At the beginning of the book Kate recounts her favourite holiday in the South of France some years previous. In which she stayed in a log cabin with very basic facilities and no technology. Totally isolated, with time to walk, swim in the lake, read, sleep and eat delicious food collected from the local market. Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Kate raises several thought-provoking questions and challenges us to think about what are the simple things in life? There were a number of good quotes that I have taken on board for myself, some of which I’ve added to this post.

If there is one thing that most of us aspire to, it is, simply, to be happy. And yet attaining happiness has become, it appears, anything but simple. Having stuff - The Latest, The Newest, The Best Yet - is all too often peddled as the sure fire route to happiness. So why then, in our consumer-driven society, is depression, stress and anxiety ever more common, affecting every strata of society and every age, even, worryingly, the very young? In a world that’s strange, unsettling and not a little mad, joy, happiness, just feeling better about ourselves, our world, our future, being able to take a breath, are all vital and Kate Humble’s book is a precious guide to helping us achieve all that.

My Book Notes

She’s the poster girl for good, clean country living, but don’t befooled by the wholesome image. Kate Humble tells Francesca Babbwhat makes her happy – and what makes her really lose it.

Ms Humble is a well-known wildlife (Springwatch) and occasionally farming TV presenter (Lambing Live). She's also done her time as president of the RSPB, the UK's equivalent of the Audubon Society. This means she has gravitas while still being bubbly and enthusiastic, with a delightful girl-next-door aura. She talks well and she writes well. She captures the countryside and her subject matter so that you accompany her on her journeying.She shares her own experiences with decluttering especially how we can throw ourselves into a task like this to soon be followed by being surrounded by a big pile of mess and wondering what have I got myself into! But by breaking things down into a drawer or room at a time, it can make sorting out so much more achievable and less overwhelming. Before I started listening to this, I vaguely liked Kate Humble, but had no strong feelings either way. However, having got through the story to the end, I find myself deliberately avoiding watching anything on TV with her in it.

Don’t you just hate blurbs which start with soundbites from celebrity reviewers? Possibly even colleagues? Fortunately the netgalley blurb put them last, I think. Or else I was so taken with the idea of Kate Humble living simply and telling us what her inner responses were, that I ignored them. It seems people are as fascinated by Kateas she is by them. I bring up her status as a bitof a sex symbol, to which she absolutelyscreams with laughter. ‘Are you thinking of adifferent Kate?’ she guffaws. ‘That’s hilarious.I smell of pig s***! How does that work withbeing a sex symbol? I’m now of the age wherequite handsome slightly younger men will comeup and say my dad really fancies you, somaybe I’m a sex symbol for people who are 80or above and who can’t really see any more. Ademographic? Well, you could call it that – thederanged and desperate, possibly. I think Ludowould be in hysterics at the thought of mebeing a sex symbol – as am I!’

A Year of Living Simply

At this point I was mildly disappointed with the book. I was expecting to read more about de-cluttering her life, making simple swaps as well as money savings ideas as ultimately Kate was advocating living debt free. I’d still like to see any city/suburban working mums with kids under ten who can’t disappear off to the country and home-school them take up any of these ideas (other than an allotment). Now that would be a book worth reading*.