world, the author creates a strategy for leaving the tangled maze of smart-phone distraction for the open air of the real world. Those previously lost 1,400 hours now become gateways to learning new skills, augmenting empathy and strengthening/rebuilding relationships.
None of this is easy, at least for me. As someone who has been tied to his iPhone for over a decade, I am struggling to break free of its hold. If you’re in a similar situation, I believe you will find this book a powerful ally.
A GOOD READ: the author’s style is concise, fluid and articulate. Intelligent observations there are aplenty, but what really makes this work engaging is how much it seems to come from the heart. The author makes the personal stakes known right off the bat with a painful confession: how time spent on his smartphone took away precious hours/days/months that could have been spent with his beloved son. From that moment on, I was hooked. As a father myself, I understood where the author was coming from; admittedly though, his honesty made me afraid of where he would be going. I knew I was about to learn some unpleasant things about myself and my own obsession with this technology. This is what makes the book…
A DIFFICULT CHORE: the author throws down the gauntlet with a startling observation: the average person spends 1,400 hours per year on their smartphone — almost two months out of every twelve. Though we’d like to think that phone-time is devoted to work or family or friends, we know it isn’t. It’s spent on mindless distractions that ultimately mean nothing.
Coming to terms with that statistic is frankly heartbreaking. I found myself asking two questions: how the hell could I have given up so much of my life? What could I have done differently with that time? This self-examination is the difficult chore, one which the author had to undertake to write this book. I imagine he was tempted to turn away from such painful reflections (I know I was). Fortunately, he kept going, offering an array of wise solutions in how to move forward. These are what turn GOODBYE PHONE into…
A NECESSARY EXERCISE: drawing on his own experience as well as the guidance of great thinkers from around the world, the author creates a strategy for leaving the tangled maze of smart-phone distraction for the open air of the real world. Those previously lost 1,400 hours now become gateways to learning new skills, augmenting empathy and strengthening/rebuilding relationships.
None of this is easy, at least for me. As someone who has been tied to his iPhone for over a decade, I am struggling to break free of its hold. If you’re in a similar situation, I believe you will find this book a powerful ally.
September 1, 2020
This is a fabulous little book that gives ideas, examples and inspiration for how to spend time that would other wise be spent scrolling on our devices.
The opening pages where the author adds up the time spent on our phones and the equivalent that we have lost really hits hard, especially where he talks about the time he has missed out on with his son. As a parent, I am guilty of sneaking a peek at social media when my son is occupied with something but seeing the time added up like that really made me think and will affect my use of devices in future.
This book makes a convincing argument and useful tool for anyone looking to reduce use of their phone. Not only does it include many helpful hints to get you started but refers to other works that would be of use for anyone wanting to take their reading further.
Greenberg’s words are accompanied in this book by beautiful illustrations throughout.
The opening pages where the author adds up the time spent on our phones and the equivalent that we have lost really hits hard, especially where he talks about the time he has missed out on with his son. As a parent, I am guilty of sneaking a peek at social media when my son is occupied with something but seeing the time added up like that really made me think and will affect my use of devices in future.
This book makes a convincing argument and useful tool for anyone looking to reduce use of their phone. Not only does it include many helpful hints to get you started but refers to other works that would be of use for anyone wanting to take their reading further.
Greenberg’s words are accompanied in this book by beautiful illustrations throughout.
August 14, 2020
The book talks about the way in which technology has engulfed our lives on a large scale. It does so by providing scientific basis in a lucid format does making us realise its enormity. This is followed by numerous, simple yet effective tools for utilising the time which we will get at our hands if we stop using our phones the amounts we do currently. The phone addiction is increasing tremendously and the numbers are staggering. It's important to do something for getting over it but isn't that easy, thanks to the huge amount of our lives being dependent on the smartphones. Nevertheless, it isn't impossible to be the master of your phone and not vice versa and this book definitely is a good point to start!!
November 24, 2020
An appropriate quick read on Thanksgiving week. It hit me hard, although probably not as the author intended: it reminded me of how damn fortunate I am.
I am thankful for trails and dirt and wilderness all around me. For clear night skies and the opportunity to stargaze. For windows through which to watch birds and clouds during the day. For flesh-and-blood humans whom I love and who love me. For my regular yoga and meditation practices. For good sleep. For never having had children. For books. Even—heretically—for my phone.
