With his characteristic honesty and wit, Bertrand Russell champions the seemingly incongruous notion that realizing our full potential—and thus enjoying the greatest possible success and happiness—is not accomplished by working harder or smarter, but through harnessing the extraordinary power of idleness. First published in 1935, Russell's revelatory essay is introduced here by the author of Curses and Blessings for All Occasions, who also penned In Praise of Doubt, a wry, affectionate biography of the Nobel Laureate that is included here. Going one better, Bradley Trevor Greive includes suggestions for further reading and an entertaining section of notes, while decorating the texts with his characteristically quirky illustrations of animals.