In the preface to the hardcover edition, I voiced my hope that The
Overworked American would "help revive the public discussion on
hours of work which died out fifty years ago." Judging by the
overwhelming response to the book--best-seller lists, reviews, au-
thor interviews and appearances, letters from readers--I can say
that discussion has been reignited. Work and leisure are back on
the American agenda.

My book was not the first to recognize that Americans are feeling
squeezed for time. What made it different was that it avoided the
standard "how-to" approach to time management and timesaving.
The "how-to" solution--of which I am generally critical--embod-
ies a blame-the-victim approach. It assumes that the problem lies in
personal shortcomings, and counsels that we "try to do too much"
or do not organize our lives efficiently. Similarly, the corporate
attempt to address "work-family" issues--providing, for example,
child care, sick-child care, stress seminars, or a health club at the
office--falls short when merely a way to make long hours more
tolerable for employees. It does not address the basic problem: an
economy and society that are demanding too much from people.
I believe The Overworked American was successful because it

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