I am especially thankful for not needing this book, nor even in fact knowing anyone who does.
I am thankful for trails and dirt and wilderness all around me. For clear night skies and the opportunity to stargaze. For windows through which to watch birds and clouds during the day. For flesh-and-blood humans whom I love and who love me. For my regular yoga and meditation practices. For good sleep. For never having had children. For books. Even—heretically—for my phone.
I am especially thankful for not needing this book, nor even in fact knowing anyone who does.
May 9, 2021
Short, cute, and a good reminder of how to enjoy the world without your phone. However, not too insightful and it felt like the author used one off studies and kinda played fast and loose with the numbers to prove a point. Like saying with all the money people could save if they didn't buy smartphones they could go do so many fantastic things. Sure some people spend $1k+ each year on phone related things but that's not most of us.
July 28, 2021
This was a very quick read full of a bunch of interesting facts and things to consider. I really like how it gives you a bunch of options for things to do in the time that you are giving up using the phone. I really want to try a bunch of these things. Also, the author stated that a 2016 study found that book readers live an average of 23 months longer than non readers :-) so hi friends!
May 27, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This short and to the point book offers ideas on how to disconnect from your electronic devices and get back to focusing on what really matters in life. The author pulls information from other books and research, which will be beneficial to the average reader. I think I have read too many books on this subject recently so a lot of this was repeat information. Overall, this is a pretty good book.
This short and to the point book offers ideas on how to disconnect from your electronic devices and get back to focusing on what really matters in life. The author pulls information from other books and research, which will be beneficial to the average reader. I think I have read too many books on this subject recently so a lot of this was repeat information. Overall, this is a pretty good book.
January 23, 2022
This is a short read but inspirational to help quit my phone and revision 14,000 hours over the next 10 years. Really loved the ideas abs the beautiful illustrations.
The irony I am tracking this and reviewing it on my phone is not lost on me….
The irony I am tracking this and reviewing it on my phone is not lost on me….
June 25, 2020
Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
This was such an informative, inspiring and easy read. Paul Greenberg opens the book with a strong opening about how he came to quit his smartphone and then continued on with evidence from various resources supporting the suggestion to drop the smartphone.
The practices at the end of every segment were amazing and easy to practice. The formatting of the beginning of each chapter was clever. Overall an enjoyable read!
This was such an informative, inspiring and easy read. Paul Greenberg opens the book with a strong opening about how he came to quit his smartphone and then continued on with evidence from various resources supporting the suggestion to drop the smartphone.
The practices at the end of every segment were amazing and easy to practice. The formatting of the beginning of each chapter was clever. Overall an enjoyable read!
October 17, 2025
Such a good wakeup call.
Scary to hear all the statistics about how much time we spend on our phones and the potential that has to convert to other skills/hobbies.
Scary to hear all the statistics about how much time we spend on our phones and the potential that has to convert to other skills/hobbies.
June 10, 2020
Paul Greenberg's latest book is among the more valuable present you can give to someone you care about (especially yourself). That’s because it will teach, and perhaps even convince you, how to reclaim the four hours per day that as average Americans we spend looking at our smartphones. Four hours per day equates to two months out of every year, or two whole years out of every twelve years – a significant figure because the author begins thinking about the impact of owning a smartphone when his son turns twelve and asks for his own device. “If the phone is so bad,” he asks his father, “then why are you always on it?” Greenberg decides to quit his smartphone and spend the hours he wins back by researching, and then brilliantly explaining, the deeper consequences of technology and how it affects our lives, as well as giving us practical advice on how we can spend our own time regained. Never preachy, always insightful, and a pleasurable read, this book will leave you thinking, which is exactly its point.
June 12, 2020
Loved this book -- made me pause and think about how I'm organizing my life in relationship to my phone (and made me want to throw my phone out the window). Worth your time.
