I read a lot of e-books. It comes with the territory of being a blogger. People like to send me their e-book hoping I’ll like it and mention it on The Simpler Life. The vast majority of what I’m sent I accept politely, skim, and never look at again.

Every once in awhile I’ll be sent something that makes me think. These are the e-books that I’ll thoroughly read, digest, and share with all of you. The list you’ll find below are the best of the best. These are the e-books I have used, and still use, as resources in my own life.

If you decide to purchase any of these e-books through a link on this page, I’ll make a small percentage on the sale. I only recommend excellent products. I value my time and your time far too much to waste it trying to con you into buying crappy e-books.

Premium Resources

Minimalism & Simplicity

I’ve been living as a minimalist since 2008. I started very slowly and gradually built up to the point where I have very, very few personal possessions. I love the sense of freedom that I have to focus on work that matters to me and not trying to make ends meet or buying the next latest and greatest gadget. These are the e-books that guided me along my journey, and continue to do so today.

The Art of Being Minimalist by Everett Bogue
This was the first e-book I ever read about living a minimalist lifestyle. It opened my eyes to a lot of great ideas while making minimalism seem like the answer to all my problems. Everett has a great writing style and the design is beautiful. This is still my favorite introductory e-book to living as a minimalist. You can purchase the book here, or read my full review by clicking here.

The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life by Leo Babauta
After reading The Art of Being Minimalist I decided to seek out other resources to help me begin living more minimally. Leo is the author of my favorite blog, Zen Habits, and he released this e-book shortly after I began my search. Like Everett’s, it is a wonderful introduction to living as a minimalist in a world that is less than inviting to that lifestyle. You may purchase the book by clicking here.

Zen to Done: The Simple Productivity E-Book by Leo Babauta
One of the things that attracted me to minimalism was that it could be applied to almost every aspect of life. Obviously it has ramifications for physical belongings, but I was excited to begin applying the principles to my productivity. This e-book from Leo is a great primer in simplifying and minimizing how you go about getting work done. Click here to get your copy.

Inside-Out Simplicity by Joshua Becker
This is the second e-book that Joshua wrote and I think the best description of why simplifying is so important. Joshua doesn’t focus on the nuts and bolts aspect of decluttering or living with less physical belongings. Instead, he looks at the larger picture of living simpler within ourselves. Morality, spirituality, and relationships are the domain of this book. It remains my all-time favorite e-book. You can read my full review by clicking here, or go ahead and purchase the book by clicking here.

Simplify by Joshua Becker
Joshua’s first e-book focuses more on providing an introduction toward living a simpler life. Like The Art of Being Minimalist and The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life, Simplify aims to educate you about the advantages of living simply and how to go about getting there. If you read these three e-books, you will have an excellent primer into what it means, and how to go about, living minimally. Click here to purchase the book, or here to read my full review.

Simply Car-Free by Tammy Strobel
This e-book takes a much more specific aspect of living as a minimalist, living without a car, and makes it into a very accessible and enjoyable e-book. Tammy advocates living car free if possible, or at least “car-lite”. The connection between the idea of living without a car and living a responsible, conscious, and minimal life is made explicitly and convincingly. Reading this e-book will give you a lot of ideas of how to improve your life, even if you can’t get rid of your car right now. Click here to learn more about Simply Car Free.

Sell Your Crap by Adam Baker
Adam takes you through the step-by-step process of effectively using eBay, Craigslist and Amazon to sell the “crap” you have laying around your house. This is the most complete e-book I’ve ever read with tons and tons of detailed pictures, guides, and walkthroughs to help you get the most out of your useless stuff. And let’s face it, most of us have a ton of stuff laying around that wouldn’t be difficult to throw online and see if we can make a few extra bucks. Click here to get the complete low down on this massive product.

Minimalist Business & Blogging

Part of my minimalist journey has been starting this blog (obviously). When I first started it in October of 2009, I thought it would be nothing more than a hobby to keep me occupied while I tried to find a full-time job. Now, I rely on this blog to provide the income I need to live. Inadvertently I created a “minimalist business” as Everett calls it. If you’re interested in stating your own minimalist business, these are the e-books that will help you do it.

Minimalist Business by Everett Bogue
This is the e-book that made me realize I could make this blog into something more than a cute hobby. The ideas Everett describes in this book helped me begin making money, growing my readership, and spreading my message to the world. The money I invested in this e-book was quickly recouped by the knowledge it allowed me to implement almost immediately. I’ve written a full review that you can read by clicking here. Or, if you’re ready to purchase, click here.

The Guerrilla Influence Formula by Tyler Tervooren
The meteoric rise of Tyler’s blog, Advanced Riskology, has caught the attention of many people. In this huge product, including a beautiful e-book, numerous video and audio interviews with the biggest names in blogging, case studies, and blue prints, Tyler shares how he has become such a huge success. This product covers every aspect of running an online business. While Minimalist Business will give you good starting points for your own project, The Guerrilla Influence Formula will take you along for the entire ride, from beginning to success. Click here to purchase your copy or here to see my interview with Tyler.

Free Resources

The great thing about the minimalism/lifestyle design/simplicity blogging niche is that people are always giving away great products for free. Some of the best e-books I’ve read have been given away for nothing (or, in a few cases, an email address). Don’t let the low price tag fool you, these products are as good or better than a lot of what you’ve paid for.

Take this Job and Shove It by Tyler Tervooren
A Brief Guide to World Domination by Chris Guillebeau
Focus by Leo Babauta
Minimalist Workday by Everett Bogue
279 Days to Overnight Success by Chris Guillebeau

Let Me Help You, Too

Lastly, let me offer myself as a living, breathing, minimalism/simpliicty/minimalist business/conscious living resource. I’m always available to talk or help you with any issues you might be having in your own life improvement journey. You can email me (samspurlin AT gmail DOT com), catch me on Skype (“samspurlin”) or even get at me on Twitter (@samspurlin). Rumor even has it that my real phone number is somewhere over on the About page.