Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought this book after hearing a discussion with the author on public radio on March 8, 2006. If it is still up on the NPR site, I would strongly advise listening to a partial or full transcript of that show. It will help you make a decision to buy this book and whether it meets your needs [...] In the interview, the author not only discusses her experiences, refusing to buy her usual daily latte, to make do with an old, used truck and to (ouch!) even give up her book buying habit. In short, if it wasn't absolutely necessary, it wasn't a purchase. She also discusses larger political views about consumerism in our culture and this, perhaps, is what is upsetting so many readers. She speaks of achieving balance, of deciding whether an ephemeral object is more important than devoting one's time and money towards larger pursuits, such as improving the school system or contributing to safer parks and neighborhoods or...whatever. I think that maybe some readers were disappointed because they wanted a "how to" book rather than an exploration of consumerism and one woman's very individual experience. The book provides food for thought, a beginning step in a process rather than an absolute program. Those looking for absolutes should get a "how to" book. This wasn't an easy process for Ms. Levine. Like so many of us, she had deeply entrenched habits and some seemingly minor daily purchases that were nearly automatic. Changing habits was far more difficult than she could have foreseen. The author speaks of "unexpected longings" which she felt, longings that could be so easily focused or symbolized by objects or purchases. A new handbag may be simply a practical way to carry one's money and some tissues or it can carry meanings far beyond the obvious, including the desire to be seen as a person with "taste", buying nice items and avoiding the cheap, the apparently tacky. Certain brands may smack of taste, style and reflect an image. They affect our very identify and sense of self...that's a LOT of emotional baggage to put on a specific object and yet, without those extra layers of meaning, how many expensive consumer items would actually sell? Shopaholics should definitely buy this book. It may not cause them to completely revise their habits but they may well become more conscious of their motivations. I will admit up front that I LOVED the book. It was more than an exploration of consumerism but of certain assumptions about "the better life" and what items constitute our viewpoints about ourself and reflect our values. Why do we surround ourselves with the possessions we have? Why do we buy the homes we do? Why do we spend far more than we really need to? Yes, as some critics here have pointed out, the author has a political agenda and, yes, it is admittedly on the liberal side. If that bothers you, do not buy this book. This book is about making you THINK about your values, what motivates you to shop and buy what you do. It will help you reconsider both your conscious and subconscious motivations for doing so. However, if you are looking for a HOW TO book, a guide to getting you out of debt or a program for saving money, don't expect this book to provide that structure. It isn't about that. It is simply one woman's experience (and experiment) with trying to do without for a year, as much as possible. It touches upon greater political and social issues and how our choices affect the world, not just our personal lives.