Soon An overdue history of procrastination, from Leonardo and Darwin to you and me

Journalist Santella (GQ, New York Times Book Review) writes of procrastination in his first book. Beginning with the tactics Charles Darwin employed to delay the publication of On the Origins of Species, Santella walks readers through the lives of other individuals who struggled with or used to their advantage procrastination. Brief and poignant, the author argues that putting work off in favor of other activities is, in fact, often beneficial to the procrastinator (and, sometimes, the world). Engaging, accessible, and frequently humorous prose brings the reader through history. The detail with which Santella tells each story does not overwhelm but provides ample information for a successful thesis. In addition to his own research, Santella supports his work on the topic with the research of others. VERDICT Fans of unusual historical facts and those who enjoyed Srini Pillay's Tinker Dabble Doodle Try will find plenty of value in this self-help, psychological study. [See -Prepub Alert, 9/11/17.]-Abby Hargreaves, Dist. of -Columbia P.L., Washington, DC © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.