May 24, 2020
Like a right-handed boxer who suddenly debuts as a skilled southpaw in a title fight, Greenberg has completely revolutionized his historical writing style and deftly penned a short, fast and illuminating version of Life’s Little Instruction Book for the digital age. This writer’s journey to finding beauty and peace and contentment through a simpler and more intentional way of life is presented here in a ‘let’s-get-back-to-basics manifesto’ that extracts wisdom from the ages and applies it perfectly to technology-saturated life in the early 21st century. His daisy chain of keen ideas and simple (yet profound) suggestions serve as a Rosetta Stone for understanding a world where smart phones dominate, and he lights a clear lighthearted way forward for navigating through our digitized lives with some semblance of sanity, purpose and mindfulness. This book is destined for the NYTimes Bestseller List and will surely be a life changer for people all around the world. It is a joy to read, concise and impactful, I spent about three hours reading because I read it twice. The statistics he provides to describe my previous relationship with my smartphone were both staggering and sobering, especially in lieu of how that time could be better spent. And the timing for the arrival of this book could not be more serendipitous or divinely inspired, if ever there was a time that the people of this planet were poised to recalibrate the way they live their lives it is now—and I intend to recommend this breezy ‘how-to live a better life guide’ by Paul Greenberg to all of my closest friends and family as an urgent “MUST READ.”
May 19, 2020
It was almost a ritual, not long ago: Every day, just
after 3 p.m., our city buses and subways were choked with
youngsters traveling home from school. Their exuberance and
release of pent-up energy turned our transit system into
a sustained recess. And then. . . it stopped. What happened?
The kids boarded, took out their phones and poured their
energy into texting.
They were not the only ones, of course. People walking
their dogs, buying groceries, sitting in theaters or concert
halls, even having meals together. . . all were too often fixated
on those pocket-size gadgets. Frankly, it’s never seemed
healthy. And Paul Greenberg echoes this concern, effectively
documenting the negative and often corrupt use of cellphones
in his new book “Goodbye Phone, Hello World.”
Although acknowledging the convenience of possessing
such instruments—for handling emergencies, keeping track
of errant children—he probes their negative impact on
human contact and documents how cellphones “have a
pernicious effect on intimacy.”
The research he compiled is studded with interviews
with pros in many fields, passages from sanscrit sacred text
and both the Old and NewTestament, plus words of wisdom
from the likes of Malcolm Gladwell, Carl Jung, Vladimir
Nabokov, William Shakespeare and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Throughout, he shapes a strong argument for limiting our
use of these seductive instruments: “Distracted behavior
while on phones often leads to irresponsible behavior elsewhere
in our lives.” How much has compulsive cellphone use altered
our outlook on life in general and certain aspects of it, in
particular? “According to a 2016 study,” Greenberg tells us,
“around a third of those surveyed said they would rather
give up sex for three months than give up their smartphone
for a single week.” I guess we’ve come a long way. The
question remains: how do we get back?
after 3 p.m., our city buses and subways were choked with
youngsters traveling home from school. Their exuberance and
release of pent-up energy turned our transit system into
a sustained recess. And then. . . it stopped. What happened?
The kids boarded, took out their phones and poured their
energy into texting.
They were not the only ones, of course. People walking
their dogs, buying groceries, sitting in theaters or concert
halls, even having meals together. . . all were too often fixated
on those pocket-size gadgets. Frankly, it’s never seemed
healthy. And Paul Greenberg echoes this concern, effectively
documenting the negative and often corrupt use of cellphones
in his new book “Goodbye Phone, Hello World.”
Although acknowledging the convenience of possessing
such instruments—for handling emergencies, keeping track
of errant children—he probes their negative impact on
human contact and documents how cellphones “have a
pernicious effect on intimacy.”
The research he compiled is studded with interviews
with pros in many fields, passages from sanscrit sacred text
and both the Old and NewTestament, plus words of wisdom
from the likes of Malcolm Gladwell, Carl Jung, Vladimir
Nabokov, William Shakespeare and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Throughout, he shapes a strong argument for limiting our
use of these seductive instruments: “Distracted behavior
while on phones often leads to irresponsible behavior elsewhere
in our lives.” How much has compulsive cellphone use altered
our outlook on life in general and certain aspects of it, in
particular? “According to a 2016 study,” Greenberg tells us,
“around a third of those surveyed said they would rather
give up sex for three months than give up their smartphone
for a single week.” I guess we’ve come a long way. The
question remains: how do we get back?
