When Voluntary Simplicity was first published in 1981, it quickly became recognized as a powerful and visionary work in the emerging dialogue over sustainable ways of living. Nearly three decades later, as the planet's environmental stresses become more urgent than ever, Duane Elgin has revised and updated his revolutionary book.

Voluntary Simplicity is not about living in poverty; it is about living with balance. This book illuminates the pattern of changes that an increasing number of people around the world are making in their everyday lives—adjustments in day-to-day living that are an active, positive response to the complex dilemmas of our time. By embracing a lifeway of voluntary simplicity—characterized by ecological awareness, frugal consumption, and personal growth—people can change their lives. And in the process, they have the power to change the world.