The authors (husband and wife) were living the "American Dream" life in greater Seattle in 1987.  Both were college-educated, had great high paying careers, owned two late model cards, a house, a boat, both took expensive jaunts to Hawaii and Australia, their kids had tutors and music lessons . and the list goes on and on.  They were enjoying life as best they could.

But they weren't happy.  This high standard of living became a prison of sorts, and the happiness they sought from ever increasing doses of consumption became less and less.

Quite by accident, they stumbled across an audiocassette program which later became the book "Your Money or Your Life", and it transformed them.  That was in 1991.  By 1993 David ended his employment and Jacqueline returned to college for a doctorate degree which she completed in 1995.  The house and all the toys were sold off, they moved to a one-bedroom apartment.  Later they bought a townhouse (for cash) so they could have more space for an office.

Their book is really a sequel of sorts to "Your Money or Your Life".  It's about them personally and about perhaps 25 other families, they interview who were in some form of embracing the message of a simpler life.  Their message would best be expressed as "less is more".  By throwing in the towel on consumption, they were able to free themselves from a rat race-type of existence, and move over to the slow lane, where they are financially free and very happy they made the decision.

I would not walk the same path they chose.  Each person decides what is important to them, and they make it very clear that there are many different roads to simplicity.  Some continue to work, some continue to own a large home, there is no single formula for all.

I chose this book for your consideration because the authors were able to reach their financial freedom day simply by redefining their values based on their needs rather than the needs they were expected to have.  And, at least according to what we are told to believe, they had it all.  And they weren't real happy.  Today they have much less, but they are financially set for life.  And for them, that's the prize.

That makes sense to me.