Book excerpt: Optimism had been a mainstay since the post-World War II days. Few of us expected the economic slowdown would be more than a pause. A SIMPLICITY REVOLUTION: FINDING HAPPINESS IN THE NEW REALITY is a commentary on Americas Boom and Bust decade and the Corporatocracy, that caused it. The book is divided into chapters full of practical advice to assist readers on their personal lifestyle journeys. We now can see that Americas desire to supersize everything was unsustainable. What economists refer to as Americas New Normal, Author Sue Schell calls our New Reality. She writes, After millions of people lost their jobs and some ultimately their homes, we had heightened anxiety over the possibility that Americas best days may be behind us? Would our American Dream survive for future generations? What was to become of the vanishing middle class? Anthropology Professor Dr. Robert Launay, of Northwestern University, penned the forward to the book. He writes, The challenges we are facing are new, and so the solutions and values we forge to meet them must also be new. Here, Sue Schell has hit the nail on the head. A Simple life is not about frugality. It is about living an authentic life that lets you live the life that you dream of living. A life that is rooted not in the stuff you own, but in your relationships with family and friends. This may very well prove to be the silver lining we find in this Great Recession. By M.W. Carlson (U.S.) -Feeling lost and disillusioned after the financial crash and never-ending recession? Maybe you lost your job, or are working at a job you hate? You're not alone. This book helped me sort things out and clarify what's most important for long-term happiness. According to this author, there are four "guideposts" to a simpler life: (1) protect our environment; (2) always be financially responsible; (3) use thoughtful consumption; and (4) community involvement. This all makes perfect sense, you say, yet it does need reinforcement, which author Schell does effectively with her own life stories. You get the feeling she is a person with compassion for others, something we need more of these days. No matter what stage of life you're in, you will benefit from reading this book. It may give you some new ideas about how to approach life, how to get more satisfaction from your life, or it may reinforce what you're already doing. Either way, GET THIS BOOK AND READ IT - you'll feel more hopeful, thoughtful and even peaceful after reading it. It's funny too! You'll enjoy the related quotes from famous historical figures (Thoreau, da Vinci, Confucius, to name a few). After all, simplicity isn't new, but we need to be reminded during these difficult times. By the way, my 80-something-year-old mom read this and liked it too.