200,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿 

Black Friday Sale on Now! Save up to 25% off Books, Toys, Board Games, & Puzzles! ✨

The Abundance of Less

Lessons in Simple Living from Rural Japan
By Andy Couturier
0.0 (0 reviews)
4.15 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 630 ratings, 100 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Abundance of Less by Andy Couturier explores the lives of ten individuals who have chosen to live simply in rural Japan. Through personal stories, the book highlights their philosophies on minimalism, sustainability, and finding deeper meaning in daily life.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$6100

International Supplier

This title is in-stock with overseas suppliers. While it is not available locally, we fly books in weekly from the US and UK to our Auckland warehouse for immediate dispatch.

AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 2-3 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you appreciate minimalist living and are inspired by the stories of those who find fulfilment in a simpler, more sustainable lifestyle. You'll enjoy reading about the practical wisdom and philosophies of individuals who have chosen to live off the land in rural Japan.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Rev. ed. of: A different kind of luxury, 2010.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Abundance of Less by Andy Couturier offers a profound journey into the lives of ten remarkable individuals who chose to abandon the urban chaos of Japan in favour of a simpler, more fulfilling existence in the rural mountains. Through beautifully crafted narratives, Couturier introduces us to men and women who have discovered a path to happiness that lies far from the pressures of modern consumerism and technological dependence.

These individuals, each with a unique story and background, share their compelling journeys of transformation. They have embraced lives imbued with the timeless wisdom of traditional Eastern spirituality, allowing them to reclaim the art of sustainable living. Instead of the relentless busyness of city life, they now thrive amidst the luxuries of nature, art, friendship, wholesome food, and an abundance of time.

The Abundance of Less captures the essence of these sustainable lifestyles in ten vivid profiles. These pioneers in their own right not only live in harmony with their environment but also demonstrate how such a life can lead to profound personal fulfilment. Through their tales, readers are invited to reimagine the possibilities of their own lives, inspired by the idea that true wealth lies not in material possessions but in the richness of experience, relationships, and inner peace.

Bill McKibben, a New York Times bestselling author, describes the book as "subversive in the best possible way." Indeed, Couturier's work challenges conventional notions of success and achievement, urging us to consider the deeper satisfactions that come from simplicity and mindfulness.

This intimate and evocative book speaks of lives well-lived by artists, philosophers, and farmers, who find joy in self-reliance and the elegant simplicity of their chosen paths. By sharing the daily rhythms and values of these individuals, Couturier offers readers not just a glimpse into a different way of life, but a roadmap towards greater meaning and richness in their own lives.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Abundance of Less is praised for its compelling portrayal of individuals in Japan who have embraced simplicity and sustainability. The book is described as a refreshing and inspiring antidote to modern life's frenzy, offering wisdom and grounding perspectives. Reviewers appreciate Andy Couturier’s sincerity and clarity in capturing the beauty of slower, intentional living, which serves as a powerful reminder of alternative possibilities in our fast-paced world.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781623171322

Publisher: North Atlantic Books,U.S.

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 August 2017

Country: United States

Imprint: North Atlantic Books,U.S.

Illustration: 160 B&W PHOTOS

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 788g

Pages: 432

Collections

Andy Couturier Education & Reference Non-Fiction Penguin Books

About the Author

Andy Couturier spent four years studying sustainable living in rural Japan. There, he worked with local environmentalists, wrote for The Japan Times, and studied how Japanese aesthetics can help us develop new forms of writing. Couturier has also hitchhiked across the Sahara desert, been a researcher for Greenpeace, built his own house with hand tools, and taught intuitive writing for more than two decades. He is a student of many different Asian philosophical systems and is fluent in Japanese.

