Release date is 2008-01-14

Days off -- A holiday in a vacation -- His other engagement -- Books that I loved as a boy -- Among the Quantock hills -- Between the lupin and the laurel -- Little Red Tom -- Silverhorns -- Notions about novels -- Some remarks on gulls -- Leviathan -- The art of leaving off.

E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

"Days Off, and Other Digressions" by Henry Van Dyke is a collection of essays and reflections written in the early 20th century. The work explores themes of leisure, self-discovery, and the importance of taking time off from life's routines. A central figure in the opening portion is Uncle Peter, who shares his insights about the nature of true leisure and the joy that can come from purposeful idleness. At the start of the book, we are introduced to a conversation between the narrator and Uncle Peter, who expresses the philosophy that "days off" are vital for a balanced life. He argues that true relaxation cannot be achieved in solitude but is enriched when shared with others. Uncle Peter reflects on the necessity of escaping from routine to engage in activities that bear no purpose other than enjoyment. This sets the tone for the subsequent essays, inviting readers to consider their own approaches to leisure and the value of unstructured time in cultivating joy and fulfillment. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Original publication data not identified