The Slowdown

The Vitalizing Dimensions of Qigong Mimi Kuo-Deemer, an internal martial arts teacher, delves into the multifaceted world of qigong. 14 minute read A prominent figure in the world of qigong; meditation; and neijia, or internal martial arts (she is a sixth generation lineage holder in the Baguazhang practice), Mimi Kuo-Deemer has a profound belief in the nourishing and supportive capacity of embodiment practices.

All too often, gifts that bring initial delight end their lives in dusty corners, attic nooks, or worse still, the dump. Nifty gadgets’ batteries go unreplaced, coffee-table books get swapped out, kitchen utensils lose their luster. This gifting season, we searched far and wide for gifts that would stand the test of time—ones that are durable, made to last, and, most importantly, will actually be used for years or even decades to come.

The Slowdown’s selection of the most notable books of the year, handpicked by our editors. 6 minute read This past June, The Slowdown launched our Book of the Month newsletter, for which, at the start of every month, we reviewed a new, compelling book that was capturing our attention and imaginations.

Lara Gilmore on the Media That Brings Out Her Inner Child The restaurateur and food activist’s content intake includes her local Italian newspapers, the podcast Design Emergency, and Peter and the Wolf. 13 minute read Lara Gilmore lives by the Italian adage festina lente, or, “make haste slowly.” “I interpret it as: Do things, and don’t stop doing them; keep moving forward,” she says. “But try to do them thoroughly and do them right. And along the way, try to enjoy the journey.”

A Liberating, Time-Traveling Journey Through Family, History, and Memory Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Tracy K. Smith’s powerful new memoir uses her life and family to examine the deepest of American wounds. 7 minute read Family. Memory. Legacy. These words, these themes, build upon each other. Within our families there are shared moments, sometimes of joy, sometimes of pain, that help write our stories. These stories, passed down as lore, or as photographs, become memories.

Katy Bowman on Why “Movement Nutrition” Matters The trained biomechanist and author argues for making better daily movement choices and reintegrating ancestral movements into our lives. 14 minute read The writer, speaker, and biomechanist Katy Bowman is at the forefront of the “movement movement,” which aims to challenge the way we perceive movement and how we incorporate it into our daily lives.

Phaidon’s Emilia Terragni on the Media That Satiates Her Roving Curiosity The publisher and editorial director’s content intake includes Apartamento, the newsletter The Knowledge, and many an episode of This American Life. 11 minute read Emilia Terragni has a palpable zest for books, food, and design—and for books about food and design.

In this collection of 24 essays, the L.A.-based curator explores the works of artists including Simone Leigh, Ruth Asawa, and Marcel Duchamp. 5 minute read I find essay collections captivating because they offer the opportunity to dive in at any point. Of course, reading them in chronological order is the typical method, but sometimes a topic or a theme calls out to you.

The graphic designer’s latest project celebrates the fact that long-term data reveals that our world has profoundly improved across decades and centuries. 24 minute read The Austrian-born, New York–based graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister has a rare knack for tackling broad, universal subjects—happiness and beauty, most notably—and distilling them in illuminating ways that offer new insights.

The philosopher William B. Irvine discusses what led him to embrace Stoicism and how its techniques can help us navigate the complexities of the 21st century. 12 minute read Philosopher William B. Irvine’s journey from a youth spent in mining towns in Montana and Nevada to becoming a renowned advocate of Stoicism is a remarkable one.