The Art of Grace, Sarah L. Kaufman
The Art of Grace, Sarah L. Kaufman
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The Art of Grace
On Moving Well Through Life

Author: Sarah L. Kaufman

Narrator: Christina Delaine

Unabridged: 8 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/16/2015


Synopsis

A Pulitzer Prize—winning dance critic teaches us to appreciate—and enact—grace in every dimension, from the physical to the emotional.
 
We are naturally drawn to smooth, harmonious movement. Both social and physical graces have been taught since the dawn of civilization. Yet grace seems forgotten in our pushy, hectic modern world. Sarah L. Kaufman argues that we bring it back. She celebrates grace in the way bodies move, exploring how to stand, walk, and dress well. She deplores the rarity of grace among public figures and glories in it where found (Beyoncé at a fashion show). She singles out grace in sports and in the arts, from tennis and football to sculpture, pop music, and, of course, dance, and in the everyday ways people interact, from the grace of a good host to the unexpected kindness of strangers.
 
Cary Grant is this book's muse. His uncanny ease flowed from training as an acrobat but, equally, from his wit, humility, and genuine concern for others. So too, Kaufman suggests, we might unearth the potential for grace in ourselves.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Julie on March 01, 2018

J'ai eu besoin de temps pour me faire une tête sur cet essai, que j'ai commencé bien avant le 24 février. Il m'a beaucoup touché. Et il m'a fait rager. En premier lieu, le sujet de l'essai est fort attirant. Sans vraiment en donner une définition objective, l'auteure tente de circonscrire ce qu'est......more

Goodreads review by Gloria on November 30, 2015

Tips for Moving Well Through Life: Slow down and plan; Practice tolerance and compassion and take time to listen and understand; Make room for others - on the sidewalk and in your life; Strive to make things easy for people; Make things easy for yourself - be easily pleased - be gracious; Lighten you......more

Goodreads review by Hilary "Fox" on February 06, 2018

I no longer recall what it was that first turned me onto this book. Whatever it was that caused me to put it into my 'to read' shelve I'm grateful for, as this book was enlightening and reassuring, a soft light to guide the way towards the path to inner perfection. This book is not so much a guide a......more

Goodreads review by Jaclyn on March 04, 2016

About 50 pages into this book, I was already bored by it. Kaufman’s premise is interesting though: she tries to unpack what “grace” really is or looks like, covering everyone from athletes to famous actors (Cary Grant, for example). Later, she challenges the reader to embrace grace in a new way too.......more

Goodreads review by Dan on December 17, 2015

Critic becomes philosopher here. In a coarse, lurching world, I'm glad we have Sarah Kaufman to remind us of the easiness of ease and the contagiousness of grace. The book's first chapter is epigrammed with Wittgenstein and centered around Cary Grant, and builds to bracing notions like this: "Think......more