This is the first book I've read about rituals. It explains rituals in an easy way, showing how they can really improve our well-being.

While reading, I found that each chapter begins with a special paragraph that introduces the topic, which I found less interesting. I prefer when authors use bullet points to summarize the main ideas, add short quotes to spark curiosity, or just get straight to the point.

Also, I think it's unnecessary to mention what won't be discussed in each chapter. While I understand that the author might not want to set the wrong expectations, it might be better to let readers decide if the chapter meets their expectations after they've read it. Who knows that probably the readers might discover new and interesting facts that are just as good as or better than what they expected.

Unfortunately I DNF this book because in the netgallery app I can't highlight stuff like in a physical book. I think this is a book better suited for physical copy. If I had a physical copy I would have read it all the way. I also feel this is a book on a more PHD level then accessible to an every day person. It is very complex and rich. I would also advertise it more as a study on everyday rituals and their connection with freedom since freedom is such a large part of this book. It not so much a book about what everyday rituals you can do as much as what what they can do for freedom. It is probably a 3 star book, I personally just couldn't get through it as a ebook edition so I gave it two stars. I think this has potential if you want it as a book for college study materials. If you want it as somthing someone can pickup at the bookstore and read while riding a bus, at a park, or cafe I would do some tweaking. It's a book you need a notebook, highlighters, annotation tabs and plenty of time to go through it properly. Thank you for the opportunity to try and read this book.

This book is a combination of a popular science text and meditative insights with anecdotes.
As a fellow academic and a creature not very fond of habits and routines, but as someone who sees value in them and wants to build rituals, I picked this book.
The book is written in a style that encourages everyone to appreciate the science behind routines and rituals. The argument is mostly persuasive and focuses on the liberating value of personal, social, familial rituals. The book covers a wide range of situations and ritual types. Pre-COVID and post-COVID normalcies are compared and there are many examples, anecdotes and insights about religion, sex, professional routines, family routines etc.

This book was not what I expected. I may have misunderstood the description, and for that I apologize to the author for the 2 stars. However, that being said, I was ready to stop reading after the story on the first page, but I continued. This read more like a historical textbook of rituals. I thought it would be about enhancing everyday life with rituals. Got that? I thank NetGalley and Globe Pequot for the advance read.