Chicken Soup for the Soul- The Joy of Less by Amy Newmark and Brooke Burke-Charvet

I’ve been in a “book funk” the last couple of months- I start a book, read a few pages, and then have no desire to pick it up again. For me, the remedy for a book funk is a book of short stories, and this edition of Chicken Soup was the cure this time. I really enjoy reading about minimalism/simple living and how it varies between individuals. This edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul contains 101 stories of simple living. But don’t be overwhelmed- each story is between 1.5-4 pages long and I could go through at least 3 on a coffee break.

Some of the stories were very profound- like the family whose house and possessions burnt to the ground and how they learned about the importance of generosity. Some individuals moved to other countries where living quarters were comparatively smaller and learned to reject consumerism. One lady went a full year without buying any clothing! And still, several couples decided to downsize to tiny homes or R.V.’s in order to travel the world. I personally couldn’t relate to every individual’s story, but they were all interesting and validated my continuous goal of minimalism and simple living.

If you are in a “book funk”, I recommend checking out any Chicken Soup for the Soul book, since there are so many different topics. You’ll go through the stories faster than you think!