The Not So Big Life. Making Room for What Really Matters

Customer Reviews

not so big, not so much

2008-06-10
I LOVE the Not So Big House books - I have purchased all of them. I saw "The Not So Big Life" at our public library and took it home, and am I glad I borrowed and didn't purchase it. I enjoy the writing style and outlook of her architectural style books, but unfortunately this book is lacking in practical method in simplifying your life, which is what I expected from the title. It makes annoying assumptions that the reader has the luxury (as obviously the author has) to step back from the real world. Making copious lists of life experiences and their effect on my psyche doesn't do it for me. I tried several times to read it from the beginning, to "flip through," to try and find chapters that applied to me, with no luck. Some reviewers say the book worked for them, but I highly encourage you to check it out at your local library before placing your order.

Buy This Book!

2008-04-14
Incredible! No one should ever build a house without reading this book and the whole series of her books.....it is simply amazing the insight provided .....she sees things at a completely different level; things that are hidden to the rest of us. If you are not building a house this is a great book about life. Will save you thousands of dollars in wasted $ and will insure that you build not just a house but a home!.

Slow writing and few new insights make for a book that is worth reading, but not worth buying

2008-02-23
I got this book from a friend who knows how VERY much I enjoy Susanka's Not So Big House books. I also love reading books about how to improve myself and my life, so this seemed at first glance like it'd be perfect for me.

Unfortunately, since I have read a few self-improvement books, I didn't find anything truly new and helpful here. I appreciate that Susanka is trying to draw in an audience that might not normally buy self-help books, but her writing pace here is slow, lacks passion, and didn't get me fired up to do even the things that I already thought were a good idea. (I think a good editor might have made all the difference here, unfortunately the editor didn't edit much.)

Don't get me wrong, the book is not without value; but for me, growing up with a new-age mom, excited all my life about reading books that help me make the most of myself - I didn't find anything truly new here, and it wasn't presented in a fashion that made up for its lack of newness.

At the end of the book I had three bookmarks in it - one for a quote that showed the importance of our surroundings to our inner life, and two for points that Susanka made that I felt were new takes on old subjects. But overall, I didn't get the cover price in value out of this. Not that I am bitter, the Not So Big House book that I own is falling apart at the seams from use, so I owe the author a debt of gratitude there.

Great book

2008-02-17
This was a great book. I really enjoyed it but you have to be ready for it. I can see that it could be frustrating if you aren't able to take it slowly or are in for a quick fix. Let the ideas in each chapter digest for a while before moving on. Also, I got the book on tape in addition to the paperback so that I could listen when I was in the car. Most people that read this book are too busy, that's why they bought it! Sometimes the worst ones for not making time to read. The audio version kills that excuse!

The arrogance is off-putting

2008-02-12
There are actually some interesting and helpful ideas in this book. But I found the author's naivety and arrogance quite off-putting. She seems to think that everyone should follow the same steps she has taken on her own quite recent spiritual path in order to utterly transform one's life. She draws heavily on the Buddhist principles of mindfulness and meditation but presents these ideas almost as if she was the first one to discover them. Otherwise, it's a hodgepodge of her own various tools and insights, such as a simplified presentation of dream analysis and various kinds of visualization. So read it if you're interested in knowing what has worked for her; but beware that the premise of the book is that what worked for her should be a blueprint for everyone else.

A Sustainable Metaphor

2008-01-17
Have you ever found yourself asking, “How did my life get so out of control?” Or wondering if this bigger life you have created is actually a better life?

Most of us have lives that are as cluttered with unwanted obligations as our attics are cluttered with things. The bigger-is-better idea that triggered the explosion of McMansions has spilled over to give us McLives–leaving us with chaotic, overcommitted schedules and no time to do what we want to do.

In The Not So Big Life, architect Sarah Susanka expands her revolutionary philosophy on inhabiting space to show us how to better inhabit our lives. Through simple exercises and inspiring stories, Susanka reveals that all we need to do is make small shifts in our day–subtle movements that open our minds as if we were opening windows to let in fresh air. The result: We quickly discover that we have all the space and time we need for the things in our lives that really matter. These small changes can yield great rewards. In her elegant, clear style, Susanka convinces us that less is truly more–much more.

Tedious Times Ten

2007-11-13
I've thoroughly enjoyed Susanka's shelter books, but I'm beginning to think she must have had a heck of a ghostwriter and editor for them. This book's premise is good, but actually trying to get through it is another matter. Ponderous, tedious, just plain boring, all come to mind. Save your time and money. If you want to simplify your life, go clean out a couple of closets instead.

the not so big life

2007-09-23
This book is outstanding. It made me look at my life in a whole new way and I have made some very positive changes since reading it. It made me think!

The Not So Big Life:Making Room for What Really Matters

2007-07-03
This book gives a fresh self-audit of what is really important in our lives. Great gift book.
It makes a great companion to her house books.

Unrealized expectations

2007-07-01
Let me start by acknowledging that I could not finish the book. The expectations that the author raises are very high. By the fifth chapter, we are told the same thing zillions of times: you can slow down and make your life more enjoyable. Repeat, repeat, going nowhere. The premise that you can think about remodeling your life the same way you can a house looks preposterous at first, but it is one most of us can relate to and I though it would work. Unfortunately the book does not deliver. It is full of anecdotes from the author's life, with very little "universal" advice, i.e. advice most can relate to. I pushed myself to read, as I am about to make a move from a big life to a not so big one. Unfortunately the chapter on interpretation of (sleeping) dreams did it. It devalued the whole book for me. Her dream may be reasonable to her, but the use of a dream to make an obscure point and her convoluted and personal interpretation made me think that I was no longer reading a serious book.