A Simpler Life

A Guide to Greater Serenity, Ease and Clarity

By: The School of Life

Narrated by: Rachel Lanning

This book explores ideas around minimalism, simplicity, and how to live comfortably with less.

The modern world can be a complicated, frenzied, and noisy place, filled with too many options, products, ideas and opinions. That explains why what many of us long for is simplicity: a life that can be more pared down, peaceful, and focused on the essentials.

But finding simplicity is not always easy; it isn’t just a case of emptying out our closets or trimming back commitments in our diaries. True simplicity requires that we understand the roots of our distractions – and develop a canny respect for the stubborn reasons why things can grow complex and overwhelming.

This book is a guide to the simpler lives we crave and deserve. It considers how we might achieve simplicity across a range of areas. Along the way, we learn about Zen Buddhism, modernist architecture, monasteries, psychoanalysis, and why we probably don’t need more than three good friends or a few treasured belongings.

It isn’t enough that our lives should look simple; they need to be simple from the inside. This book takes a psychological approach, guiding us towards less contorted hearts and minds. We have for too long been drowning in excess and clutter from a confusion about our aspirations. A Simpler Life helps us tune out the static and focus on what properly matters to us.

©2022 The School of Life (P)2022 The School of Life

What do we really need?

An welcome examination of what is truly most important in our lives. Do we really need a lot of money or an abundance of a variety of experiences?

The book I needed to read

A book that confirms what I’d always thought might be true but couldn’t quite believe was ok to live.
I can now give up the complicated stressful life of running multiple homes and attending parties I felt obliged to show my face at.
It’s thrilling … let’s see if a simple life really is as good as it sounds. Thrilling to start implementing the ideas.

An inspiring meditation

This book provided beautiful reminders of why so many of us seek simplicity, and also why we struggle to attain it. The discussion of the the lives and work of various artists and prominent figures was especially inspiring. A lovely listen!

Great guidelines

A book to listen through a few times to adjust your life for the better!

Some chapters not for me, some excellent

The book started off a little slow, and I was thinking maybe this is not for me, but some of the chapters in the middle of the book were excellent.