Less is More: Spirituality For Busy Lives

by Brain Draper

Brian Draper was tired of feeling tired; "life in its fullness" felt like a life crammed full of stuff, and no more. "I don't want to be the kind of father who turns up late and exhausted for his children's school concert and sits at the back fiddling with a Blackberry, distracted, vacant. I want to be THERE, in the front row, fully present." Drawing on the guidance of Christian wisdom, he began to notice opportunities, day to day, to reduce the quantity, and increase the quality of life - to make room for his soul. LESS IS MORE distils a wonderful spiritual principle which is especially significant at this point in history, when time is limited and money is in short supply. Chapters include: Clearing the loft - literally and spiritually; Using your senses to savour what is free; Finding rhythm; Giving freely; Expressing yourself.

Genres: Christian

176 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2012

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laudable because of how easy the author makes the book to approach and read, the practical suggestions and the absence of condescending language.

However some aspects do not go far enough for me - for example the setting of goals is still heavily encouraged, as long as the goals are 'realistic'. I think this way of thinking is highly problematic. Only the present exists.

My other main gripe was the increasing uneasiness caused by the term 'the Spirit of Life' slowly morphing into bible passages. I will not be brainwashed again!

[Jessie T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this at a convent and wasn’t sure if it’s Christian. It’s aimed at everyone, especially ‘busy’ people who may not usually have time to be mindful/spiritual. There are some things which are quote-worthy in here, but in general I found it quite ‘wishywashy’, as God is referred as ‘Spirit of Life’ or other words with a capital letter. Each chapter is bitesized and really digestible - i liked the manifestos and there are good examples too. I just feel like the hammer gets close to the nail but never really hits it on the head. (Probably because the author is hinting at Christian teachings but never truly reveals them completely)

[Tim Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only took me 7 years to finish this book. Perhaps because the idea of less being more is hard to stomach. I am thankful for the simple, practical challenges of this book.

[Becca Housden · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel that this book had some good ideas and good points but always skirted round them, never following through and actually making it clear.
Whilst I am not religious, and was reading this book from a more general perspective, I feel like the author did the same thing with his references to religion, they were there but they were often unclear and his point became slightly lost in the speed and segmentation of the writing.

[Thea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book... sort of. I've long been interested in the 'less is more' philosophy/way of life, however, religiosity not so much. This reads like an introduction into the 'less is more' way of thinking/living but with a Christian slanted subtext weaved subtly - and not so subtly at times - throughout, which I personally found a little disconcerting and contradictory.

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of good ideas. I liked it a lot. It isn't an LDS book but good can be found anywhere. It talks about letting your thoughts calm down once in awhile.

[Tony Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read for busy people: relevant, challenging, practical and soul renewing. This book comes from someone who models what he writes. Tony Miles