Things That Matter (2022) by Joshua Becker

Recommended as a read as I was sharing online the trials and tribulations that currently make up life, I initially hesitated to pick up this book because I felt like I knew what I was getting myself into. Written by one of the handful of people who have become popular online for touting the minimalism lifestyle, I often find the content published by such figures to be well intentioned but overly simple and filled with nothing but buzz words. I was hoping for something different this time around. What I received was more of the same. Not that I’m above this type of book, or can’t use a regular reminder. My issues is that I find books like this rely too heavily on story-after-story of people who have a problem and overcome it and then try to provide insights into why they were successful. The truth is, trying to generalize the successes of others without taking a broad view is next too impossible, and when only success stories are shares a false impression is provided that beyond can overcome every situation if you follow a few basic steps. I get the purpose of the book and that there’s an audience. For me, I’m over this dime-a-dozen writing and looking for something more.

• recommended by Jodi Simpson