Browse lists from our team

The Latest at Book Hero

View all

More from Education & Reference

View all
  • Revenge of the Tipping Point
    Twenty-five years after the publication of his groundbreaking first book, Malcolm Gladwell returns with a brand new volume that reframes the lessons of The Tipping Point in a startling and revealing light. What does the heartbreaking fate of the cheetah tell us about the way we raise our children? Why do elite universities care so much about sports? What is...
    By Malcolm Gladwell
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Body Keeps the Score
    The Body Keeps the Score by Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a compelling and compassionate exploration of the deep-seated impact of trauma on the human body and mind. This groundbreaking work delves into the complex causes of trauma and paints a vivid picture of the revolutionary treatments that are enabling countless individuals to reclaim their lives filled with purpose...
    By Bessel van der Kolk
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Song of the Birds
    A stunning and panoramic history of native birds in Aotearoa, from the bestselling author of The Meaning of Trees For millions of years, the song of the birds echoed throughout Aotearoa, with no one around to hear it. While the arrival of humans would transform their story forever - birds may have changed us even more. In this beautiful and...
    By Robert Vennell
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $5500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    12% off
    Dylan's Pick Dylan's Pick
    One Last Question, Prime Minister
    From Muldoon to Luxon, untold stories from the House of Parliament Barry Soper has spent close to five decades questioning New Zealand's prime ministers.From the imposing, larger-than-life characters of Rob Muldoon and David Lange, to the golden age of Helen Clark and John Key, and the post-Covid era of Jacinda Ardern and the 'Chrises', Soper's insight and nose for a...
    By Barry Soper
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    20% off
    Kitchen Confidential
    The classic bestseller from the star of Parts Unknown and No Reservations: 25th Anniversary edition, with a new introduction by Irvine Welsh. BEFORE THERE WAS THE BEAR, THERE WAS BOURDAIN. ‘Elizabeth David written by Quentin Tarantino’ — A.A. Gill ‘Fantastic: as lip-smackingly seductive as a bowl of fat chips and pungent aioli’ — Daily Telegraph After twenty-five years of sex,...
    By Anthony Bourdain
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    American Hagwon
    ‘Profoundly generous and humane’ DOUGLAS STUART‘Engrossing … brilliantly imagined’ COLM TÓIBÍN‘Breathtaking … I adored it’ ELIF SHAFAK‘Extraordinary’ TARA WESTOVERMin Jin Lee, the acclaimed author of Pachinko, returns with a breathtaking contemporary epic that follows one family as they reckon with personal dreams and familial duty. John and Helen Koh and their three children – Bo, DH and Mido – are...
    By Min Jin Lee
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    23% off
    1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four
    In the drab and oppressive world of 1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell introduces us to Winston Smith, a man haunted by the omnipresent surveillance and control exercised by the Party and its enigmatic leader, Big Brother. Winston works diligently at the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to alter historical records to fit the ever-changing narrative dictated by the...
    By George Orwell
    Paperback
    $1000
    Usually:
    $1299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Hormone Health is Mental Health
    On Sale
    15% off
    New Release
    Hormone Health is Mental Health
    Hormone Health is Mental Health is a lifechanging guide to understanding perimenopause and midlife women's mental health - and how understanding your hormones is the first step to feeling like yourself again. This book is for women in their thirties, forties, and fifties who feel like they're falling apart. Women who feel like their brains and bodies are betraying them,...
    By Dr Fatima Khan
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Lucky You're Tough
    New Release
    Lucky You're Tough
    Lucky You're Tough chronicles the early life of helicopter pilot and NZSAS soldier Mark Law, from growing up in the rural wilds of Whangamōmona through to surviving a series of life-threatening events that would shape his life and career. After a career as a badged soldier in the NZSAS that led to an intriguing stint with the British SAS and...
    By Ron Crosby and Mark Law
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    A Life in Lyrics
    Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...
    By Freddie Mercury
    Hardback
    $5000
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    20% off
    The Age Code
    What if the food you eat could rewind your biological clock? 'Clear and compelling' — Chris van Tulleken 'Really interesting and insightful' — Joe Wicks 'Fascinating' — Tim Spector From the rising incidence of cancer in the under-50s to increased infertility rates, there are signs everywhere that growing numbers of us are ageing too quickly. Why? Many believe there’s one...
    By David Cox
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Explosive Child [Sixth Edition]
    The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene, PhD, now in its revised and updated sixth edition, delves deeply into a revolutionary, research-based approach to understanding and parenting children who frequently display severe fits of temper and other challenging behaviours. Penned by a distinguished clinician and pioneer in addressing the needs of children with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties, this ground-breaking...
    By Ross W Greene, PhD
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 200,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.