May 26, 2020
I recommend this book. It's short and sweet and gets to the heart of a culture problem. This book helps us open our minds. The author Paul Greenberg is trying to understand why smartphones are taking over humanity. The question can show many answers according to different perspectives. There are a lot of numbers/facts in this book and it's all about what you lose if you get addicted to your cell phone. It's something we do naturally, not counting the time spent. One of the suggestions that the author gives is to use your time to develop an ability, something waiting for us, with no screen, you have chance to turn ability into talent. The blue light part about sleep was definitely a wake-up call for me (no pun intended), it's something I have to work on, perhaps I will start dreaming better.
May 27, 2020
I want to frame every illustration in this book! Gorgeous. It's a reflection on the state of American existence told in a poignant way that really hits home. It made me think about the things we are losing: memorizing, re-reading, letters. I would definitely recommend this book, also the format is refreshing and just a pleasure to read.
January 7, 2021
Good Bye Phone is about how we are losing out on our lives, our own interests, in small small bits and pieces, for the sake of something which is not even worth it. The focus of the whole book is to convey the urgency to get rid of smartphone addiction. In the first few pages of the book, the writer highlights the various ways in which smartphone is robbing you of your life. And remember that he is not just talking about the effect on your health or effect on your relationships. He tells you how seriously it is affecting your whole life and how you are being deprived of the various beautiful things which really mean to you.
In very few but strong words the writer urges the reader to live the moment instead of committing it to memory. You might have noticed how people attend the annual day functions and other programs in their children’s school, and whole time are either occupied taking pictures or making videos. But note that that picture or that video is not your child; it does not feel, it does not smell, it doesn’t have life. It is just a screen, a picture. Of course, you could call it a memory aid to relive the moment later. But at the expense of not living it altogether in this very moment when the activity is still in progress? This way you would be left only with images and memories and would have lost all the wonderful experiences which this life offered you.
In another passage he brings to light the wonder of handwritten letters. Some 10 years back, I read an article in a scientific journal that a mother’s voice has nearly the same effect on a child as her physical presence. Some time back, there was another study which told that the effect of mother’s handwriting also has a similar effect. You yourself can compare the impression that a handwritten letter and an electronic text message casts on you. This is not just about psychology. In the WhatsApp era, you do not have anything to treasure, to keep in your treasure box, to relook at it when your beloved is no longer with you. Remember that the text messages — whether SMS or WhatsApp or Messenger, eventually disappear in the bottomless, endless tunnel of your phone screen. Afterall, how long and how far can you scroll? And those one line, one word messages certainly do not evoke emotions or feelings like an elaborate letter written in heartfelt prose. And certainly not the emojis and emoticons. You may say that they make a conversation more lively, but I consider that they kill any conversation. I interpret it as the other person does not want to talk further.
Once you have got rid of your addiction and put your phone away, you will have a lot of free time at your disposal. In the remainder of the book writer Greenberg tells you several ways to utilise that newly found time in a better and fruitful manner. In total Greenberg gives 60 suggestions — from learning a new language, learning to play guitar, spending time with your family, making more successful and more meaningful relationships, reading books, writing diaries, and so on up to crossing the sea or globetrotting. Interestingly, whatever suggestions he gives are very simple and written in the form of short notes.
Among the 60 suggestions there is one which says — do nothing! Sit idle. You would agree that we are not spending time with ourselves. Tell me, when was the last time you saw the night sky with its stars or the rising sun, or listened to the singing of birds? Whenever you get couple of minutes of spare time, you just pick up your smartphone and start scrolling through your WhatsApp messages or various notifications.
I will call this book completely successful only if the readers get rid of this addiction. They may continue to use their smartphones or mobile phones but keep it in moderation, use it when it is really required and not turn it into an addiction or obsession. The whole natural world is waiting for you — not just the beauty, not just the joy of it which the writer has noted, but also the various problems which the world is waiting for you to attend to, which you have to solve, which you have to pay attention to.
