Disrupt and push back against capitalism and white supremacy by connecting to the liberating power of rest, daydreaming, and naps as a foundation for healing and justice. Tricia Hersey, aka The Nap Bishop, encourages us to elevate rest as a form of resistance and a divine human right.
What would it be like to live in a well-rested world? Far too many of us have claimed productivity as the cornerstone of success. Brainwashed by capitalism, we subject our bodies and minds to work at an unrealistic, damaging, and machine‑level pace –– feeding into the same engine that enslaved millions into brutal labor for its own relentless benefit.
In Rest Is Resistance, Tricia Hersey, aka the Nap Bishop, casts an illuminating light on our troubled relationship with rest and how to imagine and dream our way to a future where rest is exalted. Our worth does not reside in how much we produce, especially not for a system that exploits and dehumanizes us. Rest, in its simplest form, becomes an act of resistance and a reclaiming of power because it asserts our most basic humanity. We are enough. The systems cannot have us.
Rest Is Resistance is rooted in spiritual energy and centered in Black liberation, womanism, somatics, and Afrofuturism. With captivating storytelling and practical advice, all delivered in Hersey's lyrical voice and informed by her deep experience in theology, activism, and performance art, Rest Is Resistance is a call to action, a battle cry, a field guide, and a manifesto for all of us who are sleep deprived, searching for justice, and longing to be liberated from the oppressive grip of Grind Culture.
1 of 1 copy available
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
October 11, 2022 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781668611081
- File size: 157071 KB
- Duration: 05:27:13
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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August 29, 2022
“All of culture is collaborating for us not to rest,” contends Hersey, the founder of the Nap Ministry, in this empathetic treatise. Arguing that rest is a political act, she suggests that capitalism and white supremacy have corrupted Americans’ relationship with relaxation, especially for Black Americans, whose “bodies have been a constant source of exploitation.” She critiques “grind culture” for equating productivity with self-worth and reducing “our divine bodies” to the level of machinery. Hersey describes how her belief in the liberatory power of rest stemmed from her exhaustion while in seminary school, as well as her church’s message that her body is a “deep reflection of God” worthy of cherishing. Plumbing her family’s history to highlight the painful consequences of constant work, the author describes how the stress of working two full-time jobs contributed to her father’s death at age 55. She relates how her great-grandmother always stayed up late to watch for Klansmen and how her grandmother took half-hour naps to “find peace” after escaping the Jim Crow South, illuminating the intersection of racism and rest. Hersey’s ministry background shines through in her passionate and eloquent arguments that read like a clear-eyed sermon, though the author sometimes struggles to find new ways to expand on her central point. Nonetheless, the provocative message will appeal to those tired of grind culture. -
Tricia Hersey, founder of the Nap Ministry, narrates her long-awaited book, which focuses on resting: the power of the imagination and communal care through the literal "resting of one's body." Hersey speaks with conviction. There is certainty and clarity in her tone, and her relaxed delivery is a testament to living her manifesto. The narratives she shares are personal and relational. One hears unction in her voice when she describes her relentless father and the cultural violence that prevents so many in the U.S. from healing. Hersey encourages listeners to rest by reminding them to turn away from the daily grind and bask in the pleasure of closing one's eyes. T.E.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine -
March 1, 2023
Artist, poet, and activist Hersey, founder of the Nap Ministry, debuts with a powerful and compassionate call to reject the omnipresent demands of capitalism in favor of health, peace, and self-care. For Hersey, rest is not a luxury--it's not about scented candles or trendy bath bombs--it is vital, necessary, and crucial, especially for Black women. Hersey grounds her thesis in Black liberation theology, acknowledging the influence of James Cone as well as Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, and bell hooks. She argues that women must turn away from the toxic demands of grind culture, refusing to participate in an insidious system of oppression and white supremacy. Narrating her own work, Hersey makes the most of her experience as a poet, infusing her words with a driving cadence tempered by her compassion for the suffering that she sees around her. Some passages in this book read as how-to's, with Hersey explaining how to breathe, sit, rest, and be. Other passages illuminate piercing insights that may have listeners reevaluating priorities and claiming their right to rest. VERDICT Hersey's thoughtful championing of rest and resistance makes an impact. Pair with Shanita Hubbard's Ride or Die and Mikki Kendall's Hood Feminism.--Sarah Hashimoto
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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Starred review from September 15, 2022
Hersey, known as the Nap Bishop, is an author and performance artist as well as an activist who emphasizes the importance of rest to racial- and social-justice work. Here, she delves into why it's so crucial, particularly for Black women. Through accounts of Hersey's family history as well as Black American history, readers learn about the legacy of exhaustion, where it came from, why it was normalized, and how to challenge that. Resistance to grind culture is fundamental and necessary, as is rejecting the capitalism that has benefited from it for too long. Although readers have been conditioned to think that rest is a luxury or something to be earned, Hersey encourages people to counter those notions. Capitalism demands that people ignore pain and health issues for the sake of being on the clock, something Hersey also rallies against because it is wreaking havoc on too many people, particularly marginalized groups. With key breakdowns about the hidden cost of toxic productivity standards and grind culture, Rest Is Resistance offers crucial guidance on how people can slow down, reclaim rest, and make space for self-care. Although these things may not seem revolutionary, Hersey demonstrates why and how they are radical.COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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