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The Happy Minimalist: Financial independence, Good health, and a better planet for us all
The life of a minimalist does not have to be deprived. It is simple living focused on what is truly needed to make you happy. It can be filled with enriching experiences, as demonstrated by Peter's life. Of humble beginnings, Peter is currently financially independent-not through winning a lottery, inheriting wealth, or joining a start-up. In this book, Peter poses questions, provides facts, and shares his personal experience. It is a timely call to examine one's life, to achieve financial independence, to attain good health, and to create a better planet for all.
- GenresNonfictionSelf Help
108 pages, Paperback
First published July 10, 2008
8 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
Peter Lawrence
119 books15 followersPeter Lawrence was born and raised in Singapore and lives all over the world. He has been able to retire well before the normal retirement age not because he won a lottery, inherited wealth, or joined a start-up. In fact, he has humble beginnings. Peter attributes his early retirement to his minimalist lifestyle.
The life of a minimalist does not have to be deprived. Rather, it is simple living focused on what is truly needed to make a person happy and can be filled with enriching experiences—as demonstrated by Peter’s life.
Peter spent time in the army and in the monastery. He has bungee-jumped in New Zealand and sky dived in Australia. He has floated on the lowest point of Earth and ridden a camel to the Great Pyramids. He also spent time in Europe, South America, and Central America. Peter holds a Bachelor in Information Technology from an Australian University and an Executive MBA from an American University.
The life of a minimalist does not have to be deprived. Rather, it is simple living focused on what is truly needed to make a person happy and can be filled with enriching experiences—as demonstrated by Peter’s life.
Peter spent time in the army and in the monastery. He has bungee-jumped in New Zealand and sky dived in Australia. He has floated on the lowest point of Earth and ridden a camel to the Great Pyramids. He also spent time in Europe, South America, and Central America. Peter holds a Bachelor in Information Technology from an Australian University and an Executive MBA from an American University.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 8, 2015
I've been downsizing for about two years and have read a number of books on minimalism. This is the worst and most uninspiring of them. The first half of the book was very preachy. I would have preferred to read more about why the author chose minimalism rather than him tell me why I should do it. The author's brand of minimalism was one of the more extreme as this is the first time I've encountered a minimalist who sleeps in a sleeping bag on the floor.
Some of the author's information is misleading or wrong. For example, he states that by owning our own house we are shielding ourselves from one aspect of inflation in the form of rising costs of rents. This is true. However in owning a house I am exposed to other liabilities that don't apply to renters, the biggest probably being the rising cost of repairs and maintenance.
The author stated that we could all survive quite easily if we are all minimalists. This is an absurd concept. Ours is a consumer-driven society. If we consider all the unnecessary items that people buy, and the jobs created by development, regulating, manufacturing, transport and marketing, then it quickly becomes rather obvious that if everyone stopped buying unnecessary items, millions of people worldwide would be unemployed.
The author also stated that to save money, it is possible to live a drug-free life if one puts their heart and mind to it. Not only is this incorrect, it is also potentially dangerous and irresponsible to encourage people to do this. This man is not a doctor. There are various medical conditions that would result in death without medication and people should always seek the advice of their doctor if considering stopping medication. The author criticised the pharmaceutical industry for not using herbs to treat disease, and preferring to create unnatural drugs that can be patented to make money. This is in fact incorrect. Many drugs available today have originated from plants. Pharmaceutical companies spend many millions of dollars developing new drugs. It is only fair that they are allowed to patent them so that they can recoup their investment. Without patents we would not have many of the lifesaving and life improving drugs that we have available today. To also imply that there is no money in herbs is equally as misleading. The alternative medicine industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Manufacturers don't need to comply with such rigorous requirements for safety, efficacy and purity as they do with drugs. Some herbal preparations do not contain the substance documented on the label and some are contaminated with dangerous substances, such as heavy metals.
For anyone considering minimalism, I don't think this book is particularly useful. The author's own lifestyle is so extreme and probably incompatible with a relationship, that it detracts from the concept of minimalism.
Some of the author's information is misleading or wrong. For example, he states that by owning our own house we are shielding ourselves from one aspect of inflation in the form of rising costs of rents. This is true. However in owning a house I am exposed to other liabilities that don't apply to renters, the biggest probably being the rising cost of repairs and maintenance.
The author stated that we could all survive quite easily if we are all minimalists. This is an absurd concept. Ours is a consumer-driven society. If we consider all the unnecessary items that people buy, and the jobs created by development, regulating, manufacturing, transport and marketing, then it quickly becomes rather obvious that if everyone stopped buying unnecessary items, millions of people worldwide would be unemployed.
The author also stated that to save money, it is possible to live a drug-free life if one puts their heart and mind to it. Not only is this incorrect, it is also potentially dangerous and irresponsible to encourage people to do this. This man is not a doctor. There are various medical conditions that would result in death without medication and people should always seek the advice of their doctor if considering stopping medication. The author criticised the pharmaceutical industry for not using herbs to treat disease, and preferring to create unnatural drugs that can be patented to make money. This is in fact incorrect. Many drugs available today have originated from plants. Pharmaceutical companies spend many millions of dollars developing new drugs. It is only fair that they are allowed to patent them so that they can recoup their investment. Without patents we would not have many of the lifesaving and life improving drugs that we have available today. To also imply that there is no money in herbs is equally as misleading. The alternative medicine industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Manufacturers don't need to comply with such rigorous requirements for safety, efficacy and purity as they do with drugs. Some herbal preparations do not contain the substance documented on the label and some are contaminated with dangerous substances, such as heavy metals.
