“Truly, the bench is a boon to idlers. Whoever first came up with the idea is a genius: free public resting places where you can take time out from the bustle and brouhaha of the city, and simply sit and watch and reflect.”

British writer and editor

Tom Hodgkinson is a British writer and editor, best known as the founder and editor of The Idler magazine. He established it in 1993 with his friend Gavin Pretor-Pinney. His writing and editing promote a relaxed way of living, with an emphasis on enjoying life as it comes rather than laboring for a better future that may never arrive. The magazine’s name comes from the essays Samuel Johnson wrote between 1758 and 1760 under the title The Idler.