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In Pursuit of Elegance
- Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins
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In Pursuit of Elegance
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Publisher's Summary
This is a fresh, compulsively enjoyable narrative of the elusive element behind so many innovative breakthroughs, in fields ranging from physics and marketing to design and popular culture.
In this thought-provoking exploration, Matthew May defines elegance as the elusive combination of unusual simplicity and surprising power and pinpoints the four key elements that characterize it: seduction, subtraction, symmetry, and sustainability.
In a story-driven narrative that sheds light on the need for elegance in design, engineering, physics, art, urban planning, sports, and work, May offers a surprising array of stories that illustrate why what's "not there" often matters more than what is.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
What the critics say
"Enlightening. Makes a compelling case for doing more with less by optimizing the expenditure of one's assets and resources. That's something anyone can and should put into practice." (Kevin Hunter, president, CALTY Design Research, Inc., Toyota Design Network)
"In a world where everything keeps getting more complicated and overwhelming, Matthew May shows us that if we start looking for things to take out, things to stop doing, and intelligent shortcuts, we will all be happier, do superior work, and live in a better world." (Robert I. Sutton, Stanford professor and author of The No Asshole Rule)
What listeners say about In Pursuit of Elegance
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MMH Toronto
- 2021-11-02
It’s all about what’s left out …
My reading list was becoming one dimensional. So I decided to branch out and read/listen outside of my usual topics of interest. “In Pursuit of Elegance” comes to the rescue.
An intriguing topic, researched and addressed in a thoughtful and in-depth manner. Almost an academic approach to the subject.
What I learned is that elegance - to my understanding- comes from Symmetry, Seduction, Subtraction and Sustainability. The working of our minds and the incredible difficulty of sometimes doing nothing. The disruptive rules that have not been thought through and over-regulation has on our lives. The beauty of simplicity and natural flow.
I believe Jordan Peterson stated in his book 12 Rules of Life that order is goodness and chaos is evil (using my words). Well, I now state that natural order and the absence of superfluous additions is elegance and chaos and unnecessary additions are whatever the opposite of elegance is.
Does it feel like I’m not sharing enough? Am leaving something out?
We’ll, that’s the point of the book.
Read it for yourself and you’ll understand what I mean :)
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