For anyone considering minimalism, I don't think this book is particularly useful. The author's own lifestyle is so extreme and probably incompatible with a relationship, that it detracts from the concept of minimalism.
April 25, 2021
Simple and thought-provoking
Peter Lawrence published The Happy Minimalist in July 2008, and while I know that there is a wealth of minimalist content available, something about the simplicity of this book appealed to me.
It may be the most simple, direct, and minimalist book that I have read about becoming a minimalist -- both the author's personal experience and advice for adopting and adapting the lifestyle for yourself.
Peter Lawrence published The Happy Minimalist in July 2008, and while I know that there is a wealth of minimalist content available, something about the simplicity of this book appealed to me.
It may be the most simple, direct, and minimalist book that I have read about becoming a minimalist -- both the author's personal experience and advice for adopting and adapting the lifestyle for yourself.
October 28, 2013
While the author's lifestyle is probably too extreme for most (folding chairs and an ironing board are his only furniture), the message in general is a good one. Most people don't need or use all that they have and yet, they keep buying more things and services. This quick read does get one thinking.
September 10, 2012
While not the deepest book I've ever read (heck, it only took about 45 minutes to finish) the author does have some very good points and ideas. If nothing else it serves as an excellent reminder that there is more to life than the possessions that consume us.
September 9, 2013
I liked it. I've been downsizing my life the past couple of years, and will continue to do so, especially after reading this book. It's about stripping away everything that detracts from your interior life...allowing you to focus on whatever's true and meaningful.
October 4, 2012
If the author is trying to entice the reader to be a minimalist … he has failed miserably. I have a minor desire in my life to be more of a minimalist than I am currently, but not nearly to the extent of this author's lifestyle. He has changed his life of living, to a religion of living as inexpensively as possible. I feel he has a passion for his cause, but I believe he is missing life entirely.
The author is single; how would my spouse feel about sleeping in a sleeping bag every night or only showering once a week? The principle is very good of not wanting to waste the resources we are given, personal income, clean water and clean air, or the amount of electricity we use, but in the application it may be extremely difficult to fulfill. Many of his suggestions are very good and can be easily assimilated in most people’s lives. Personally I would love to live in a smaller home with fewer expenses (gas, water, electricity and real-estate taxes, and may someday do so. Many more of the author’s suggestions lend themselves only to single people who have no children and/or grandchildren.
The author’s passion is in the right place, but his ability to create a desire in the reader to change their lifestyle is lacking. We Americans do a good job of squandering anything we have; we over buy, over build, and try to over live. That point is well made by the author and I happen to agree.
November 23, 2009
I think what I liked best about this book is how it encourages you to reexamine your assumptions, rethink your worldview. Besides offering some perspective on how much wealth we all really have here in the 1st world (do you spend more than $2 a day on your maintenance?), it asks you to ask yourself--is it really a "need"? Could we do more with less and be happier?
I took exception to some of the way the author does things himself, some of the values he bases some of his minimalizing (?) decisions, but he anticipates that and acknowledges that his way is perhaps to "ascetic" for most. Ya think?? But I think it is a healthy exercise to see how he lives, compare it with how you live, and acknowledge that you could be more judicious and less consumptive in the material possessions you acquire.
Nice, quick read, too.
I took exception to some of the way the author does things himself, some of the values he bases some of his minimalizing (?) decisions, but he anticipates that and acknowledges that his way is perhaps to "ascetic" for most. Ya think?? But I think it is a healthy exercise to see how he lives, compare it with how you live, and acknowledge that you could be more judicious and less consumptive in the material possessions you acquire.
Nice, quick read, too.
August 12, 2016
Brief and not cohesive.
This is only about 100 pages long, full of quotations, and leaps from point to point. It would have benefited very strongly from a good editor to help the author create a more coherent work, more worthy of the price. Some of the extreme suggestions and their justifications border on the absurd (e.g. don't have a bed and sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor because then you won't have the risk of falling out of bed). Unless you're a single ascetic this is probably not the book for you.
This is only about 100 pages long, full of quotations, and leaps from point to point. It would have benefited very strongly from a good editor to help the author create a more coherent work, more worthy of the price. Some of the extreme suggestions and their justifications border on the absurd (e.g. don't have a bed and sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor because then you won't have the risk of falling out of bed). Unless you're a single ascetic this is probably not the book for you.
March 16, 2014
helpful after college
August 28, 2014
A quick, hundred page read with some tips to get started on living a less wasteful life.
September 25, 2014
I've read several books on minimalism/simplicity. This book is in my top 2.
September 29, 2014
Really liked the list of resources at the end that included moving documentaries and other book titled.
June 21, 2015
An inspirational book that conveys a message to prioritize time and friends over money. Thank you, Peter.
April 15, 2015
Great book
Quick read ... good pointers. I believe this is a great book to look back on from time to time
Quick read ... good pointers. I believe this is a great book to look back on from time to time
August 6, 2015
I support this lifestyle
but this book was poorly written and too short for the cost, the youtube video is honestly more informative, too bad
but this book was poorly written and too short for the cost, the youtube video is honestly more informative, too bad
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews