Simplicity

Essays

By: Joshua Fields Millburn, Ryan Nicodemus

Narrated by: Simon Whistler

Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus - The Minimalists - left their six-figure careers, jettisoned many of their material possessions, and started focusing on life's most important aspects. And they never looked back.

Simplicity: Essays is The Minimalists' fifth book and second essay collection, a follow-up to their bestselling Minimalism: Essential Essays. In the two years since the authors quit their six-figure corporate jobs and embraced simpler lives, they have written more than 200 essays on the subject of simple living. Simplicity: Essays serves as a "best of" collection for their most important collaborative writings.

This 152-page book contains 46 edited and revised essays about living a meaningful life with less stuff, including "UnAmerican Dream," "Asking Friends & Family to Embrace Change," and "I Am Not the Center of the Universe." It also includes a special forward by The Minimalists and two unpublished essays that can't be found anywhere else: "Simplicity" and "The Worst Christmas Ever."

The order of the essays in this collection is deliberate; they are meant to be read in sequence from beginning to end. Doing so will result in an experience that is different from reading these essays individually throughout the web, connecting various concepts that may otherwise seem unconnected.

These essays were written to encourage readers to think critically about the excess in their lives and, ultimately, to take action towards living more intentionally. This collection is short enough to be read in a few sittings, or it can be digested slowly, reading one essay a day for six weeks, applying its principals each day to your own life.

©2012 Joshua Fields Millburn, Ryan Nicodemus (P)2012 Joshua Fields Millburn, Ryan Nicodemus

Remarkable!

I loved this book. I'm going to listen again, and buy a hard copy so that I can take notes, adding goals and reminders to my calendar. There are remarkable truths herein!

Now. This narrator. I really don't understand this choice. These authors are Americans, but the narrator is British. He really makes this fascinating book difficult to listen to. He has very little voice inflection, and just didn't seem to fit. It almost felt like a pretentious attempt to do what this book absolutely rails against: make an appearance before others of what one is not!

Amazing

Such a pleasure, short and to the point. As the philosophy it self. Big fan as a neuroscientist

Average blog to book, lots of negative wording

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, I'm new to simple living and this isn't a good introduction.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I'd changed the negative frame of the "others", non-simple people. They talk about how you shouldn't watch the same DVD twice. You should have new experiences instead. That's plain silly to me.

What three words best describe Simon Whistler’s performance?

Ok.

Do you think Simplicity needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No.

Any additional comments?

Ok book as audiobook, but it gets repetitive because of the original blog format. A little effort would have made this one book worth keeping..

Great Minimalism Stuff, but the Narrator..........

Narration is very annoying on this one. Not so much how he is speaking but his esssses and sharp treble notes gave me a terrible headache.....might want to reduce the treble or re-record this one....

Great content, but did not enjoy the narrator.

I preferred the other voice actor associated with their other audio books. But otherwise, still great content from the both of The Minimalists.

great book

I enjoyed the narrator, the essays, and I look forward to taking more steps towards minimalism to hopefully achieve the happiness I know I am entitled to. very motivating and inspirational

Narrators voice doesn't convey message well.

This is my second audible book I've listened to written by you. Love the content but dislike the voice of the narrator in this one. His voice irritates me so muc so that I almost didn't listen after the first chapter, but I spent the money and decided to forge ahead. It didn't get any better for me. My personal irritation aside, especially the words contribute (you probably have no idea how many times that word is used throughout until is sounds like nails on a chalkboard)and etcetera, I felt like the voice didn't convey who I think you guys are, you seem like two very average fun loving guys and that's not at all what this narrator puts out there. In my opinion, he doesn't add anything positive to your message. I have one more nom to listen to, I have my fingers crossed that the narrator is similar to the first. Keep up the great work. Looking forward to seeing them in Pittsburgh in April!

Enjoyable

I purchased this book back in 2014, and have listed to it many times. I don't agree with everything the authors say in it, but overall I do. It's not a long book, a little under 3 hours, but it's been helpful to me. It's not a step by step instructional book, but a series of essays on consumerism and minimalism. If you're interested or curious about minimalism, this is a good place to start.I think the book has since been updated with a new narrator, but I like the narrator in this edition.

Awesome | Get this audiobook

You have inspired me! It is never too late to live a simplistic life. Thanks guys. ;-)