Our review:Item Description:The bestselling introduction to 'flow'--a groundbreaking psychological theory that shows readers how to improve the quality of life. 'The way to happiness lies not in mindless hedonism, but in mindful change
.'--New York Times Book Review
Amazon.com Review:You have heard about how a musician loses herself in her music, how a painter becomes one with the process of painting. In work, sport, conversation or hobby, you have experienced, yourself, the suspension of time, the freedom of complete absorption in activity. This is 'flow,' an experience that is at once demanding and rewarding--an experience that Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi demonstrates is one of the most enjoyable and valuable experiences a person can have. The exhaustive case studies, controlled experiments and innumerable references to historical figures, philosophers and scientists through the ages prove Csikszentmihalyi's point that flow is a singularly productive and desirable state. But the implications for its application to society are what make the book revolutionary.
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Buyer Testimonials
Average Buyer's Review:
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Flow
This book was very used, wih notes, quotations, underlining and comments. It looks like the book was from a Goodwill store, which is OK, but I didn't expect it to be that " well read".
Buyer's review: 
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Flow: The Classic Work on How to Achieve happiness
If you have ever played sports and time just stood still you have experienced FLOW. When you are at work and have the right amount of challenges and it takes a high degree of skill you have experienced FLOW. Flow is found when there is a focus on goals that are clear and compatible; when the heart, will and mind are all in alignment all the while you must also be getting immediate feedback on the actions.
Csikszentmihalyi, does a fabulous job of helping the reader understand flow but more importantly show the reader how to obtain it. There are many areas in our environment that prevent us from obtaining FLOW and Csikszentmihalyi also provides the reader an understanding of what they are and how to navigate around them.
This is a short read - pick it up in NY and have it finished by the time you hit LAX if not sooner. Flow: The Classic Work on How to Achieve Happiness
Buyer's review: -
Brilliant book offers practical help
This brilliant book by a leader in the field of happiness offers practical advice for how to achieve this through "flow." He writes in clear prose. I adore this book so that it is at the heart of my post on how to achieve happiness at http://drbremer.blogspot.com/2009/02/happiness-in-era-of-slumping-dow.html
Buyer's review: -
One of the most enlightening book I read
After years of hearing about Csikszentmihalyi's "Flow", I finally brought a copy and read it during the flights of a recent trip. The framework work that Csikszentmihalyi laid for enhancing a person's experience in daily life is comprehensive, concise and brilliantly straight forward -- flow, or a state of enjoyment, is attained when a person is deeply focused on an activity in such a way that his sense of time and self(-inferiority) is lost. Csikszentmihalyi also observed that the type of activity that fosters flow usually have a well-defined goal and provides immediate feedback. People who frequently experience flow are those invest their attention (or psychic energy) to such an activity over an extend period of time, over which the enjoyment from the activity and the commitment of the participant form a virtuous cycle, resulting in a continuously deeper and rewarding experience.
How rare are those who can find flow in their daily work? Too many of us wander into our careers after series of random choices. When we do feel motivated, it is because of money, prestige, peer-recognition and other equally frivolous matters. How often can we stand in front of a mirror can tell ourselves that we drive to excel in our careers out of pure sense of enjoyment?
Flow serves as a wake-up call to us. Every moment not seeking enjoyment out our daily lives is a moment that we willfully discard.
Buyer's review: -
Falls Flat
The main issue I have with this book is that it is a fairly boring read. The second is that it is filled with vague generalities that don't fit into any recognizable scientific or psychological norms. It is essentially one man's take on what it means to be happy. As a definition of happiness, it sort of works, but there isn't really any substance to the book. Filled with oblique metaphor, anecdotal evidence, and a loosely defined spiritualism that is most similar to Zen Buddhism, the book does nothing to provide any answers on how one can truly be happy. The pursuit of 'flow,' admirable as it may be, is in no way definable as making one happy any more than any other esoteric personal philosophy. If you're interested in the nature of happiness or in invigorating your own creative spirit, there are much better resources available.
2/5 Stars. Turbid, unscientific, and lacking any philosophical base aside from its own claims. Give Aristotle a read instead.