Complete Idiot's Guide to Simple Living
by Georgene Lockwood, Carol Abel

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Book Reviews of Complete Idiot's Guide to Simple Living

Book Review: Good introduction to the lifestyle of simplicity
Summary: 5 Stars

Judging this book as exactly what it proclaims itself to be, a general introduction to the topic of "simple living" (defined as, "living lightly on the earth"), I believe the author does an outstanding job, for the following reasons:

(1) She provides a concise but comprehensive history of the concept of living simply, including its many different appearances in the U.S. over the past several centuries. This puts simplicity in a fascinating, long-term, American context.
(2) She states that though among those advocating the ideology of, "live simply so others may simply live," there is no universally accepted definition of what simple living means, there are many common concepts which have appeared regularly for decades in books and articles on this subject. She does an excellent job of describing the most central issues, including the importance of maintaining a "sustainable lifestyle," which does not destroy the environment, and creating a definition of "happiness" and "prosperity" for ourselves based on something besides the incessant purchase of consumer goods.
(3) She admits the irony that living simply is anything but easy and is often more expensive than maintaining a more "normal," mainstream lifestyle. In addition, it can be very unpleasant to be the odd-person out, pursuing an "alternative lifestyle," particularly if you have children. Young children and teens are notorious for not wanting to be different from their peers. By covering these issues, she allows persons exploring the possibility of living this way to think ahead about possible pitfalls they might face in order to prepare for them.
(4) Finally, the author's style of writing is clear, easy to read, and her voice is lively enough to make this topic very interesting reading for people of all ages, backgrounds and education levels.

If you only have time to read one book on this subject, I highly recommend this one as a top choice. It would also be an excellent resource for the friends and family of simple livers who want to better understand their loved ones.

Summary of Complete Idiot's Guide to Simple Living

Cutting back and reconsidering your time, relationships, and especially spending isn't going to be easy. "Simple living is about making choices that put you in the position of being more in control of how you choose to spend your money," says author Georgene Lockwood, "not shunning money altogether." Focusing on what you like to do, rather than on what you have to do (or think you have to do), is a way to simplify. The book is divided into five sections: What is Simple Living?; Your Money IS Your Life; Simple Living Basics: Food, Clothing, Shelter; Family, Friends, and Community; and What if Everybody Did It? The sections are broken down into chapters that question and challenge you to reduce, reuse, and reflect. Convincingly written, this book is very practical and encouraging. "It's for people who want to have more time for relationships and for doing things they really enjoy," says Lockwood. "It's for those who are looking to go beyond simply organizing and decluttering ... to a lifestyle that's more sustainable for the future of this planet and our civilization." --Dana Van Nest

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