When Voluntary Simplicity was first published in 1981, it quickly became recognized as a powerful and visionary work in the emerging dialogue over sustainable ways of living. Now, more than ten years later and with many of the planet's environmental stresses having become more urgent than ever, Duane Elgin has revised and updated his revolutionary book.

Voluntary Simplicity is not a book about living in poverty; it is a book about living with balance. It illuminates the pattern of changes that an increasing number of Americans are making in their everyday lives -- adjustments in day-to-day living that are an active, positive response to the complex dilemmas of our time. By embracing, either partially or totally, the tenets of voluntary simplicity -- frugal consumption, ecological awareness, and personal growth -- people can change their lives. And in the process, they have the power to change the world. First published in 1981, Voluntary Simplicity was instantly recognized as a visionary work. The New York Times called it "seminal"; the Wall Street Journal noted that it was "considered the movement's Bible." Revised in 1993 to address the trend toward downshifting, this pertinent book helps us to adjust our thoughts, habits, and goals and embrace the key elements of simplicity: frugal consumption, ecological awareness and personal growth.

Amazon.com Review
Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin, first published in 1981 and revised in 1993, is the sacred text for those wanting to liberate themselves from enslavement to a job and the pursuit of status symbols. Elgin's work emerges from a concern for the environmental consequences of our mass consumption lifestyles. His book exhorts us to save the planet and our souls by "living with balance in order to find a life of greater purpose."

I began watching my spending patterns, my diet, my TV consumption, the clothes I wore and the products I used, et cetera. I was only doing it out of curiosity at first. But, after a while, I started to notice that I felt like a happier, kinder and more thoughtful person the more I simplified my life. Appreciating what I had helped me put my lifestyle into context, which in turn led me to enjoy life more, and to enjoy being generous with what I had, which then enriched my sense of context, and so on... a simple but rewarding cycle!

Now, years later, the only things I'm truly decadent about are books and food/wine. I'm happily still somehow cellphone-free, iPod-free, digital camera-free etc, and make a point to be active in the organizations and charities that mean the most to me... My mother used to say that once you get used to a luxury, it becomes a necessity. This book makes that point very persuasively, and suggests that 1) those luxuries don't necessarily make us happier, and 2) it's a political act to live one's life according to that awareness.

Anyway. In the end I did make peace with the TV (since my husband moved in and insisted that we needed one, plus cable) but I still keep my old copy of 'Voluntary Simplicity' on the bookshelf closest to it... Give this book to a young adult, cross your fingers, and see what happens.