Weekly posts on slowness and longevity.
What the world media says about Carl:
“Inarguably, the world's leading evangelist for the Slow Movement.” CBC Radio
“An in-demand spokesman on slowness." Wall Street Journal
“The global guru on the Slow Movement.” Globe and Mail
“The unofficial godfather of a growing cultural shift toward slowing down.” Huffington Post
"The godfather of the Slow Movement." ABC News
“An international spokesman for the concept of leisure. Newsweek
“A verbal magician, conjuring concepts with no new idea too complex to capture.” Australian Financial Review
Who is Carl?
I wear many hats – author, journalist, speaker, broadcaster, editor, translator, mentor, coach. In every guise I seek to:
Pose questions, poke sacred cows, play with ideas
Make the world a better place
Have fun!
What is Tempo?
The place where I explore how to:
Thrive in a fast world – by slowing down
Vanquish ageism so everyone can thrive at every stage of life
Tap the power of multigenerational working
Raise and educate children in a fast, competitive world
From time to time, I will also write about bits of culture (books, theatre, art, music, tech) that catch my fancy.
I work across various languages. So I might occasionally post in Spanish, French or Portuguese. Feel free to comment on any of my posts in the language of your choice (or using an online translation tool).
Bio and Bona Fides
After working with street children in Brazil, I covered Europe and South America for the Economist, Observer, Miami Herald, Houston Chronicle, National Post (Canada), Time and other publications.
My first book, In Praise of Slow, chronicles the global trend toward putting on the brakes in everything from work to food to parenting. The Financial Times said it is “to the Slow Movement what Das Kapital is to communism”.
My second book, Under Pressure explores how to raise and educate children in a fast world and was hailed by Time as a “gospel of the Slow Parenting movement”.
My third book, The Slow Fix, shows how to tackle complex problems in every walk of life, from health and relationships to business and politics, without falling for superficial, short-term quick fixes.
My fourth book, Bolder, explores how to age better and feel better about aging. It’s my takedown of ageism.
My only children’s book is an ode to slow travel. The UK title is It’s The Journey, Not The Destination. In North America it's called Slow Adventures.
Published in 36 languages, my books have landed on bestseller lists in many countries.
In Praise of Slow was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week and the inaugural choice for the Huffington Post Book Club. It also featured in a British TV sitcom, Argentina’s version of Big Brother and a TV commercial for the Motorola tablet.
Under Pressure was shortlisted for the Writers’ Trust Award, the top prize for non-fiction in Canada.
Bolder was also a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week as well as a Reader’s Digest (UK) Book of the Month. In 2024, I was selected as an Advocate for Aging by the American Society for Aging.
My first TED Talk is In Praise of Slowness. My second TED Talk is Why We Should Embrace Aging As An Adventure. My TED Course is How To Slow Down.
I have written and presented several shows for BBC Radio 4:
In The Slow Coach, I helped frazzled, over-scheduled people slow down.
In Four Thought: Ending Ageism, I tackled the cult of youth.
In Status, a five-part series, I explored the central role status plays in our lives, and how status is changing in the modern world
I also presented a television show called Frantic Family Rescue on ABC TV in Australia.
I live in London. I love to cook, read novels and travel. I also love going for long walks and playing sports. I play ball hockey for the London Jets and Team GB.
While researching In Praise of Slow, I was slapped with a speeding ticket.
Join me?
I’m looking to build a community where people can debate, learn and find inspiration together.
NB: I will only ever use your email address to send you content once or twice a week. I will never give or sell your contact details to a third party.
Ready to join the conversation?
