"When traffic gets so congested that it can no longer move, engineers say it has reached a state of 'gridlock.' According to Ralph Keyes, many of us are in a state of 'timelock.' This is the condition that occurs when claims on our time grow so demanding that we find it impossible to wring one more second out of a crowded calendar. In this informative and entertaining book, which is filled with real-life examples, Keyes explains how we got ourselves into this position. He considers the 'vanishing pause, ' 'speed inflation, ' and 'the convenience catch.' Paradoxically, Keyes says, a key source of timelock are the very tools we've adopted to save time: computers, faxes, microwave ovens. Keyes doesn't just assess the sources of timelock but suggests how we can get out from under its pressure."--