I have few suggestions for this book. Throughout the book the writer has focused on the harm smartphones cause to you — the user — and thus he gives suggestions on how you can avoid it to make life easier and more beautiful for you — the user. Except a few hints here and there, he seems to neglect the harm smartphone causes to others. It need not be so extreme like traffic accident; instead it could be in the form of a small interruption or inconvenience. It might be trivial, yet impolite, rude nevertheless. Imagine the following scene: I am working in lab or may be I am with someone, my phone rings. I cut the call, it comes again. Such persistent calls when the other person is not picking up is not what Swami Vivekananda meant when he said “…wait not till the goal is reached”! Your addiction to phone causes misery, embarrassment and annoyance to others. Nearly everyday we come across such addicts. We cut the phone call, or just miss the call, or perhaps the phone was on silent mode. When we return the call, we are welcomed by abuses on why we didn’t attend the call! It could be your spouse, your boss or anybody. And in shared office spaces — here I am talking about scientific academic laboratory — one phone call or WhatsApp message causes disturbance to everybody.
Another issue which the writer has missed is the harm smartphone has caused to our communication skills. Grammatical errors are acceptable in the WhatsApp world and soon the people who write perfectly polished, error free languages — like the writer himself — would be considered endangered species. Personally, I consider language to be the greatest invention in human history, which made sure that we do not have to reinvent everything from scratch, and also kept knowledge from getting lost while transmission by word of mouth. In our own lifetime, we had spent long hours, several years, hard labour in gaining the vocabulary, grasping grammar of the language which is not our native language. And how easily within a few days of using WhatsApp we choose to wipe off all that we had learnt. All the harms that the writer has mentioned are correct and demand urgent attention, but the very first and perhaps the greatest harm is inflicted on written language. And the damage is irreversible. Interestingly the suggestions are straightforward and have already been given by the writer in the book — restrict phone usage, don’t text when you can call, and carry a book in your bag.
Buy this book by all means, preferably multiple copies. Read it yourself, give others to read, and also give it away as gift. Keep it on your drawing room table so that your guests can leaf through it. I am sure you would not need to read the whole book — just within first few pages, the writer would have convinced you of the harm your smartphone is causing you. And that conviction immediately leads to action. Yes, the action which is not just the need of the hour, but also extremely urgent — urgency to put down your phone, and go back to live the wonder that life is.
In very few but strong words the writer urges the reader to live the moment instead of committing it to memory. You might have noticed how people attend the annual day functions and other programs in their children’s school, and whole time are either occupied taking pictures or making videos. But note that that picture or that video is not your child; it does not feel, it does not smell, it doesn’t have life. It is just a screen, a picture. Of course, you could call it a memory aid to relive the moment later. But at the expense of not living it altogether in this very moment when the activity is still in progress? This way you would be left only with images and memories and would have lost all the wonderful experiences which this life offered you.
In another passage he brings to light the wonder of handwritten letters. Some 10 years back, I read an article in a scientific journal that a mother’s voice has nearly the same effect on a child as her physical presence. Some time back, there was another study which told that the effect of mother’s handwriting also has a similar effect. You yourself can compare the impression that a handwritten letter and an electronic text message casts on you. This is not just about psychology. In the WhatsApp era, you do not have anything to treasure, to keep in your treasure box, to relook at it when your beloved is no longer with you. Remember that the text messages — whether SMS or WhatsApp or Messenger, eventually disappear in the bottomless, endless tunnel of your phone screen. Afterall, how long and how far can you scroll? And those one line, one word messages certainly do not evoke emotions or feelings like an elaborate letter written in heartfelt prose. And certainly not the emojis and emoticons. You may say that they make a conversation more lively, but I consider that they kill any conversation. I interpret it as the other person does not want to talk further.
Once you have got rid of your addiction and put your phone away, you will have a lot of free time at your disposal. In the remainder of the book writer Greenberg tells you several ways to utilise that newly found time in a better and fruitful manner. In total Greenberg gives 60 suggestions — from learning a new language, learning to play guitar, spending time with your family, making more successful and more meaningful relationships, reading books, writing diaries, and so on up to crossing the sea or globetrotting. Interestingly, whatever suggestions he gives are very simple and written in the form of short notes.
Among the 60 suggestions there is one which says — do nothing! Sit idle. You would agree that we are not spending time with ourselves. Tell me, when was the last time you saw the night sky with its stars or the rising sun, or listened to the singing of birds? Whenever you get couple of minutes of spare time, you just pick up your smartphone and start scrolling through your WhatsApp messages or various notifications.
