What are you currently reading? And bonus points if you can somehow find a connection to simple living, even if it is not about simple living.
I’ll start: I’m currently reading The Arabian Nights by Sir Richard Burton and… well it is grim but I love the simplicity of the short stories. I can pick the book, read a page or two inbetween chores while relaxing, and put the book back down.
(Sorry mod if this does not fit the community, I’ll delete if it doesn’t!)
Two books:
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All Adults Here by Emma Straub. I appreciate the simple, contemporary language that’s easy for me to read through after a short book break to play some games.
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The Advanced Day Planner’s Guide - more of a niche interest, I also enjoy planning. This book has lots of helpful, practical tips to boost your productivity in a non-stressful way. Planning has enabled me to achieve things I never thought possible and has left me plenty of time to enjoy myself too.
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[insert joke about collecting your smut from public domain works. Sir Richard Burton was a very horny weirdo]
I’m currently rereading my copies of the Natsume’s Book of Friends manga series. Very happy nice time reading.
That was written on the preface text as well and… did not exaggerate lol.
Oh that sounds like a chill read! Wish I could get into manga, but my brains just refuse to comply when it comes to reading panes right to left. Maybe it’s just lack of practice.
It took me a lot longer than I liked to get used to it, and I grew frustrated a lot. This manga does have an anime adaptation, tho.
Okay so sounds like it takes practice! And that is awesome, but would love to also be able to read manga so I could take it with me to places and just sit and read. Great excuse to stay outside!
Essentialism.
I started it once before and didn’t really like it and gave up, but I had been on a minimalism/simple living reading marathon for a while at that point and was a bit burnt out and needed some fiction. I’ve waited 6 weeks for a copy to become available again at my library again so am starting again now.
No Mud, No Lotus, The Art of Transforming suffering by Thich Nhat Hanh. It’s obviously a book about Buddhism in general but the “transforming suffering” bit is about letting go of past traumas and chasiing things like money or power or possessions, and being happy with your life in it’s current state.
This book sounds good! At the same time it sounds like a tough read, because you need to self reflect and really dig deep. Hope you are getting good things out of the book!
It felt like a bit of a slog at first, but I found it really comforting once I got further into it and started reading about the part I was interested in getting to, which is how to start on the path to being a more mindful and grateful person in my daily life.
That sounds like a really good chapter, hope you got some nice and positive advice that you can use in your everyday life. Don’t shy away from posting your thoughts after you finish reading!
I’m reading “Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth” by William Logan Bryant. It really draws your attention to what is beneath your own feet, and to be more observant and intentional. I found this book by reading “Sprout Lands Tending the Endless Gift of Trees” by the same author. Highly recommend!
The Great Hunt - Second book in The Wheel of Time series. I’m a sucker for fantasy serieses!From a simple living standpoint, I love how this genre tends to be set in medieval-like circumstances, which gives a window into simpler times to enjoy. Sometimes I wonder if we’d be better off living our daily lives like in medieval times, but improved by our advances in medicine, agriculture, etc.
I’ve heard good things about that series! And I agree with how it relates to simple life. My favourite book series is the witcher and love how the main character “tries” to live a simple life lol.
I’ve been thinking about getting into that series. I’ve heard they’re great. I loved the games and the Netflix show. Might check that out once I get thru the WoT 😀
The Plant Messiah by Carlos Magdalena. It’s a very interesting book about the author’s work saving endangered species of plants. I associate nature and an appreciation for local things with simple living and that’s what the author is trying to preserve.
Have to put on my to-read list! Thanks for sharing :) Recently read Jane Goodall’s Book of Hope which is more about humanity and climate change, but with the same vibe you describe!
I’m actually reading a book called The Philosophy of Simple Living. It’s quite difficult to get into, but it’s a good book so far.
Is it the book by Jerome Brillaud? I’ve been meaning to read a simple life book, but I feel like there are just way too many authors who wrote a lifestyle book to cash in on a trend… But since you are saying it has been good so far maybe I should give it a go!
That’s the one, it’s more of a philosophy book, im finding it interesting. I’m around a quater of the way through. Lots of quotes from the old greek philosophers. I’m enjoying it, but it’s quite a bit to read at times. To say it’s a book on simple living, the language used is far from simple.
It actually sounds pretty good! Thanks for the tip, I’ll check out if I could possibly find it in the local library :)