The More of Less

The best things in life are not things, says a spokesperson of the minimalist movement whose handbook shows how to get rid of the stuff that keeps you from pursuing your dreams. Joshua Becker is an earnest speaker who articulates every syllable and tries to make every point clear, but his determination sounds altruistic and appealing. It's a performance and message that will prompt people to take some steps. The simplicity he advocates is not about deprivation; it's about recognizing that too many possessions can corrupt our spiritual journey, our quest to have a full life. Referencing the teachings of Jesus, he says that simplicity's rewards are not in what we discard but in what we gain--the awakened life we'll have when we shed the clutter in our living space that bogs us down. T.W. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine