Author: Leidy Klotz
The premise of this book is intriguing. We are constantly making additions in our life. Whether it is remodeling our home or buying new clothes, we are inherently adding to something that we already have. Implicitly, we make the assumption that this adding, is somehow improving our lives. However, there are many -- albeit fewer -- examples where subtracting from what is already in place, can improve the state of affairs. The book expounds on this approach.
The first thing the author sets out to do is define "subtraction". He emphasizes that this is not the same as minimalism. The distinction here is that you are improving something by removing a part of the whole. The best example is the kids Strider cycle. It turns out that kids find it hard to pedal and balance at the same time. Removing the pedals, makes kids focus only on the balancing part and they are able to enjoy riding a bicycle much earlier in their life. Here the "pedals" were subtracted to create a new and innovative product.
There are two main theses in this book.
- Humans are inherently biased towards addition. There are numerous experiments in the book highlighting the fact that our default behavior, when we are asked to improve something is to add to it.
- The author reaches far and wide to convince you that some of the famous events and monuments can be cast in the light of subtraction.
This second piece seemed like a stretch to me and the pages devoted to them could certainly have been subtracted from the book!
