This book wanders far from its title, sampling politics, Kant, compulsive gambling, and pipe organ restoration. It is written to a college reading level, when the average adult american is closer to a 9th grader - and this hides what few good points the author does have. An excellent review of this book referred to it as "argument salad". Not recommended.

The introduction and much of the first part connect to the topic of attention, and there are some interesting observations. The desire for an "attentional commons", or rather the right to not be bombarded by advertising, is a good one, but not novel. He also notices the economic differences here - the quiet airport lounge for the high spending traveler, compared to the noisy (and ad-filled) common lounge. At one time, people worried that billboards would fill America and block out the view; now they are vanishing daily - because other forms of advertising are more effective.

The discussion of how a line cook can focus without distraction is also pretty good, but here is where the author drags in politics (left-wing dismantling of cultural jigs?), virtue, and economics, and eventually ends up in college-level philosophy (primarily Kant). The wandering (and the occasional conspiracy theory) continues through the rest of the book.

I heard good things about his first book, [b:Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work|6261332|Shop Class as Soulcraft An Inquiry Into the Value of Work|Matthew B. Crawford|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442839731l/6261332.SY75.jpg|6444549], but this just feels like a pessimistic collection of rants and miscellany. A generous 1¼ stars (out of five).