From Publishers Weekly

Time is our most valuable possession: we are obsessed with schedules and multitasking to save time, say the authors of this insightful study of the importance of time in our lives. Yet people spend time less wisely than money. Zimbardo (The Lucifer Effect), professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford, and Boyd, research director for Yahoo!, draw on their two decades of research to explain why people devalue time. They blend scientific results into a straightforward narrative exploring various past-, present- and future-oriented ways of perceiving time and argue against becoming imprisoned or obsessed by any one of these. Zimbardo and Boyd have cogent insight into all of time's elements and show how they can be used for success, better health and greater fulfillment. For instance, understanding the role of time in investment can lead to wiser financial decisions, and a relationship will not work if one partner is focused on today's pleasure while the other wants to plan for the future. This is a compelling and practical primer (filled with quizzes and tests) on making every moment count. (Aug. 5)

Review

"If you are a decision maker, then you need to read this book. It informs about the central problem of how to discriminate between immediate rewards and future payoffs. The Time Paradox is comprehensive, admirably clear, and a delightful read."-- Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of The Black Swan

"The Time Paradox explores a very important topic from a fresh, practical, and entertaining perspective. Since time is limited for all of us, this book is well worth your time."-- Daniel Amen, M.D., author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life and Healing the Hardware of Your Soul

"The Time Paradox reveals how to better use your most irreplaceable resource, based on solid science and timeless wisdom."-- Martin Seligman, author of Authentic Happiness

"Informed by the world's foremost expert on the psychology of time, The Time Paradox combines solid science, compelling stories, and crisp prose to illuminate how time, like the oxygen we breathe, pervades every aspect of our lives. Reading this book will yield insights into your own motivation and behavior and help you be happier, healthier, and more successful. It will also help you understand the source of many of the world's greatest triumphs and most pressing problems -- from terrorism to homelessness, from religion to love, from the successes and failures of CEOs to those of marriages. Zimbardo and Boyd have hit a home run."-- Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness

"Phil Zimbardo, a master at making complex ideas and discoveries in psychology, including his own, not only intelligible but fun and personally relevant for nonspecialists, has done it again, this time with the fascinating topic of time perspective. Bravo!"-- Walter Mischel, Ph.D., Columbia University Niven Professor of Humane Letters in Psychology

菲利普·津巴多(Philip Zimbardo,1933-)毕业于耶鲁大学,曾先后执教于耶鲁大学、纽约大学、哥伦比亚大学和斯坦福大学,现为斯坦福大学心理学系荣退教授。他的《害羞》(Shyness)、《心理学与生活》(Psychology and Life,与 Richard Gerrig合著)两书总销量已逾250万本。津巴多曾任美国心理学会主席,现任斯坦福大学恐怖主义跨领域政策、教育与研究中心主任。他编创了美国公共电视台的获奖节目《探索心理学》(Discovering Psychology),并在片中担任主持人。2004年,他应邀担任伊拉克阿布格莱布监狱美军虐囚案的专家证人。由于津巴多教授四十多年来在心理学研究和教学领域的杰出贡献,美国心理学会特向他颁发了希尔加德(Ernest R.Hilgard)普通心理学终身成就奖。

现任Google研究经理,之前曾在雅虎担任研究总监一职。1994年与斯坦福和津巴多结缘,作为首席助教,加入到对时间的研究中。