I'm usually a huge fan of anything that explore the Zen Bhuddist approach to life, and do feel like this book has a lot of insight to offer in how we can transform our lives based on this. However, some of it did come across a little simplistic and occasionally judgemental. I think there are a lot of good points, and it's nice to see a mix of theory and practical suggestions, but I think some may find it not the best introduction to the subject. I would give this book another read, and perhaps it is one to dip in & out of rather than read in one sitting, as there are some important takeaways at the core of the book.

Great self-help book.
Until I've read this book, I couldn't even imagine, how much time we actually spend thinking.
I like that author does not only describe the "dry theory" but also, suggests how to improve our thinking with variable tactics.

This is not exactly a manual of how to go about things but a wonderful introduction to mindfulness (of which I knew very little, hence my curiosity and interest to read it) which made me reappraise a number of things about how to be in the world and how to try and manage a wondering mind which only stops you being who you want actually to be and how you actually want to act in the world - something I had not really considered and that makes much sense.
The writing style is curiously simple, even apparently simplistic at times, and I wonder if this is a result of it being a translation from the Japanese or if the author was in fact aiming for a totally unpretentious, even mundane outlook to what are in reality rather deep, even difficult, concerns. The result of this is the accessibility of the concepts and how one does not feel (at least I did not!) patronised, but just shown a number of techniques and approaches one may wish to adopt. I have not regretted reading this book, on the contrary, and I am trying to put some of its advice into practice.
Many thanks to Penguin via NetGalley for a copy to read and review.

I picked up this book as someone who struggles with anxiety and a habit of overthinking things. I thought I would gain some insight on how to quieten those thoughts and feel more at ease with life, I got something quite different. The Practice of Not Thinking takes you on a journey through Buddhism and provides guidelines for living that can help you be more mindful. It is definitely a great book for focussing on the present, for connecting more with the people and space around you. It is easy to read in short bursts and the content is gentle and easy to digest. Unfortunately it didn’t quite fit what I was expecting from it. I didn’t come away with any huge takeaways of things I didn’t already know, or that would help me settle my overactive mind. It is great for helping to identify and clear unnecessary thoughts, however many people overthink by placing too much importance on things. To label these as in unnecessary doesn’t really fit, and I didn’t feel the book approached this type of overthinking in the way I had hoped.

I did like this book and what it was trying to do but at times it was a little preachy and trying to shame us for how we behave in the modern world. I did like the writing and found this easy to get through but the tone wasn't always the best.

Although I have read many books on Mindfulness in all its various forms, this book, which combines it in a very clear way with Zen Buddhism, remains one of my favourites, although one of the least applicable, at least as far as I am concerned. Definitely one of the texts in which theory is much easier than practice....

Per quanto abbia letto molti libri sulla Mindfulness in tutte le sue varie declinazioni, questo libro che la unisce in modo molto chiaro al buddismo zen, resta uno dei miei preferiti per quanto uno dei meno applicabili, almeno per quanto mi riguarda. Decisamente uno dei testi nei quali la teoria é molto piú facile della pratica....

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.