recommended books for living a simple life?

[BAH]

Willing to try anything once, my wife hosted a local book reading club meeting at our place. Every single person mentioned the lack of "stuff" we have and how peaceful and relaxing it was to be in our house. They requested that the next book be suggested by us and have to do with living a simpler life. I've never read a book about such in my life, so I have no idea. Any suggestions?

Thanks!!

[wahoonc]

Willing to try anything once, my wife hosted a local book reading club meeting at our place. Every single person mentioned the lack of "stuff" we have and how peaceful and relaxing it was to be in our house. They requested that the next book be suggested by us and have to do with living a simpler life. I've never read a book about such in my life, so I have no idea. Any suggestions?

Thanks!!

Maybe you need to write one I have no clue what to suggest. I get most of my ideas off the internet

Aaron

[mattm]

i hear a lot about "The Story of Stuff," but now that i searched for it i guess it's a DVD, not a book.

i read a good book (well, read most of it) about garbage; what it consists of (in landfills), where it came from, where it goes, etc. a good read. just need to find the title..

after some googling this book might be worth a read: http://www.google.com/products/catal...602#ps-sellers (simple living guide)

[gz_]

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

[gerv]

Have a look at the Winter Reading sticky at the top of LCF. There are a number of good reads in there.

[eofelis]

The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyzyn
The Simple Living Guide by Janet Luhrs

website: frugalvillage.com, click on "Forum"

[bikinpolitico]

My wife's book club just read "Not Buying It: My Year without Shopping" by Judith Levine and she really enjoyed it. You might also checking out resources at Adbusters.

I re-read one of the Gospels when I need inspiration for simple living, but that's more metaphysical than practical.

[Nightshade]

For advanced reading try the "Millonaire next door" . It ain't what you think it might be.

Or study the Great Depression era in 1930's America. THAT'S a real eye opener!!!!

[AllenG]

On Walden Pond

[oldride]

Check out http://www.simpleliving.net , lots of resources. There are many books for sale there. The book that started the Simple Living movement is Your Money or Your Life. There are also free downloads of some books and interviews.

[kjohnnytarr]

Better Off by Eric Brende, an author who now pedicabs in St. Louis.

[super-douper]

the paradox of choice. I've never read it, my sister has. It's on my list though.

it's more about consumerism than it is about simple living.

[bedian]

How To Live Well Without Owning A Car by Chris Balish

[I_bRAD]

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

lol

[benajah]

Anything about taoism or buddhism, if you are into philosophy.
While it is about renewable energy and not so much about living simply, I just read "Earth, The Sequel" and it is a really good book. "Bohemia" by Herbert Gold is a really good one too, about Bohemians in America and Europe, who really have the simple life thing pegged.

[bgreen]

Your money or you life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin.
Bruce

[Roody]

On Walden Pond

Yes, Walden, by Henry David Thoreau. It's the seminal book for the simple living philosophy.

[Patrick A]

Put Your Life on a Diet: Lessons Learned from Living in 140 Square Feet by Gregory Paul Johnson

[BAH]

Thanks much!!

[bikinpolitico]

How To Live Well Without Owning A Car by Chris Balish

This is book is only about living carfree, so keep that in mind.

I do think it is the best book out there on going car free, especially for those who can't imagine the lifestyle. It's so practical and non-ideological, and actually argues the wealth and health benefits (America's two obsessions) quiet well.

[Hamish200sx]

On Walden Pond by Hendry David Thoreau or Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey

[Reacker]

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

I loved that book at first, it got me thinking quite a bit. Its too bad that McCandless dying at the end proves him wrong about being able to detach from society on at least the terms he provided.

[Recumbomatic]

On Walden Pond

+1, but requires decoding the cumbersome grammar

[Newspaperguy]

Living More With Less, by Doris Janzen Longacre
Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, by Ronald J. Sider

Both of these are from a Mennonite Christian perspective and both are somewhat dated by now (they came out in the 1970s.) Living More With Less has a lot of practical suggestions while Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger presents a religious argument for living simply.

How to Survive Without a Salary, by Charles Long

Long covers practical items such as finding work, buying at auctions, budgeting, clearing off debt and more.

[gerv]

I found this recent book at my library yesterday.
Simple Prosperity:Finding real wealth in a sustainable lifestyle



http://books.google.com/books?id=NxC...cover#PPR11,M1

In his bestseller Affluenza, David Wann and his co-authors diagnosed the debilitating disease of over-consumption. In Simple Prosperity he shows readers how we can overcome this disease by investing in a variety of real wealth sources. To recapture a more abundant and sustainable lifestyle, try:



- Creating a richer life story through personal growth incentives
- Forming higher-yield friendships and stronger bonds through social capital
- Taking preventive healthcare measures to build up wellness reserves
- Balancing the biological budget through “greener” currency
- Caring for people, not just cars, to improve your neighborhood wealth index
- Resolving that pesky carbon conundrum through energy savings
- Celebrating instead of desecrating! Cultural prosperity futures value the earth as a sacred place