I hope you know by now that if I tell you I reeeeeeally think you should read a book, I MEAN IT. I can think of a couple times in the past where I felt pressured to recommend a book that I didn’t really LOVE, but no more. If I go on and on about something, it’s heartfelt and it rocked my world in a big way.

Consumer Detox. Amazing book. I’ve read it twice in the past month. And no one’s paying me to say good things about it (I did get a free book from the publisher, but I get a million free books from publishers and don’t really enjoy 90% of them).

In a nutshell, this book is “a three-part journey from a lifestyle dominated by consumerism to a richer, simpler, more generous life. This book isn’t about living a smaller life but having a bigger vision, helping you become everything you were made to be.”

Holy cow. Can I steal that and plaster it across my blog header??

I don’t have the time to write out the eloquent, thoughtful review it deserves, so I’m just going to highlight some of my favorite quotes from just the first chapter alone.

For starters, consumerism is unsustainable. If everyone in the world adopted a Western lifestyle, we would need at least two planets to resource it, and possibly five. This is bad ecology but even worse math. We don’t have two planets. Which means I’m living a lifestyle that can’t be made available to all. (18)

And just so you know he’s not a killjoy and has a great sense of humor,

I need to say right now that the rich countries of the world probably do consume too much ice cream and definitely should invest more in clean water for all. But the stats are never as straightforward as they seem. And a comparison approach can easily lead to an impossible burden of guilt (“This is a great day out we’re having–and what a lovely park! Would anybody like an ice cream, WHILE THE POOR CHILDREN OF THE WORLD SUFFER AND DIE?!”). (22)

I’m looking for a way forward. I want to know how to live within the system but without it dominating my life. I want my consuming to become creative, shaping the economy instead of being shaped by it. (23)

Less stuff, more life. (26)

What are you waiting for? Go get the book at the library. Or buy it. Or answer the following question and be entered to win one of two copies I’m giving away.

Do you solemnly swear to read this book, the whole book, if you should be so fortunate to win a free copy on this here blog? If so, answer “I do.”