Work determines our personal time, shapes our identity and revolves around the organization of modern society as a whole. It is natural that you are working or looking for a job. However, this has not been the case for most of human history, and in some cultures even today work is not as important as it is in Western societies. At the same time, people in the West live in excess, in a disturbed environment, and in the context of ever-accelerating automation of everything. Paradoxically, there is more and more work.
In this book, Práce, translating in English to “Work”, anthropologist James Suzman explores the origins and causes of the political, cultural, and personal obsession with work. It reveals the roots of the current concept of work in the ideological disputes of the 19th century, but also in the then understanding of biology. And he shows, based on his own research and historical examples, that you can live and prosper even without constant commitment to work. Especially when humanity has the means and motivation to do so.
Práce is the Czech edition of Work: A History of How We Spend Our Time. It was published by Brnbo-based publishing house Host. The graphic design was created by graphic studio Kapitola in Prague, using F37 Foundry’s F37 Judge as it is a versatile, impactful sans serif that is perfect for both titles and body.
