In Thom Wall’s new book Juggling–What It Is And How To Do It –a not so brief introduction to the world’s most underrated pastime, it is possible to get serious about your juggling practice at last, or if you’re a newbie, to delve in without hesitation or the need to hire an expensive private coach. And it’s not a bad idea to start a new hobby you can work on solo during pandemic times either.

As for underrated pastimes, I have dabbled with many of them over the years; knitting, archery, Dungeons & Dragons, bullet journaling, stamp collecting– I even tried candle-making during an especially productive phase. But juggling–to me, it is the gold standard of pastimes. It is the hobby that keeps on giving, and yet the public knows so little about its merits and complexities. Without the proper tour of the discipline that Wall provides, it would be easy to miss the point that juggling has a lot to offer. It’s portable, affordable, you can learn at your own pace, it involves math and science, it’s accessible to everyone regardless of age, athleticism or body size, it strengthens neurons and reflexes, it can lead to a flow state, it can be done alone or with friends, and it will be a great form of entertainment in the dark times when the power goes out. The unplugged hordes already know this. ...