Recently I got very into Kate Humble’s television series Twice the Life for Half the Price. The premise is that families living in urban environments seek out a life in the country that delivers less of the stress of modern life and more of life on the land, for less money or at least relatively less for what they have in return. What distinguishes this programme from others about escaping to the country is that the lives they seek out are real and authentic country lives, rather than chocolate box versions bought out of their appreciated London assets and healthy pension pots. As a result the programme is both more accessible and more satisfying.

In her writing Kate continues to focus on practical realism (albeit wrapped in a snug duvet of her trademark kindness and positivity) as she seeks to understand different facets of living a “simpler life” and relate them to her own situation. As always the first hurdle with such books is to overcome the distinction between simple and easy. Simplicity is about a lower resource intensity, which in turn means a greater reliance on the self, both technically and physically. So a simpler life requires harder work, but the pay back is that the work has meaning. The second “myth” of a simpler life is, I believe, that of self-sufficiency, as everything I have learnt in my own small experiments is that a simpler, less resource intensive, lifestyle is absolutely reliant on other people in community.

Early on in the book the author visits Satish Kumar and he neatly sums up a key problem that we face as a society when he says: “It’s innate. It’s intrinsic to human nature. Our hands are made to make. But our society and the way we educate our children dismisses manual labour – it is only for those who have failed, who are not intellectually up to doing anything else. And because of this attitude, instead of being a society of makers we are a society of consumers, dependent on buying everything we need and easily swayed into buying so much we don’t.”

By the end, having visited a range of fascinating people all doing very different and creative things to move towards more sustainable and rewarding ways of living, she turns to an ancient voice to sum up her findings quoting Confucius (possibly internet meme Confucius rather than the actual person), “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” We are beholden to the notion of progress, but it seems that sometimes we don’t stop to question what that actually means. Too often progress is defined as bigger and more, but with a little more reflection we might learn to see that the progress we need now, having over-shot our limits to a catastrophic level, is smaller and less.

It is not just the ecological breakdown that we are witnessing that tells us we need to pause for a while and re-think. Rising mental health problems should also give us an indication that we are losing our way. Perhaps the biggest question though is how we manage to do that reflection and make those changes collectively. It feels like we have rarely been so divided as people, whether economically, socially or virtually any other potential line of difference you can think of. Are we capable of cohesive thought and action at this crucial time? Maybe that’s where smaller and less really comes to its own solution, through localised relationships and communities. When big has been the problem for so long, looking for the big solution is perhaps futile.

If that is the case then there is hope contained in this book. Groups of people across the globe are creatively carving out space for lifestyles that value both people and planet and may guide us to a more balanced relationship with the world. It can be depressing to watch news, hear politicians or become bogged down in the miasma of social media, so we have to manage our sources of information and the stories that we prioritise. In A Year of Living Simply Kate Humble tells some stories that are worth investing in and can help us to begin to plot a course for our own journey of experimentation.

This book is an ideal read for the current circumstances. Lots of interesting anecdotes and information about how to declutter your life both physically and mentally..

A Year of Living Simply opens with Kate writing about the bereavements that she suffered quite close together and the realisation that she just need to re-connect with nature and to live a much simpler life. We follow her over a year as she meets with various people who are all living more simply and she takes inspiration and ideas from all of them.

I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw the title as it just feels with all the anxiety around world events at the moment that making life as simple as it can be is the way to go. A Year of Living Simply was written before the pandemic so isn’t about that but so much of what Kate writes about could be written about what a lot of us have learnt in recent months, about the things that really matter to us.

I knew I was going to love this book when I realised that what set Kate off on her journey was the loss of her father. I immediately identified with the urge to make changes in your life when you lost a parent, I was the same when my mum died. Kate starts by attempting to declutter cupboards in her house and I loved reading about that. As you may know I finally decluttered my house a couple of years ago and it has changed my life, it’s so much easier when you have less stuff.

Through the book Kate meets with people who build and live in self-sustaining eco homes, which was fascinating. The homes sound so beautiful and I could really imagine what they must be like to live in. She also meets a woman who set up a cafe that combines grabbing a coffee with having household items repaired, or being taught to repair your own belongings. This really was interesting and I wish there were more of these cafes around the country (and the world). I hate how much we throw away simply because we don’t know how to repair things or because it’s cheaper to buy a new one.

I loved reading about Kate’s attempts to start her own vegetable garden. I really appreciated that she shared her failures as well as successes, it made this book very down to earth. I have only attempted to grow vegetables once and it was a disaster as I had no real idea what I was doing. Kate has made me see that with a bit of research and persistence that I could get there if I tried again.

The book is written in such a way that feels so inclusive – it’s one woman’s journey to discover a simpler life but she absolutely brings you along with her. I loved that about it – Kate’s writing is really lovely.

A Year of Living Simply is a gorgeous book. It’s both soothing to read and also a book that will inspire you to think about how to make your own life simpler and to focus on the things that really matter to you. This book is perfect for anyone and I will definitely be buying copies for Christmas gifts this year! I highly recommend this one!

A YEAR OF LIVING SIMPLY

by

Kate Humble

A glimpse of the real life of the lovely Hate Humble in this journal reveals that she is exactly as she appears in the media. Her happy outlook on life is well documented as she works in her garden and her home, spends relaxing holidays enjoying the countryside and walking with her dogs. An environmentalist who wants the best for us all, the country and the world, this little book reveals that the writer really does practise what she preaches
A dip in and out book, rather than a move, this is a feel good book that certainly endeared the writer to me. Humble by name and by nature, I definitely related to her struggling with anything involving stitching. But not one to give up, Kate Humble will face up to any challenge. On learning of ‘Earthships’ she is immediately interested and is soon off to South America for a hands on experience helping to build these homes from rejected material and rubbish. She succeeds in making ‘glass bricks, build walls from old tyres, and enthuses about the wonderful insulation in the created buildings. Her reservations regarding the use of cement are revealing.
An enjoyable relaxing read, a feel good book, where a well known person encounters the same every day problems in the garden and the home as the rest of us do. There are plenty of simple tips on how to overcome the daily tasks and problems that occur in daily life.
An ideal book to pick up at the end of the day, guaranteed to leave the reader smiling and relaxed. Kate Humble is a lovely friendly, genuine person and this journal of a year in her life will endorse that impression of genuine honesty and kindness.
This book would be ideal for a Christmas present.

