Resources

Here is some further resources to go with the themes of this blog. Please note these are not affiliate links, because you know what, fuck Amazon. Support your local library. Each of these recommendations is meaningful to me and offer pieces of the puzzle for creating a life solely defined by ourselves.

Recommended Books

Tao te Ching by Lao Tzu | The first place to start if you’re interested in learning more about Daoism. I enjoy the gentle thoughtfulness of Stephen Mitchell’s translation

Braiding Sweetgrass | Robin Wall Kimmerer cultivates the idea of ‘enoughness’ through indigenous wisdom

A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy | William B Irvine breaks down this ancient philosophy in an easy-to-understand and relatable manner.

Escape Everything | Robert Wringham puts all my thoughts into words but in a more charming, witty, and British way than I do. The bastard. He is also the founder of the Escapology movement, which is very relevant to the Dirtbag Dao.

Vagabonding | One of the OG backpackers of the internet age, Rolf Potts offers a roadmap to travel that is more lifestyle than vacation.

The Pathless Path | Paul Millerd shares how he created an intentional life and helps others reframe their thinking about what life should be.

How to Be Idle | My favorite ‘lazy’ Englishman, Tom Hodgkinson, will teach you all about the much-neglected fine art of doing nothing.

FIRE: Financial Independence, Retire Early

Simple living is a goal in and of itself, but if you’re trying to achieve financial freedom through frugality, here are some of the most distinguished FIRE experts who break down the numbers in easy-to-understand ways:

The Simple Path to Wealth by J.L Collins | This book is basically the 101 guide to investing - smartly, simply, and efficiently.

How to Retire Early on a Fixed Chunk of Money | Mr. Money Mustache is probably the biggest name in the FIRE community and has a wealth of wisdom about lifestyle design and financial freedom. This post is great for technical number-crunching.

You’re Closer to Retirement Than You Think | Millennial Revolution is run by two retired engineers who are great at breaking down the nitty-gritty of savings, budgets, and different levels of income.

Our Plan | Tanja at Our Next Life lays out a sample early financial retirement plan with comprehensive charts.

Extreme Lifestyles

Our standard of living is all relative to one another- my frugal living might be ridiculous deprivation to a wealthy, hyper-consumer in the US or the lap of luxury to someone in a developing country. But here are a couple of examples of people truly rejecting the value of money in favor of principle and clarity.

The Man Who Quit Money by Mark Sudeen | Daniel Suelo shows that it’s possible to exist in modern society without using money at all.

Robin Greenfield | Robin is an activist dedicated to creating a more sustainable world.

The Moneyless Man & The Way Home | Mark Boyle is an Irish writer who documented his years living without money and without modern technology.