I will call this book completely successful only if the readers get rid of this addiction. They may continue to use their smartphones or mobile phones but keep it in moderation, use it when it is really required and not turn it into an addiction or obsession. The whole natural world is waiting for you — not just the beauty, not just the joy of it which the writer has noted, but also the various problems which the world is waiting for you to attend to, which you have to solve, which you have to pay attention to.
I have few suggestions for this book. Throughout the book the writer has focused on the harm smartphones cause to you — the user — and thus he gives suggestions on how you can avoid it to make life easier and more beautiful for you — the user. Except a few hints here and there, he seems to neglect the harm smartphone causes to others. It need not be so extreme like traffic accident; instead it could be in the form of a small interruption or inconvenience. It might be trivial, yet impolite, rude nevertheless. Imagine the following scene: I am working in lab or may be I am with someone, my phone rings. I cut the call, it comes again. Such persistent calls when the other person is not picking up is not what Swami Vivekananda meant when he said “…wait not till the goal is reached”! Your addiction to phone causes misery, embarrassment and annoyance to others. Nearly everyday we come across such addicts. We cut the phone call, or just miss the call, or perhaps the phone was on silent mode. When we return the call, we are welcomed by abuses on why we didn’t attend the call! It could be your spouse, your boss or anybody. And in shared office spaces — here I am talking about scientific academic laboratory — one phone call or WhatsApp message causes disturbance to everybody.
Another issue which the writer has missed is the harm smartphone has caused to our communication skills. Grammatical errors are acceptable in the WhatsApp world and soon the people who write perfectly polished, error free languages — like the writer himself — would be considered endangered species. Personally, I consider language to be the greatest invention in human history, which made sure that we do not have to reinvent everything from scratch, and also kept knowledge from getting lost while transmission by word of mouth. In our own lifetime, we had spent long hours, several years, hard labour in gaining the vocabulary, grasping grammar of the language which is not our native language. And how easily within a few days of using WhatsApp we choose to wipe off all that we had learnt. All the harms that the writer has mentioned are correct and demand urgent attention, but the very first and perhaps the greatest harm is inflicted on written language. And the damage is irreversible. Interestingly the suggestions are straightforward and have already been given by the writer in the book — restrict phone usage, don’t text when you can call, and carry a book in your bag.
Buy this book by all means, preferably multiple copies. Read it yourself, give others to read, and also give it away as gift. Keep it on your drawing room table so that your guests can leaf through it. I am sure you would not need to read the whole book — just within first few pages, the writer would have convinced you of the harm your smartphone is causing you. And that conviction immediately leads to action. Yes, the action which is not just the need of the hour, but also extremely urgent — urgency to put down your phone, and go back to live the wonder that life is.
May 19, 2020
This book was a breath of fresh air as it presented the problem: distraction from living life to the fullest. Identified the root of the issue: technology overuse. And continued to provide a method to free ourselves from the chains technology, unfortunately, sometimes traps us in. I think I especially appreciated reading this book right now because I am 19 weeks pregnant with our first child and reading about the author's interactions, or lack of, with his own son was a wake-up call to both myself and my husband. Paul Greenberg did extensive research and I especially enjoyed when he would include facts about how much time the average individual wastes on their phone.
I have seen other authors attempt to write about this same topic but none of those works seemed to leave such a lasting impact upon me. This is a book I would be pleased to buy when it is released and one I would read again, recommend to friends, and implement in my workplace.
I have seen other authors attempt to write about this same topic but none of those works seemed to leave such a lasting impact upon me. This is a book I would be pleased to buy when it is released and one I would read again, recommend to friends, and implement in my workplace.
May 18, 2020
We'd be able to do, think and experience so much more in life, if we could just put down our smartphones. That's according to author Paul Greenberg, who, in his latest book, provides us with insight into why we should spend less (or no) time on these devices designed to divert our attention from actually living. Written from the perspective of a father whose son was born a year before the "birth" of the iPhone, Greenberg expertly weaves the themes of human psychology, philosophy, technology, capitalism and purpose to challenge readers to consider what they're missing out on when they're on their phones. He also provides recommendations for simple, yet life-enriching things we can—and should—do without our smartphones. Every smartphone user should put down their devices and pick up "Goodbye Phone, Hello World," for a glimpse at what they're missing out on and how to get it back.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews