Any good simple living books?

[SnakeBlitz33]

Hello all,

This has probably been discussed and recommended before, but...

Does anyone have some suggestions for good books to read on simple living, living frugally, living deliberately...

I have read a few books - mainly from authors like Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and their contemporaries. I also get a kick out of Walt Whitman on occasion.... but I'm sure there are more modern authors that have lived the lifestyle and have shared their experiences. Would someone point me in the right direction?

[lac]

I've read several from the library. Just search for simple living, homesteading, frugal, cheapskate, and similar terms. A more recent book that I read is called "The Good Life Lab". Wendy and Mike from that book have a blog called Holy Scrap which I like to read too.

good luck!

[flowerseverywhere]

I would first suggest checking out "your money or your life." Although some of the info is outdated, many of the principles of YMOYL, as you will see it referenced to here are valuable. One such example is figuring out what your life energy is worth. For example, if you go out to eat and spend fifty dollars, how long after taxes etc. did it take to earn that. There is probably a copy in your library.
I would also find a copy of "the tightwad gazette" which is a great representation of how one woman figured out how to live a life on much less so she could spend time with her family.
Dave Ramsey has a series of books that many people like, especially if they have debt but there is a Christian component.
the millionaire next door is a great book. All about how wealth is not always what it seems.

for online many people like the website of mister money mustache. He uses more colorful language than some people like, but I love to read his blog. He is great at showing how he left the traditional workforce at a young age and what he does with his time

i am sure you will get a few more. As you can see my suggestions outline how to live a simpler life today, and with a family if necessary, not necessarily poetic musings about living in the woods.

[flowerseverywhere]

Forgot the books of Helen and Scott nearing.

[peggy]

Forgot the books of Helen and Scott nearing.

why? too old fashioned? Not honest? Curious minds want to know.;)

[catherine]

why? too old fashioned? Not honest? Curious minds want to know.;)

I think flowers meant she forgot to include the Nearings books--not "forget it.."

SnakeBlitz, here are my favorites:
1) Walden
2) The Good Life by Scott and Helen Nearing
3) Less Is More edited by Goldian Vandenbroeck--it's an oldie but so great--a compilation of quotes and passages from all the great "simple livers" you'd every want to know.
4) Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin
5) Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster
6) Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh
7) Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn (still a classic)
8) Early Retirement Extreme by Jacob Lund Fisker
9) How I Quit Worrying About Money and Became the Richest Guy in the World by Ben Hewitt
10) 12 x 12 by William Powell
11) A Handmade Life: In Search of Simplicity by William S. Coperthwaite
12) Simple Food by Helen Nearing
13) Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway
14) Introduction to Permaculture by Bill Morrison
15) The Man Who Quit Money by Mark Sundeen

Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head

[frugal-one]

Posted this in the frugality thread earlier...

Compilation of frugal books
Thought this was interesting!

http://www.goodreads.com/genres/frugal

[gail_d]

Payne Hollow by Harlan Hubbard (and all his other books, but this is a good one to start with)
The essays of Wendell Berry (and all his other books)
Flight from the City by Ralph Borsodi (out of print--available on the Internet Archive)
The Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Divorce Your Car by Katie Alvord
You Can Buy Happiness (and It's Cheap): How One Woman Radically Simplified Her Life and How You Can Too by Tammy Strobel

[SnakeBlitz33]

Wow! Thanks guys! I really appreciate all of the titles!!! I am going to write them down and see if I can find any of them at my local library. Thanks again!

Also, for anyone still reading, ... I'm also going to be building my own house and would like to get a little direction of where to go with that as well... books, websites or other informational sources. I appreciate it guys and gals! What a wonderful forum! I'm so happy to be here. :D

[mira]

I would also recommend Your Money or Your Life. Some others that I've enjoyed are Enough (I think the author is John Naish?) and In Praise of Slow by Carl Honoré.

[flowerseverywhere]

why? too old fashioned? Not honest? Curious minds want to know.;)
Of course I meant I forgot to add them to the list. But since you brought it up, some books may be too old fashioned, some too religious etc. different paths for everyone.

[Lainey]

Had to mention that I bought a reproduction of "The American Frugal Housewife" by Mrs. Child, first printed in Boston in 1833!It was on sale for .50 at Goodwill half-price day.
It has two quotes on the dedication page: "A fat kitchen maketh a lean will." and "Economy is a poor man's revenue; extravagance a rich man's ruin."

[try2bfrugal]

My favorite frugal books are the Millionaire Next Door and all the follow up books by Thomas Stanley. Some runner ups are:

Live Well On Less Than You Think
Retire on Less Than You Think
Retirement on a Budget

And of course Your Money or Your Life.

[SnakeBlitz33]

I'm not a very religious person at all, to be honest. I'll probably read the more secular books, however, my wife is very religious - Assembly of God, so I'm sure that she might be interested in some of those more religious ones that you all recommended.

[tetrimbath]

It looks like there may be a similar book from an SLF member: Reader99 has a thread going about cover design for a frugal book. May be one to add to your list.

[Gardenarian]

Hi Snakeblitz - building your own house - check out Mother Earth News (http://www.motherearthnews.com/). Lots of great stuff. They also publish a lot of books on homesteading and self-reliance.

[ToomuchStuff]

Going to throw something out there. When I was a kid, a book I remember my grandmother having, was "Helpful Hints from Heloise" After seeing that, when I would see something on our local PBS station, I would see what I could learn (and then see if the library had any books from them). This went from This Old House, to Jerry Baker and lawn care (mouthwash bug spray guy).

[rosarugosa]

I really enjoyed The Ultimate Cheapskate by Jeff Yeager. He gets a lot of credit for getting me on the right path.