Recommended reading?

[Davidwd]

Hi

I am looking for a good book on Simple/frugal/minimalistic living. Can anyone recommend a title - preferably on kindle please.

thank you

[herbgeek]

Are you looking for a philosophical bent or one geared more towards practical how to?

[catherine]

Walden (A true classic)
Your Money or Your Life Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin (A modern classic)
The Good Life by Helen and Scott Nearing (Another one of my simple living bibles)
The Minimalists by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus (This is kind of a minimalism book for millenials)
Saved: How I Quit Worrying About Money and Became the Richest Man in the World by Ben Hewitt (Quick easy read, but entertaining and inspiring. I really liked this book)
Choosing Simplicity by Linda Breen Pierce (Good book, maybe not top on my list both worthwhile)
Simple Prosperity by David Wann (same: many simple living themes are repeated in this book, but it's written well)
Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin (Another classic)
Twelve by Twelve by William Powers (I really enjoyed reading this book about a female doctor who chucked everything and lives in a 12 x 12 house so that she has time and money to pursue causes that are important to her.)
Early Retirement Extreme by Jacob Lund Fiskar (Dense and philosophical. However, it's one of my favorites. He's an engineer so he takes an extremely analytical approach, talking about models and systems, but it's a good read after you've had some caffeine)
Radical Simplicity by Jim Merkel (much the same as the previous. Another engineer, and another one who uses a lot of math to break down the carbon footprint of everything we do. But I love this book--it's one of my top 10 simple living books. Merkel chucked his job a government engineer after the Exxon Valdez incident, and he lives (or lived at that time) on $5,000 a year to keep from having to pay taxes
Less is More (there are two books with this title. Cecile Andrews is one and other is an edited book of quotes--very inpsiring--by Goldian Vandenbroeck. Both are good, but I prefer the latter book. The subtitle is An Anthology of Ancient & Modern Voices Raised in Praise of Simplicity. Very inspiring to pick up and flip through--however, it is NOT available on Kindle.)
Minimalism by Peter Lawrence (I like this book--another very easy read, and inspirational. You can actually find a YouTube by him where he goes through his apartment and explains his rationale for the VERY little he has. And I mean he has VERY little).


So there's my annotated bibliography. There's more, but that's enough for now. Those are my favorites, and I do consider them bibles in many ways.

[Davidwd]

Walden (A true classic)
Your Money or Your Life Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin (A modern classic)
The Good Life by Helen and Scott Nearing (Another one of my simple living bibles)
The Minimalists by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus (This is kind of a minimalism book for millenials)
Saved: How I Quit Worrying About Money and Became the Richest Man in the World by Ben Hewitt (Quick easy read, but entertaining and inspiring. I really liked this book)
Choosing Simplicity by Linda Breen Pierce (Good book, maybe not top on my list both worthwhile)
Simple Prosperity by David Wann (same: many simple living themes are repeated in this book, but it's written well)
Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin (Another classic)
Twelve by Twelve by William Powers (I really enjoyed reading this book about a female doctor who chucked everything and lives in a 12 x 12 house so that she has time and money to pursue causes that are important to her.)
Early Retirement Extreme by Jacob Lund Fiskar (Dense and philosophical. However, it's one of my favorites. He's an engineer so he takes an extremely analytical approach, talking about models and systems, but it's a good read after you've had some caffeine)
Radical Simplicity by Jim Merkel (much the same as the previous. Another engineer, and another one who uses a lot of math to break down the carbon footprint of everything we do. But I love this book--it's one of my top 10 simple living books. Merkel chucked his job a government engineer after the Exxon Valdez incident, and he lives (or lived at that time) on $5,000 a year to keep from having to pay taxes
Less is More (there are two books with this title. Cecile Andrews is one and other is an edited book of quotes--very inpsiring--by Goldian Vandenbroeck. Both are good, but I prefer the latter book. The subtitle is An Anthology of Ancient & Modern Voices Raised in Praise of Simplicity. Very inspiring to pick up and flip through--however, it is NOT available on Kindle.)
Minimalism by Peter Lawrence (I like this book--another very easy read, and inspirational. You can actually find a YouTube by him where he goes through his apartment and explains his rationale for the VERY little he has. And I mean he has VERY little).


So there's my annotated bibliography. There's more, but that's enough for now. Those are my favorites, and I do consider them bibles in many ways.


Wow that's a big list, thank you.

D

[Mary B.]

catherine, what a fabulous list.

I also like Sharon Astyk's books, particularly Independence Days. She writes a lot about food preparation and such, and I suppose is really more focused on preparation for disaster than she is on simple living for the sake of simple living.

[awakenedsoul]

Hi David, Here are some of my favorites: Down To Earth by Rhonda Hetzel, The Tightwad Gazette, (by Amy somebody...), Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui, by Karen Kingston, and Women and Money by Suze Orman.

I also like Rhonda's blog, Down To Earth, (lots of great articles on simple living,) Frugal Village.com has great forums on living frugally, and Suze Orman has a free podcast each week on finances.

Dave Ramsey's books really helped me to get out of debt and save money for retirement, repairs, etc...he also has a free radio show. These books and websites aren't all on simple living, but on aspects of simple living. (Getting out of debt really simplified my life!) I also use google for research. I've googled "Going car free," "Growing your own food," etc...

[Sad Eyed Lady]

Yes, catherine - great list. I also still like Janet Luhr's Simple Living.

[Sad Eyed Lady]

Yes, catherine - great list. I also still like Janet Luhr's Simple Living.
I just glanced at the book and the correct title is "The Simple Living Guide" by Janet Luhrs.

[Yossarian]

It's not a book but I think this makes for interesting reading: http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/

[Blackdog Lin]

Every few years I still get out and re-read my old copy of Amy Dacyzyn's (sp) Tightwad Gazette. It's classic. It's also the one book that got me started on frugality.

[Gardenarian]

"Possum Living." I read it when I was about 16. Terrific read.
Books by Louisa May Alcott (Little Women, for one) are fun to read and full of good advice on simple living (if a little bit preachy at times.) You should be able to get her books free.
Also, anything by Ralph Waldo Emerson. I find the Transcendental Movement very interesting.