A review by meraval
The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store by Cait Flanders

slow-paced

2.0

Not trying to offend, everyone has their vices, but the author obviously has problems controlling her impulses. Throughout her life, this seems to have manifested itself in binge-drinking, binge-eating, binge-watching and binge-shopping. I find interesting how the author manages to reign in one behaviour after the other, which is commendable. If you are someone who has a similar struggle, I think this book could be good for you, but it won't really help you in finding a solution the problem, but rather companionship. I can't really relate though, I would describe myself as someone who doesn't indulge enough and can be too stingy about buying things for myself. 

The whole book felt more like a long diary about a year in the author's life, than about the topic of shopping addiction. Many topics got more attention, than the title and description would lead you to think, for example her (past) addiction to alcohol as well as a loooong section about the divorce of her parents. All in all it felt like padding the length, instead of getting to the point. Maybe that was a case of binge-writing...