A few books on simplifying and focusing our lives,
selected and reviewed by James Park,
arranged in general order of quality, beginning with the best.

1. Erich Fromm 
To Have or To Be?

(New York: Harper & Row, 1976)       215 pages

     Fromm explores the history and psychology of two character modes:
having (possessions, power, people)
and being (caring, sharing, giving).
Of course, he recommends the being mode
—and suggests several ways we can move in that direction
as individuals and as a culture.
Modern society has taken away our lives and humanity
and given us money and possessions instead.
But we are capable of changing our fundamental life-values
and the basic modes in which we organize our lives.

2. David Yount 
Spiritual Simplicity:
Simplify Your Life and Enrich Your Soul

(New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997)       208 pages
(ISBN: 0-684-83813-3; hardback)
(Library of Congress call number: BV4647.S48Y68 1997)

     A journalist makes persuasive arguments for simplifying our lives
—and many practical suggestions for reforming our selves.
The book is well organized and deals with the following themes:
work, relationships, solitude, love, faith, prayer, retreats.

     The spirituality is rather superficial.
Yount affirms a kind of civic religion,
which is short on details but strong on faith-in-general.
But it can still be a place to begin one's spiritual quest.
It helps us turn away from distractions
and ask the deeper questions of life.
At the end, the author and the reader remain middle-class people.
They still hold jobs and have families.

3. Cecile Andrews
The Circle of Simplicity:
Return to the Good Life

(New York: HarperCollins, 1997)      256 pages
(ISBN: 0-06-017814-0; hardback)
(Library of Congress call number: BJ1496.A53 1997)

     We can simplify our lives if we shop less, consume less, recycle,
buy products produced locally rather than shipped around the world.
This book is rich with details of how actual people
have moved from a high-consuming life to a simpler life-style.
We can examine our basic values and revise our ways of life.
Study circles can help provide ideas and support for such changes.

     Altho this book does not call for radical changes,
it does give lots of gentle guidance
for beginning the process of simplifying our lives.
If we follow the advice of this book,
we would remain basically middle-class persons
with a somewhat simpler style of life.

4. Janet Luhrs 
The Simple Living Guide:
A Sourcebook for Less Stressful, More Joyful Living

(New York: Broadway Books, 1997)       444 pages
(ISBN: 0-553-06796-6; hardcover)
(Library of Congress call number: BJ1496.L84 1997)

     The founder and editor of the Simple Living Journal
shares her insights and the suggestions of other contributors
about simplifying our lives and making everything work better.

     The writing is good. 
The advice is practical rather than utopian.
The philosophy-of-life is sound.
Readers are welcomed into this new way of thinking,
rather than being made to feel guilty about their prior way of life.

     This book is definitely for middle-class people,
who already have families, houses, & cars.
In general the advice is about downsizing our already-too-complex lives.
Small adjustments are possible, as well as more comprehensive changes.
And the book includes many actual examples
from real people who have simplified their lives.

     The book is large, but it can be read selectively—and in any order.
There are well-organized chapters on:
time, money, inner simplicity, work, simple pleasures & romance,
virtues, families, holidays, cooking & nutrition, health & exercise,
housing, clutter, gardening, & travel.

5. Elaine St. James  
Living the Simple Life:
A Guide to Scaling Down and Enjoying More

(New York: Hyperion, 1996)       350 pages
(ISBN: 0-7868-6219-X; hardback)
(Library of Congress call number: BJ1496.S73 1996)

     How one middle-class couple simplified their life-style
in dozens of small ways—with practical suggestions for everyone.
A quick and easy book to read. 
The chapters are well named
so you can immediately turn to a suggestion you need.

[last]. James Park 
In Quest of Fulfillment:  Money,
Achievement, Marriage, Children, Pleasure, & Religion

(Minneapolis, MN: www.existentialbooks.com, 1999)
(ISBN: 0-89231-920-8; paperback)
(Library of Congress call number: BJ1481.P37 1999)

    This book explores the six most frequently trodden paths
toward attempted self-fulfillment:
One chapter is devoted to each of the following:

(1) Money & Possessions;
(2) Achievement;
(3) Marriage;
(4) Children;
(5) Pleasure & Enjoyment; &
(6) Religion.

    However, the possibly-surprising thesis of this book is that
none of these six paths ultimately leads to fulfillment.
We can certainly find relative happiness on each of these paths,
but ultimately fulfillment comes only in a way we do not expect.

    Each chapter, after exploring money, achievement, etc.,
shows how Existential Freedom—release from our Existential Malaise—
is much more fulfilling than anything we could achieve.

    For more information about In Quest of Fulfillment ,
click that title.

    Please suggest additional books encouraging simplicity.
Send all comments to James Park: e-mail:
PARKx032@TC.UMN.EDU

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