In Praise of Idleness : And Other Essays (New ed.)

Intolerance and bigotry lie at the heart of all human suffering.

So claims Bertrand Russell at the outset of In Praise of Idleness, a collection of essays in which he espouses the virtues of cool reflection and free enquiry; a voice of calm in a world of maddening unreason.

With characteristic clarity and humour, Russell surveys the social and political consequences of his beliefs.

From a devastating critique of the ancestry of fascism to a vehement defence of 'useless' knowledge, with consideration given to everything from insect pests to the human soul, In Praise of Idleness is a tour de force that only Bertrand Russell could perform.