THE BARE BONES REVIEW

This item arrived quickly Via Amazon prime. As a long-time minimalist, I've wanted to read this book for some time. The first portion of the book deals with the philosophy of minimalist living. This was personally my favorite section, and I felt that it did an excellent job of explaining the overall benefits and purpose of the lifestyle to people who are not overly familiar with the subject. As the book went on and introduced the STREAMLINE method, it somewhat lost my attention. This (of course) is most likely due to the fact that I have been a minimalist for many years now, and I'm no longer new to the concept. For newcomers to the lifestyle, having a step by step guide for approaching and addressing the clutter in each area of the house is certainly useful. The author does an excellent job of balancing humor and common sense while addressing some rather sticky subjects. Whether it's family heirlooms, holiday traditions, or the overall effect of our spending habits on families and society, this book has it covered. The beautiful thing about is that it's not some moral or political sermon. I never once found myself feeling as though I was being preached to, or being pressed into accepting the political and social values of the author. The only negative I can find with this book personally, is that some of the information becomes repetitive at certain points. There were a few instances where I found sentences and ideas being reused unnecessarily. It wouldn't be an issue, if the sentences didn't seem almost Word for Word copies. This can be quite jarring for a moment, but the author quickly moves on. All things considered, I found it to be a very stirring and satisfying read. Long-time minimalists will still find helpful ideas and information, and those individuals looking to explore a more minimalist lifestyle will find adequate motivation. Most of all, it serves as a reminder that minimalist living is not about depriving yourself and your family of things that are needed and loved. Nor is it about living a poor, bland, sterile and unsatisfying life. It's quite the opposite, actually.

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