Digital Minimalism

by Cal Newport
Digital Minimalism cover
Good Books rating 3.88
Technical:
  • ID: 268
  • Added: 2025-09-06
  • Updated: 2025-09-10
  • Formats: 10
  • Reviews: 4
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Waterstones
Paperback • £10.99
Reviews
reddit.com · Unknown · 2025-09-18
practical 4.50

The reviewer finds Cal Newport's 'Digital Minimalism' to be a practical and aggressive guide to decluttering our digital lives. The book advocates for a 30-day digital detox and emphasizes the importance of solitude, meaningful conversations, and rewarding leisure activities to counteract the negative effects of technology.

The reviewer appreciates Cal Newport's 'Digital Minimalism' for its straightforward and practical approach to addressing our digital addiction. The book suggests a radical 30-day digital declutter to reset our relationship with technology. Newport argues that gradual changes are ineffective due to the engineered attraction of the attention economy. The reviewer highlights the book's emphasis on re-engaging with fundamental human activities such as solitude, face-to-face conversations, and rewarding leisure practices. These practices are seen as essential for reorienting ourselves toward our embodied selves and escaping the digital vortex. The book is praised for providing a clear path to reclaiming our lives from the invasive overgrowth of digital technology.

Quick quotes

    The behavioral indicators of chemical dependency align quite well with our near-constant interaction with smartphones.

    In my experience, gradually changing your habits one at a time doesn’t work well — the engineered attraction of the attention economy, combined with the friction of convenience, will diminish your inertia until you backslide toward where you started.

    We need solitude to flourish, for 'humans are not wired to be constantly wired.

inverarity.livejournal.com · Unknown · 2025-09-13
good 4.00

The reviewer found 'Digital Minimalism' by Cal Newport to be a good read, highlighting its practical advice on reducing digital distractions and increasing meaningful activities. They particularly enjoyed the sections on solitude, high-intensity leisure, and conscious use of technology, finding them insightful and applicable to their own life.

The reviewer appreciated 'Digital Minimalism' for its practical approach to managing digital distractions. They found the book's emphasis on solitude, high-intensity leisure, and conscious use of technology particularly valuable. The reviewer enjoyed the sections on the Amish and the role of strenuous leisure time, which they found enjoyable and thought-provoking. They also appreciated the book's advice on reducing mindless browsing and increasing meaningful activities, which they plan to implement in their own life. Overall, they found the book to be a good read with useful insights.

Quick quotes

    The crux of the book is the recommendation to follow a strict, 30 day, optional digital detox and then to selectively and careful reintroduce digital services back into your life.

    Newport is interested in the practical implications of becoming, what he terms, a “Digital Minimalist”.

    I think this particular distinction, which Newport borrows from Sherry Turkle in her book Reclaiming Conversation is extremely valuable as it lays bare the lie that social media companies have told us.

functionallymad.com · Unknown · 2021-05-24
mixed 3.50

The reviewer found Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport both exciting and frustrating. They appreciated Newport's philosophy of deliberate technology use but questioned the practicality of his 30-day digital declutter and found the second half of the book unfocused and overly American-centric.

The reviewer was intrigued by Cal Newport's Digital Minimalism, which advocates for a deliberate approach to technology use based on personal values. They found Newport's definition of digital minimalism compelling, emphasizing the importance of focusing on a few carefully selected online activities that support what you value. However, the reviewer was skeptical about Newport's proposed 30-day digital declutter, questioning its realism for the average user and noting that many of his test subjects dropped out. The second half of the book, which discusses practices for a less-digital life, was seen as meandering and overly American and male-centric. The reviewer also found Newport's attempts to inspire somewhat overdone, with anecdotes like one about Abraham Lincoln feeling forced. Overall, the reviewer appreciated the philosophy but had reservations about its practical application and the book's broader appeal.

Quick quotes

    Digital minimalism is a philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else

    Is this realistic for the average user? Newport has never experienced internet addiction. His 1600 test subjects, mostly fans from his first book, were well-motivated, yet many dropped out.

    The second half of the book, in my view, loses focus. We meander through practices we might embed in our less-digital life: solitude, face-to-face conversation, leisure activities.

lareviewofbooks.org · Unknown · 2019-06-10
insightful 3.50

The reviewer found Cal Newport's 'Digital Minimalism' insightful, particularly his critique of how social media and smartphones are designed to capture attention. While they appreciated the practical advice, they felt the book was somewhat repetitive and Newport's lifestyle choices seemed unrealistic for most people. The reviewer is considering implementing some of Newport's suggestions to reduce their own digital consumption.

The reviewer approached 'Digital Minimalism' with a personal need to address their excessive online activity. They found Newport's analysis of how social media and smartphones are engineered to capture attention resonated with their own experiences. The reviewer appreciated the practical advice, such as deleting social media apps and scheduling intentional technology use, but felt the book was somewhat repetitive and padded with anecdotes. Newport's lifestyle choices, like walking without a cell phone, seemed unrealistic for most people. However, the reviewer is considering implementing some of Newport's suggestions, such as a 30-day digital decluttering, to build better and more productive habits.

Quick quotes

    The key to living well in a high tech world is to spend much less time using technology.

    It is, unironically, a problem I have been vaguely wanting to address for years but recently, as my age increases and the years I have left to actually do meaningful things decreases, has felt more urgent.

    I am very tempted to implement at least some of these suggestions.

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