Rating: 
Summary: A Very Important Book
Review: This book opens your eyes to the insanity to which we dedicate ourselves. In my opinion, the most important chapter is the one devoted to television. Mate really gives you a good slap in the face in making you realize how foolish and wasteful your time is spent when it is spent in front of that horrible little box. If anything, read that chapter and throw your stinking television set in the dumpster and start spending more time interacting with your kids. If not your kids, then your friends, relatives, neighbors, or even your pet goldfish. Staring at a wall is better for your mind than staring at that flashing screen. This book is amazing, and if you have even the slightest desire to contribute something positive to this life, you will enjoy it. I've read it twice, and I plan on reading it again. Read it!
Rating:
Summary: WE NEED THIS BOOK MORE NOW THAN EVER
Review: Today, the day after the election, I took this book off the shelf to read again. This country might be on fast slide down to disaster and I want to be reminded about what I can do to live a reasonable life. There is no stopping the slide now, it's out of control as proven by the election outcome. We have to hope to live through it. I love this book even though I know everyone can't move to the country (or to Italy, as Ferenc did) but we can do our best to live less a consumer and more a reasonable
life wherever we are.
Rating: 
Summary: Exaggeration to the point of stupidity.
Review: While many of the author's statements make sense and are well worth thinking about, he often goes beyond the thoughtful to pure stupidity. For example, the author concludes his chapter entitled "A Reasonable Life" by writing "...at least do this: dump the TV set; cut up all credit cards, coupons, green stamps, crossword puzzles; cancel all subscriptions, prescriptions, addictions, memberships, affiliations, commitments and obligations, aerobics classes, kung fu classes, shrink appointments, hair appointments, and the ten-part doggy dancing lessons you gave Fido for Christmas..."What's wrong with using the occasional coupon to purchase a needed item at a lower price? What's wrong with the mental workout of a crossword puzzle? Cancelling a prescription for a life saving medication is totally irresponsible. Canceling all commitments and obligations hardly shows care and respect for those around us to whom we have a responsibility. And dog training is a great way to bond with dogs (including dancing with dogs if that's what interests someone). If you can read this book and sift out all the nonsense, then you will find some challenging ideas. Or alternately, you can read a different book on simplicity that doesn't need sifting through in the first place.
Rating: 
Summary: A Giddy, Inspiring Tirade
Review: Yes, Mate rants in this book. A lot. Some readers will hate this. I agree with some of the criticisms of his critics (not particulary practical, hysterical, preaching to the choir, etc.). However, I am often perplexed by cranky reviews when people seem to be judging a book outside of its purpose. This is not a manual on self-reliance. (Read Scott & Helen Nearing's "The Good Life" for a fascinating, practical memoir/manual.) Mate is a gadfly. His role, as I see it, is to smack us upside the head. Even the choir can get lured into the insanity of this increasingly flakey, consumerist culture, and need a regular wakeup call. My one criticism and genuine disagreement with the author is his abandonment of city living as a lost cause. At one time I felt like moving out to his idealic small-town countryside too. I stayed because of the vitality of relationships, my compassionate vibrant neighborhood church, my family in the nearby suburbs. I live within a short biking/walking distance of the beautiful Chicago lakefront, with its miles-long public park system. My tiny backyard (25 x 30')--loaded with veggies, flowers, fruit, etc.-- I call my very very small organic 'farm'. My wife and I only have one car, we walk, bike, bus, and train often. We walk to the corner for milk. We consider the incredible racial diversity of the local parks, schools, and neighborhood a gift to our children, something we never had in white small towns and suburbia. Despite their many charms, diversity is not a hallmark of most small towns, either in the US or, I suspect, in Mate's Tuscany. Instead of bailing on the city, I am committed to making it a little bit better. This can be done through a million small things --community gardens, a church homeless shelter, block parties, consciously knowing and caring for neighbors. Is this easy? No, but it is possible and it is happening. All of this said, I am rereading the book now, and in general I find it to be a great challenge to not cave in to to the culture of consumption and advertising. I need the smack upside the head as much as the next guy. Highly recommended.
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