The Longing for Less: Living with Minimalism

The Longing for Less: Living with Minimalism is an interesting read for both what it is and what it isn’t. It isn’t a how-to manual for practicing minimalism. It isn’t a critique of minimalism. It isn’t a lament about where minimalism went wrong. It involves all of these, but also digs into the heart of what minimalism is meant to be, at its core, and reveals this to the reader in a beautiful and spare way, much in the spirit of minimalism itself. It examines the historical context of the movement as well as key figures involved and the core tenets of what people believe minimalism involves. Chayka looks beyond the appealing emptiness of a kitchen counter and instead exposes the origins of our longing for less clutter in our lives and the drive to achieve that. Instead of emptiness, Chayka looks at what humans are really looking for in minimalism and the ways in which they seek to fill space. This is a powerful voice in the minimalist movement and a beautiful, insightful title.