The Not So Big Life: Making Room for What Really Matters (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: remodeled life, year end ritual, life remodeling, North Carolina, Big Life (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Have you ever found yourself asking, “Is this all there is to life?” Or wondering if this bigger life you have created is actually a better life? And do you wonder how it all got so out of control?

In her groundbreaking bestseller The Not So Big House, architect Sarah Susanka showed us a new way to inhabit our houses by creating homes that were better–not bigger. Now, in The Not So Big Life, Susanka takes her revolutionary philosophy to another dimension by showing us a new way to inhabit our lives.

Most of us have lives that are as cluttered with unwanted obligations as our attics are cluttered with things. The bigger-is-better idea that triggered the explosion of McMansions has spilled over to give us McLives. For many of us, our ability to find the time to do what we want to do has come to a grinding halt. Now we barely have time to take a breath before making the next call on our cell phone, while at the same time messaging someone else on our Blackberry. Our schedules are chaotic and overcommitted, leaving us so stressed that we are numb, yet we wonder why we cannot fall asleep at night.

In The Not So Big Life, Susanka shows us that it is possible to take our finger off the fast-forward button, and to our surprise we find how effortless and rewarding this change can be. We do not have to lead a monastic life or give up the things we love. In fact, the real joy of leading a not so big life is discovering that the life we love has been there the entire time. Through simple exercises and inspiring stories, Susanka shows us that all we need to do is make small shifts in our day–subtle movements that open our minds as if we were finally opening the windows to let in fresh air.

The Not So Big Life reveals that form and function serve not only architectural aims but life goals as well. Just as we can tear down interior walls to reveal space, we can tear down our fears and assumptions to open up new possibilities. The result is that we quickly discover we have all the space and time we need for the things in our lives that really matter. But perhaps the greatest reward is the discovery that small changes can yield enormous results. In her elegant, clear style, Susanka convinces us that less truly is more–much more.

About the Author

Sarah Susanka is a bestselling author, architect, and cultural visionary. Her “build better, not bigger” approach to residential architecture has been embraced across the country, and her “Not So Big” philosophy has sparked an international dialogue, evolving beyond our houses and into how we inhabit our lives. In addition to sharing her insights with Oprah Winfrey and Charlie Rose, Susanka has been named a “Fast 50” innovator by Fast Company, a “top newsmaker” by Newsweek, and an “innovator in American culture” by U.S. News & World Report. She is a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects and a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council. The author of seven books, Susanka resides in North Carolina. Visit her at www.notsobig.com.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Random House (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400065313
• ISBN-13: 978-1400065318
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #398,437 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Unrealized expectations, July 1, 2007

By	Antonio Vives (Great Falls, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Let me start by acknowledging that I could not finish the book. The expectations that the author raises are very high. By the fifth chapter, we are told the same thing zillions of times: you can slow down and make your life more enjoyable. Repeat, repeat, going nowhere. The premise that you can think about remodeling your life the same way you can a house looks preposterous at first, but it is one most of us can relate to and I though it would work. Unfortunately the book does not deliver. It is full of anecdotes from the author's life, with very little "universal" advice, i.e. advice most can relate to. I pushed myself to read, as I am about to make a move from a big life to a not so big one. Unfortunately the chapter on interpretation of (sleeping) dreams did it. It devalued the whole book for me. Her dream may be reasonable to her, but the use of a dream to make an obscure point and her convoluted and personal interpretation made me think that I was no longer reading a serious book.

57 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Building and constructing a quality life, May 8, 2007

By	B. Alton "lotsoreading" (New England, United States) - See all my reviews

Susanka creates a life for herself with the insight of the sensitive architect that she is. Recommending a notebook to collect thoughts, she instructs the reader go through exercises that will assist him/her with making changes and improving their existance. Take the time to read this book...it is enjoyable, well executed and will make you look at things differently. I recommend this for all ages, teenage, middle-age and older.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Tedious Times Ten, November 12, 2007

By	Lisa Westbrook (CORDOVA, TN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've thoroughly enjoyed Susanka's shelter books, but I'm beginning to think she must have had a heck of a ghostwriter and editor for them. This book's premise is good, but actually trying to get through it is another matter. Ponderous, tedious, just plain boring, all come to mind. Save your time and money. If you want to simplify your life, go clean out a couple of closets instead.