About
The Idler is an annual periodical that campaigns against the work ethic and promotes liberty, autonomy and responsibility. It is edited by Tom Hodgkinson. It was founded in 1993 by Tom and Gavin Pretor-Pinney. The Idler is now published as a high quality hardback book, which is typeset by Christian Brett and art directed by Alice Smith. Recent contributions come from Penny Rimbaud, Alain De Botton, Oliver James, Jay Griffiths and Paul Kingsnorth. The latest issue contains a long interview with David Hockney, and a conversation about idling and work with Class War editor Ian Bone, and long term unemployed loafer Ray Roughler-Jones.
The title comes from a series of essays by Dr Johnson, published in 1758-9 in the Gentleman’s Magazine.
Editor Tom Hodgkinson has written three books published by Hamish Hamilton which develop this attitude to life. The first, How To Be Idle, has been published in 20 countries and has so far become a best-seller in the UK, Italy and Germany.
His second book How To Be Free takes an anarchic approach to the everyday barriers that come between us and our dreams. The third is an alternative parenting manual, The Idle Parent, which argues that we need to leave the kids alone.
His latest book is Brave Old World: A Practical Guide to Husbandry. This combines Hodgkinson’s experiences of living on a small farm with references to great didactic farming literature, from Hesiod to Virgil and Thomas Tusser to William Cobbett.
The site offers a bookshop and a clothing outlet, where you can buy Idler t-shirts and hoodies designed by Ged Wells. We are now also selling handmade greetings cards by Alice Smith and first edition hardback books.
In March 2011, we opened The Idler Academy of Philosophy, Husbandry and Merriment, a bookshop and café in West London. Our shop is at 81 Westbourne Park Road, London W2 5QH. Please pop in if you’re in London.
LIBERTAS PER CULTUM.
"I want to write about the philosophy of sitting in chairs because I have a reputation for lolling."