cosmopolitan review

Wanda Urbanska was hailed by The New York Times as a "spokeswoman for the simplicity movement" while O, The Oprah Magazine described her as the Martha Stewart of simplicity. And that, in a nutshell, is the wonder of Urbanska's book. Simplicity and style are compatible.

As host of the PBS series, "Simple Living with Wanda Wanda Urbanska," she acquired a loyal following of admirers who found that her common sense approach to the art of living was not only the perfect argument against the culture of consumerism and waste but also charted a path for a lifestyle that reduced stress and increased everyday pleasures.

In her new book, The Heart of Simple Living, Urbanska synthesizes her twenty years as a simplicity advocate into a few core truths: meaningful work, family, nature and community. And she does this with wit and flair. This is no puritanical screed. If she preaches anything - and preach is definitely not the right word -- it is that life should be a pleasure and for that, you need time to enjoy it.

Meaningful work is a must, something she discovered at age 18 when she wrote a story about Maine Senator Edward Muskie and earned herself a byline in a city newspaper. From that day on, she was resolved that if she had to do something every day, it had to be satisfying.

She considers the demise of slow food and sit-down family dining one of the most serious casualties of modern life. An avid gardener, she is realistic enough to know that not everyone has a single-family house with a garden. Community gardens fill that need for city dwellers, while also providing a link to the life of one's community, which is another element of a well-balanced life.

All this can be achieved by scaling down the clutter while actually living within a budget. And, this kind of living not only enriches the everyday but also leaves time and resources for something special.

Not one to speak from idle speculation, Urbanska lives as she thinks. Last fall, she fulfilled a long-held desire for a sabbatical in her father's homeland, Poland. Divesting herself of the "things" that seem so essential, she packed up a couple of suitcases and went off with her 13-year old son to live in Warsaw, where they are sharing a house with a friend of a friend. She'll be returning this spring, again packing only a couple of suitcases. After all, the friendships, experiences and ideas that she accumulated during her uncluttered stay do not take up much physical space.

And that's the heart of simple living. You can take it wherever you go. CR