Ask a Bookseller: Laziness does not exist

We’re solidly into January, which means many of us have had time to follow up on — or perhaps abandon — New Year’s Resolutions. At a time of year when many people resolve to do more and better, bookseller Whit Robinson of Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia recommends one of her top reads: the nonfiction book “Laziness Does Not Exist” by Dr. Devon Price. Robinson says this the book came at a perfect time in her life. As a neurodivergent person who finds social norms a challenge to navigate, she often struggled with feelings of shame and laziness in a society that expects and rewards productivity. While struggling with burnout from a past job, Robinson found the language to address these feelings by reading “Laziness Does Not Exist.” The author is a social psychologist and professor at Loyola College in Chicago, who draws from his experience as a person with autism who has experienced burnout. Robinson says the writing style of this book is accessible for all readers.