This quick read discusses the heart of Flaneuring - the history, how it's adapted to present day in various forms, and even further resources, podcasts, or apps you may wish to consider as you embrace this lifestyle.

Owen brings a sense of peace as she discusses how the art of Flaneuring is to enjoy the journey - rather than rushing to a destination, taking time to wander with intention to notice what we normally miss. She talks about finding time to do this throughout our days, and gives options for those unable to just walk out the front door without a second thought.

While not earth-shattering information, The Art of Flaneuring brings to our attention a more simple way of being that sounds incredibly fulfilling. I enjoyed reading this book and thank Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for am honest review.

This did nothing for me. If you know what flaneuring is, then you already know everything in this book. If you don't know what flaneuring is, then this book isn't going to really give you anything concrete. The advice is pretty common sense (ranging from what to pack, not to wander in places where you're unsafe, to stop when your feet hurt, etc.). I'm not sure why this is a book. It's disjointed and honestly would barely be enough information for a series of short blog posts.

Not my jam.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

The author provides a wonderful examination of how to increase your enjoyment in life by increasing your observation and perception of what is going on around you.. By observing the small things in life you can get more from what would be a normal day.

“Whether you’re looking for a new experience, a place to escape to where you can blend into the background, a way to catch up with a friend who loves walking as much as you do, or simply a better, more interesting life—flaneuring is for you.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (⭐️ pending looking through the final book)
The Art of Flaneuring by Erika Owen was a short fun read, and I found it to be a compelling excuse to indulge my habit of getting lost, something I usually only tolerate. If you’re a fan of books like The Little Book of Hygge, you’ll really enjoy this one!
#flaneuring #simonandschuster #TheArtOfFlaneuring #NetGalley

The Art of Flaneuring is to wander intentionally in an aimless way. It is a technique to use mindfulness, live in the moment, and get some exercise.

It was first practiced by rich, slightly drunken Frenchmen in the late 1800s. In modern times, it isn’t so limiting. In fact, flaneuring can be done at work, while driving, or when traveling. It is healthy to let your unconscious mind free-rein over where you go for a few minutes. Though, of course, you eventually want to return to your starting point.

I am a master flaneur, even if I had no name for it prior to reading this book. And, of course, occasionally that results in getting myself hopelessly lost. Now, with a convenient pocket GPS (my iPhone), I can always spin myself around to the right direction. It is freeing to just wander. I think most people will enjoy the tips and tricks in this book for how to begin and excel at it. However, I thought the Art of Flaneuring occasionally repeated itself—perhaps to fill a certain word count. 3 stars but possibly more for fans of Marie Kondo or the Swedish art of Hygge.

Thanks to Tiller Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

A big thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an unbiased review.

3 stars - Liked it

This is a delightful read for anyone who loves walking – specifically, flaneuring, or “wandering with intention.” Owen delves into the history of flaneuring, tips and tricks on how to incorporate this activity into your daily routine, and flaneuring as a global phenomenon.

Overall, I found the book very enjoyable. I’ve wandered with intention all over the globe – most recently in Paris, where I decided to visit only a few landmarks but otherwise to just spend the day wandering. That twenty-mile walk was one of my best travel experiences. As such, I’m all for flaneuring – and I found Owen’s passion for it very uplifting. She writes as if speaking to a friend, so the book has a genuine, warm tone. She also provides many practical tips on how to improve your flaneuring – and her advice is quite creative! Owen explores everything from walking as a form of meditation to using Google Maps to explore to world on a time/money budget, to wandering your local grocery store with intention if that’s all you have access to. In fact, she is very conscious of the privilege of walking, and does a good job on offering flaneuring advice to those who may not have the physical ability or time for a walk. I also appreciated the chapter that discusses how people flaneur all around the world – from friendship walks in Uganda to geocaching in Germany! If you want to get off the couch and see the world, or even learn to be inspired by the mundane, this book is a great place to start.

The reason it did not get more stars from me is that I felt some chapters were unnecessary. For example, there is a chapter in which she surveys her friends and family about why they walk. It asks questions such as: “Do you feel better after walking outside?” – which to me seems excessive. Does anyone not? Moreover, there are chapters about which exact food to pack on a picnic or what to wear for flaneuring depending on the season. This being said, I found her chapter on meditation helpful, so maybe there are readers who feel that the subjects I mentioned actually are useful, but they felt excessive to me. There were also some concepts that, while creative, seemed like a bit of a stretch. For example, she recommends cyber-flaneuring, which seemed like a fancy word for “get lost in an Internet rabbit hole.” However, I appreciated the creativity of her other flaneuring ideas, so it’s only fair that some would resonate with me more so than others.

