The Serenity Experiment: Searching for Personal Peace in a World That Won’t Slow Down

by David Howell

A thought experiment is an instrument of the imagination, employed for many purposes–to entertain, educate, explore, or hypothesize. In response to a pandemic and social unrest, David Howell decided to begin such an experiment. He wanted to see what would happen if he became as serene as possible. He set out regularly on his bicycle to parks near his home just to sit still, eventually ritualizing the activity until it became a habit. The result is The Serenity Experiment, a book of reflections on the impact serenity can have on the self as it relates to surroundings and community.

139 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 4, 2021

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have met David Howell. He has facilitated some book discussions at Milwaukee School of Engineering Great Book series. I mention this because I like and respect him, and maybe that has biased my positive review of his book.

This is a simple book, with simple yet powerful ideas. Ideas about sitting still, meditating and connecting with what he refers to as the Divine. His prose is so honest and even raw sometimes. It’s a sincere diary of his struggle to both look inside and to live outside.

While I can understand the benefits of sitting still for him and others, I realize that everyone has to find meaning and joy that works best for them, within the unique contexts of their own lives and circumstances.