Epicurean Simplicity

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Nature, Environment, Ecology, Environmental Conservation & Protection
Cover of the book Epicurean Simplicity by Stephanie Mills, Island Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Stephanie Mills ISBN: 9781610912419
Publisher: Island Press Publication: June 22, 2012
Imprint: Island Press Language: English
Author: Stephanie Mills
ISBN: 9781610912419
Publisher: Island Press
Publication: June 22, 2012
Imprint: Island Press
Language: English

"In this book, I relate the pleasures, as well as the virtues and difficulties of a perhaps simpler than average North American life." So begins ecological thinker and writer Stephanie Mills's Epicurean Simplicity, a thoughtful paean to living, like Thoreau, a deliberate life.

Mills's account of the simple life reaches deep into classical sources of pleasure -- good food, good health, good friends, and particularly the endless delights of the natural world. Her musings about the life she desires -- and the life she has created -- ultimately led her to the third century Greek philosopher Epicurus, whose philosophy was premised on the trustworthiness of the senses, a philosophy that Mills wholeheartedly embraces. While later centuries have come to associate Epicurus's name with hedonism, Mills discovered that he extolled simplicity and prudence as the surest means to pleasure, and his thinking offers an important philosophical touchstone for the book. An overarching theme is the destructiveness of consumerism, and how even a simple life affects a wide range of organisms and adds strain to the earth's systems. The author uses her own experience as an entry point to the discussion with a self-effacing humor and lyrical prose that bring big topics to a personal level.

Epicurean Simplicity is beautifully crafted, fluid, inspiring, and enlightening, examining topics of critical importance that affect us all. It celebrates the pleasures, beauty, and fulfillmof a simple life, a goal being sought by Americans from all walks of life, from harried single parents to corporate CEOs. For fans of natural history or personal narrative, for those concerned about social justice and the environment, and for those who have come to know and love Stephanie Mills through her speaking and writing, Epicurean Simplicity is a rare treasure.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

"In this book, I relate the pleasures, as well as the virtues and difficulties of a perhaps simpler than average North American life." So begins ecological thinker and writer Stephanie Mills's Epicurean Simplicity, a thoughtful paean to living, like Thoreau, a deliberate life.

Mills's account of the simple life reaches deep into classical sources of pleasure -- good food, good health, good friends, and particularly the endless delights of the natural world. Her musings about the life she desires -- and the life she has created -- ultimately led her to the third century Greek philosopher Epicurus, whose philosophy was premised on the trustworthiness of the senses, a philosophy that Mills wholeheartedly embraces. While later centuries have come to associate Epicurus's name with hedonism, Mills discovered that he extolled simplicity and prudence as the surest means to pleasure, and his thinking offers an important philosophical touchstone for the book. An overarching theme is the destructiveness of consumerism, and how even a simple life affects a wide range of organisms and adds strain to the earth's systems. The author uses her own experience as an entry point to the discussion with a self-effacing humor and lyrical prose that bring big topics to a personal level.

Epicurean Simplicity is beautifully crafted, fluid, inspiring, and enlightening, examining topics of critical importance that affect us all. It celebrates the pleasures, beauty, and fulfillmof a simple life, a goal being sought by Americans from all walks of life, from harried single parents to corporate CEOs. For fans of natural history or personal narrative, for those concerned about social justice and the environment, and for those who have come to know and love Stephanie Mills through her speaking and writing, Epicurean Simplicity is a rare treasure.

More books from Island Press

Cover of the book The World's Water 2004-2005 by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book Coastal Waters of the World by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book A Guide for Desert and Dryland Restoration by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book Climate Savvy by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book The New Agrarianism by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book Food from the Radical Center by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book A Plague of Rats and Rubbervines by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book Green at Work by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book In the Thick of It by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book Public Produce by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book Ignition by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book Transportation and Sustainable Campus Communities by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book Limit of Vision by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book Consumption, Population, and Sustainability by Stephanie Mills
Cover of the book The Restoring Ecological Health to Your Land Workbook by Stephanie Mills
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy