If the Simple Life Speaks to You, Check Out These Books on Minimalism to Learn More

In recent years, minimalism has cropped up as an interesting buzzword to encapsulate anything from a clean, decluttered design aesthetic to a life philosophy of living off the grid. Some may have arrived at the concept through Netflix, by watching organizing shows like Tidying Up With Marie Kondo or Get Organized With The Home Edit or perhaps even the new documentary The Minimalists: Less Is Now.

Minimalism is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity.” It emerged as a conceptual art style in the late 1950s and 1960s through works by painters and sculptors like Frank Stella, Donald Judd, and Agnes Martin, among many others. Many of the artists of this era were influenced by the philosophies of Taoism and Zen Buddhism — most predominantly by their appreciation of space, simplicity, and imperfection.

It may seem a stretch to connect modern minimalism to its midcentury emergence and ancient roots, but the term has no doubt inspired its fair share of bestselling books. To offer a range of perspectives on this topic, we're highlighting some of the most highly reviewed books on minimalism that seek to examine this concept through various lenses: Some are full of life advice and practical tips, others are critical of how minimalism has been co-opted and commercialized, but all of them bring a different take to a term that seemingly anyone who approaches it has a different relationship with.

Here are 10 minimalism books that illustrate the myriad ways of approaching the simple life.