Book Review: The Art of Simple Living

Published on
March 9, 2022 at 9:30:00 AM PST March 9, 2022 at 9:30:00 AM PSTth, March 9, 2022 at 9:30:00 AM PST

The Art of Simple Living

Author: Sam Lacey


Available for sale here.

“Live simply” is often a phrase we hear others give as advice. But what does it mean to live simply when life is hectic and messy? Fret not! We have this book, and this book offers the various ways we can master it, focusing on the why and how of simple living. Simple Living is an art that needs to be learnt and honed and with this book, one can slowly learn at his or her own pace towards a simpler and less cluttered life and home, making the book a valuable must-read.


The book is organized into introduction, 5 parts, and conclusion, covering comprehensively how one can engage in simple living from eating (mealtimes) to “staying connected and self-care. This book contains useful tips all within it, making it a handy pocket-size guide to simple living. Moreover, it is written in a clear and concise manner, making it a quick, easy, and light-hearted read that one can enjoy while travelling on the road or public transport.


The book is contextualized well with suggestions on decluttering your social media and going “smart-phone free” so it is relevant to people of all ages and backgrounds but particularly for working adults and adult students. The tips offered are very applicable and life-changing, meaning they can transform one’s life by improving overall health and quality of life if one reads and practices them diligently. Some of the tips I particularly like are those in the self-care part of the book that improve one’s mental health. For instance, the meditation and breathing techniques help in reducing stress and slowing down.


I also find that the book is very interesting with its recipes offered, giving readers an opportunity to not just read but practice in the kitchen the recipes shared. My favourite recipes from the book include the “Simple Prawn and Pea Spaghetti” and “Roast Chicken Pasta”. The recipes are easy to follow through and inspire me to try them out at home in my free time.


Moreover, the book gives ideas on being in touch with nature and travelling, offering perspectives on sustainable living by decluttering and goes into a brief explanation on Scandinavian minimalism and living lagom, with ‘lagom’ a Swedish word meaning living life in moderation and balance. The book takes us on a virtual tour into exploring the different scenarios, through the tips, of going to the beach, and visiting a forest and even having a staycation at home. In fact, it even suggests virtual voyaging, where one just sits in their armchair and uses their computer to connect to websites that allow for virtual tours to many famous places of interest such as the Great Wall of China. Virtual voyaging is perfectly relevant given the ongoing COVID-19 (global pandemic) situation where there are travel restrictions in some countries.


In summation, the book is easily readable and covers both breadth and depth of simple living. With this book, I am sure everyone and anyone can start to live life more simply.



The book 'The Art of Simple Living' is reviewed by Emily Ng.

Emily is a Year 3 undergraduate in NUS Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences.