Saying No to New

“Saying No to New offers something increasingly rare in the world of ideas: an original angle, based on real science, that gets at the root of why modern life so often feels like it’s working against us – in our finances, our attention, our happiness. And because Eric Athas’s take is genuinely new, so are his solutions. My life is better for reading this book.”–Leidy Klotz, author of Subtract and In a Good Place
“A smart guide to reclaiming your attention and intention, and defining what is enough for you.”–Cait Flaunders, author of The Year of Less and Adventures In Opting Out
“Brilliant and timely! A wake-up call for anyone caught in the endless chase for more–and a persuasive case for enough.”–Shira Gill, author of Minimalista
“Eric Athas gives us the whys and hows to saving ourselves from the pulls of our consumerist society. He provides a valuable roadmap to finding a life of being instead of having. Put it in the hands of everyone you know: Collectively applied, this book can save our civilization from self-destruction and offers us hope for a brighter future.”–Bea Johnson, author of Zero Waste Home
“Eric Athas has written a fascinating book about something that affects so much of modern life: our attraction to newness. In a culture constantly pushing the next trend and product, he explores why novelty is so hard to resist and how it influences the way we think, feel, and live. Drawing on neuroscience and psychology, he helps us rediscover the richness of the familiar and stay grounded in what truly matters in a world always urging us to want more simply because it’s new. This is a thoughtful, insightful guide for anyone trying to live more intentionally. After reading it, you’ll never think about newness in quite the same way again.”–Gloria Mark, PhD, author of Attention Span
“In a world constantly telling us the latest upgrade will make us happier, smarter, and more fulfilled, Saying No to New offers a guide to resisting the pull of endless novelty and unneeded innovations. Blending journalism, psychology, and practical wisdom, this book explores why we’re so drawn to the new–and how ignoring that instinct can give us back our time, money, and joy.”–Charles Duhigg, bestselling author of Supercommunicators and The Power of Habit

Eric Athas is an editor at the New York Times, where he helps journalists learn new tools and skills they can use to tell stories. Before joining the Times in 2016, he worked at NPR and the Washington Post. His work has been published in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and the Nieman Journalism Lab. Athas lives with his wife and two children in Brooklyn.

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