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  • Messy

  • The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives
  • Written by: Tim Harford
  • Narrated by: Nicholas Guy Smith
  • Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (21 ratings)

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Messy cover art

Messy

Written by: Tim Harford
Narrated by: Nicholas Guy Smith
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Publisher's Summary

“Utterly fascinating. Tim Harford shows that if you want to be creative and resilient, you need a little more disorder in your world.” —Adam Grant, New York Times-bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take

“Engrossing.” —New York Times

From the award-winning columnist and author of the national bestseller The Undercover Economist comes a provocative big idea book about the genuine benefits of being messy: at home, at work, in the classroom, and beyond.

Look out for Tim's next book, The Data Detective.

Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives celebrates the benefits that messiness has in our lives: why it’s important, why we resist it, and why we should embrace it instead. Using research from neuroscience, psychology, social science, as well as captivating examples of real people doing extraordinary things, Tim Harford explains that the human qualities we value – creativity, responsiveness, resilience – are integral to the disorder, confusion, and disarray that produce them.

From the music studio of Brian Eno to the Lincoln Memorial with Martin Luther King, Jr., from the board room to the classroom, messiness lies at the core of how we innovate, how we achieve, how we reach each other – in short, how we succeed.

In Messy, you’ll learn about the unexpected connections between creativity and mess; understand why unexpected changes of plans, unfamiliar people, and unforeseen events can help generate new ideas and opportunities as they make you anxious and angry; and come to appreciate that the human inclination for tidiness – in our personal and professional lives, online, even in children’s play – can mask deep and debilitating fragility that keep us from innovation.

Stimulating and listenable as it points exciting ways forward, Messy is an insightful exploration of the real advantages of mess in our lives.

©2016 Tim Harford (P)2016 Random House Audio

What the critics say

“This absorbing book offers a different approach from instructional decluttering manuals by celebrating the successes derived from the unplanned, unscripted, and unknown.” (Library Journal)

“Weaving together lessons from history, art, technology, and social and scientific research, Harford’s theories have many potential benefits for individuals and businesses seeking to remain on the creative cutting edge, as well as profound implications for society.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Harford presents the strategies of disorganization as unique and enlightening and convincingly offers reinforced encouragement to those who may find themselves 'tempted by tidiness' to instead 'embrace some mess instead." (Kirkus

What listeners say about Messy

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Excellent and forward thinking

Do yourself a favour and check out this book. The chapter regarding our relationship to artificial intelligence is truly insightful.

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Excellent performance

Nicholas Guy Smith did an excellent job at bringing Tim's celebration of disorder to life. Great stories about the concept of how disorder is essential.

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