I really enjoyed this book - it was easy to follow and gave lots of interesting examples and suggestions of how to live a more simple but fulfilling life. Kate writes in a very personable style and you feel as though as you are having a chat and a cuppa with her as she talks about her amazing and varied experiences.

My only criticism would be perhaps these ideas aren't accessible to all - you would need a fairly large garden to grow fruit and vegetables and we don't all have 4 hours in the day to fix the toaster when it breaks instead of getting a new one! But some nice ideas and perhaps a good starting point to inspire people to curate ideas of their own.

I loved this book so much its such a refreshing book to read at the moment during the COVID 19 and it was lovely to hear all about kates life and adventures and all the people she has come across, This book comes across Just as Kate does on the TV full of Life.

I would recommend this book..

With thanks to Netgalley & Octopus Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for this review.

3.5 stars

I chose this book as I really enjoy Kate’s enthusiasm as a TV presenter. This comes through in the book and you find yourself reading it in her voice. I admire the intent to live a simple life, something many of us strive for but fall short. It’s full of anecdotes and stories of friends who have done this. In a way, however, it takes a back seat and watches. It’s a fine line between inspirational and preachy and I felt it crossed the line a time or two. I also found it ironic that, in wishing to live an environmentally friendly life, impacting as little as possible on the world’s resources, one would fly to Albuquerque to research (and hep). Having said that, it’s a gentle and interesting read.

This book is like a big, warm hug - it manages to put across some of the vital themes we should all be addressing to ensure a future for our planet, but extols the joy to be found in living more simply and cutting down on the things we all see as essential, but are really not necessary at all. The people Kate Humble meets, the ideas she shares with them, her own experiences and the extraordinary beauty of our planet (and of her own small part of it) are all conveyed with honesty and a refreshing lack of pretension or preaching. Savour this book, and if everyone who reads it takes on even one of Kate’s ideas, the world will be a better place.

This book was a delight to read. I loved Kate Humble’s humorous writing style. It is very apt that this book is coming out now. The idea of living more simply is one a lot of us think about. There is a lot of good ideas in this book and stories about the people Kate has met whilst researching ways to live a simpler life.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A wonderful book ,Kate Humble writes such wonderful words she takes the reader with her as she explores all aspects of simple living .one of my very favourite books .

I enjoyed this start to end. Katie has an easy, natural style much like her presenting. Her anecdotes and tales are easy to read and helpful. Her suggestions were attainable and adaptable to most lifestyles, and as encouraging and they were enjoyable to read.

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic that has caused poverty, unemployment and growing levels of anxiety around the world I felt this book was a bit frivolous and badly timed. Kate comes across as a lovely person but I couldn't relate to her point of view.

Kate Humble takes us on an inner and outer journey of living a less cluttered and more satisfying life in every way. This story of seeking to live more simply may be deeply personal but its wisdom is universally applicable to us all. Her words tread lightly, full of warmth, passion and charm, yet they leave a great imprint in our hearts.

Through diverse experiences, such as: foraging, forest living, building an eco-friendly Earthship home, productive gardening and bread making, whether relishing fresh melons, savouring chilli jam or eating Marmite on toast, the author encourages us to live thoughtfully and reminds us to take note of the small, prosaic things of life that nurture our souls.

We are taken on a journey of discovery to places we might never get to visit. We’re also dropped straight into our ordinary existence and get to see how wonder-filled it actually is. Here you will find evocative nature writing sprinkled with delightful, humorous anecdotes, and several inspiring stories of the experts who willingly teach her new skills along the way.

This is a rattling good read and a refreshingly open account of one woman’s great desire to simplify her life while not resorting to asceticism or living a colourless or joyless kind of existence. On the contrary, we are encouraged to retain what we love, and live our best carefully curated lives, while respecting the environment. Grateful thanks to the author, Octopus Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Warm wonderful read the author draws you into her world her life .her suggestions for making life happier easier .From the opening pages I enjoyed getting to know Kate Humble she is like a dear friend with a warm fun loving personality who brings you into her life with open arms.So many wonderful suggestions her lovely friends a book to relax grab a cup of tea and enjoy.#netgalley #octopuspublishing

A charming and well-written collections of anecdotes about Kate Humble's exploration of living a rural life, complete with some great memories of places and people that will stay with you.
There is a nice balance between her passion for saving the planet and the minutiae of learning new skills as an adult trying to make a go of rural life.
Most people can already bake bread, use a sewing machine and tidy their own cupboards without coaching - but it is fun to read about someone else's experiences.
This is for anyone looking for practical advice about how to transform their daily life. The emphasis is on mindset and intention. We can't all have a farm in Wales and a french lakeside retreat.
But the recipe for chilli jam sounds easy and delicious.

Loved this book from cover to cover. Resourceful, innovative and humorous. A great read for a budding gardener like myself. It made me look at the land and our planet in a more pro-active way. Highly recommended.

Full of warmth like snuggling up in a warm duvet.
Lots of wonderful anecdotes.
Makes you really feel that you are there looking through her eyes!
A book that can be read and read over again