A Simpler Life by Ryan Bartaby (The School of Life)

In today's world we are drowned in a consumerism, noise, information and much more. This cult of busyness insists that a good life, indeed the only life worthy of a capable and intelligent person, is one of continuous activity and application; we must strive relentlessly to fulfil every ambition, and every hour of the day must be filled with intense activity. This is why, ultimately, modern existence feels so complicated. Millions of possibilities are offered to us, but we are never encouraged to stop and ask what any of them might actually be for.

We crave simplicity not because we are simple, but because we are drowning in complexity.

The book explores ideas around minimalism, simplicity and how to live comfortably with less and is an undecorated and straightforward manual for the simpler life we hanker for – and deserve. 

This book explores a set of ideas with the power to foster simpler lives. It considers the outer world – how we might build ourselves simpler living spaces, routines, working patterns and friendships – but it also looks at how we might achieve inner simplicity. 

When we lead quiet and simple lives, we aren’t deprived; we have been granted the privilege of being able to travel the unfamiliar, sometimes daunting, but essentially wondrous continents inside our own minds.

Simplicity isn’t so much a life with few things and commitments in it, as a life with the right, necessary things, attuned to our flourishing.

I highly recommend this guide to simpler and slower living.

4,5/5