Ultimately, this book motivated me to be more mindful of my surroundings, and to incorporate flaneuring into my daily life. I could imagine purchasing this book for a friend who is about to go on a long trip, or as a gift for someone trying to live a more mindful life. I also think that this book is very good for anyone battling anxiety or depression – not only will it motivate you to get outside and get moving, but the tone in which Owen writes is very pleasant and soothing. Learning how to engage with your surroundings in a more mindful way through flaneuring is a concept I can get behind.

This is an interesting little book that teaches you how to flaneur (wander for fun) in all different ways. Apparently flaneuring was something upper class white French men used to do when they had enough leisure time to just stroll around seeing, learning and thinking things. It is apparently the latest cultural "in" thing, like hygge a few years ago.

Flaneuring sounds kind of fun but I'm not sure a book is really needed. One web page could easily sum up what it is and give some ideas. This is nearly 200 pages, so it seems like the author really stretched the concept as much as possible. She did seem to touch on just about everything you possibly could regarding the subject, including ways to virtually flaneur (google earth or browsing the net), flaneur on vacation, while driving, while at work, during exercise, etc. She even talks about doing it in places like Walmart (a personal no for me). She also goes into ways to stay safe and points out that it's a lot easier for white men to safely wander around than women or people of color, a very valid and somber point. There's also talk about various incarnations that other countries have of the same basic concept and even games and apps that you can flaneur in like Minecraft.

This is a fun book that got me thinking of places I could wander alone and with my kids (hubby is disabled and cannot walk long distances, which makes it harder to flaneur with him). This is the sort of thing we already do quite a lot of, particularly in nature, but it was interesting to think about extensions of it and to find out it had a name. The book might make a sweet holiday gift for someone who enjoys that sort of thing.

My rating system:
1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost

I read a temporary digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.

This book should have been titled “The Art of Walking”. I expected an peek into a cultural habit (in the way of The Little Book of Hygge) but this was not that... this was how to walk, why walking is good for you, Foods you can carry while you walk. Repetitive and also - duh.

"Flanuering" is a word I had encountered before and immediately loved. As the subtitle indicates, it's a sort of wandering without a set destination. I think we've all done this at one time or another - especially as children. Flaneuring reminds me of how I used to wander the woods behind my house for hours, just poking into things, and the magical feeling of "discovering" an old barn or neighbors I never knew were on the other side of the wood. It's one of those nostalgic feelings that I've always thought of recapturing.

The Art of Flaneuring is just the book I needed for that. It goes through a short history of the original French flaneurs, and then dives right into how one can incorporate flanuering into your daily routine. I thought the recommendations were great, and there was pretty much something for everyone. I did get the feeling that flanuering would work best in a large walkable city, like New York (where I think the author lives), and many recommendations assume a city like that a little. However, there really is something for everyone, including recommendations for people who can't walk.

I would highly recommend The Art of Flaneuring for anyone who gets that wanderlust feeling at home. This book seems styled in the tradition of The Little Book of Hygge or The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up - small, well-designed, and focusing on a small change that can make a big difference in day-to-day life.

This delightful book presents fresh ways to enjoy life, and in particular, walking. A current day "Flaneurer" is someone who lives in the moment and takes in their surroundings in a relaxed and meditative way. Instead of walking just to get somewhere, or for exercise, this book promotes ways to make your walk even more fulfilling and to help add interest and relaxation to your day. Stressed at work? Flaneur.! Subway too crowded? Flaneur! This book also includes ways to Flanuer if you are physically disabled or are more interested in video games. I received this book in a giveaway from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and want to thank them for this opportunity. This is a book that I plan on purchasing once it is out to the public.

I really loved the concept of Flaneuring! I also purchased another book recommended in this book about the history of flaneuring. I think in the fast moving world we live in, this is just the kind of idea we need to spread. Slow down, take some time to wander a bit and take in your surroundings.

I loved Erika Owen's book, "The Art of Flaneuring!" This was a very helpful guide on "flaneuring," a concept born from old French men from years past who would aimlessly wander looking for romance in the day-to-day details that oftentimes go ignored. The book takes this decades-old concept into the 21st century with a host of ideas for flaneuring in the modern age.

Ms. Owen also makes it clear time and time again that this concept isn't just for old French men either. She gives great tips for women who would like to flaneur as well. She speaks to the reader like she is an old friend, picking up on an old conversation. Her language style is casual and humorous. It is like she found her new favorite hobby and wants everyone to know about it. That relaxed style invites the reader to join her on her journey and to take up the new endeavor alongside her.

The book covers flaneuring in your city as well as in a new city. It covers flaneuring in the car or on a bike, flaneuring for exercise, and many other related topics. This was a wonderful new concept that I hope to incorporate more and more into my own routines to "see" more of the world around me.

If you want to learn more about this beautiful exercise of aimlessly wandering with the intention of discovering the beauty around you, go get a copy of Ms. Owen's new book!

I received this as an eBook from Tiller Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review of the title. I did not receive any compensation from either company. The opinions expressed herein are completely my own.