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Simple and Free: 7 Experiments Against Excess
Why do we pursue more when we’d be happier with less? In this updated edition of 7, New York Times bestselling author Jen Hatmaker tells the story of how she and her family tried to combat overindulgence—and what they learned along the way about living a truly meaningful life.Simple and Free is the true story of how Jen Hatmaker (along with her family) identified seven areas of excess—food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste, and stress—and made seven simple choices to fight back against the modern-day diseases of greed, materialism, and overindulgence. So, what’s the payoff from living a deeply reduced life? It’s the discovery of a greatly increased connection with God—a call toward simplicity and generosity that transcends social experiment to become a radically better life.In this new edition, written not just for readers of faith but for everyone who craves a gentler, simpler life, Hatmaker shares how sustainability and generosity still impact and challenge her today. Annotated throughout with new reflections from the author, this book offers thoughtful insights on the vastly different world of Simple and Free from back when it was first published as 7, and considers the dramatically different space Hatmaker occupies now. Simple and Free is funny, raw, and not a guilt trip in the making. Come along and discover what Jesus’ version of rich, blessed, and generous might look like in your life.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 23, 2021
162 people are currently reading
5005 people want to read
About the author
Jen Hatmaker
53 books3,176 followersJEN HATMAKER is the New York Times bestselling author of For the Love and Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire, along with twelve other books. She hosts the award-winning For the Love podcast, is the delighted curator of the Jen Hatmaker Book Club, and leader of a tightly knit online community where she reaches millions of people each week. Jen is a co-founder of Legacy Collective, a giving organization that grants millions of dollars toward sustainable projects around the world. She is a mom to five kids and lives happily just outside Austin, Texas.
To learn more about Jen, visit www.jenhatmaker.com.
To learn more about Jen, visit www.jenhatmaker.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
March 24, 2021
Ten years ago, Jen Hatmaker and her family designed a series of experiments to help their family learn about and attempt to alleviate the excess in their lives. For one month at a time, they focused on one of seven concepts: Food (sticking to eating only seven foods for the month), Clothing (wearing only seven pieces of clothing during the month and not purchasing any extra), Possessions (give away seven things they own each day), Media (shutting down seven forms of media and shutting down all unnecessary use on the ones they keep), Waste (focusing on seven habits for a greener life such as recycling, gardening, etc), Spending (spending money in only seven places), Stress(pausing to pray seven times a day and honoring the Sabbath). This is an updated version with notes along the way of the things they have continued to do in their present-day lives and things that have changed, including their ideas about certain concepts.
Overall, I found this book fascinating and there are many aspects of it that made me stop to think about how much excess and consumerism I have in my own life and how easy it is to acquire more (hello one click ordering for everything from food delivery to clothing to that new gadget you just have to have). I really liked many of the ideas and want to see if I can get my family on board to do some of them. The ones that most stood out to me were Possessions and Stress, and there are definitely things we can do about waste and conservation. I appreciate the diary-like aspect of this book where she talks about the triumphs and failures she experienced along the way with each month. It gives a human face to the experiments and helps me to realize that every small change will help my life, it doesn't have to be perfect because her experiment wasn't perfect either. Perfectionism isn't an excuse for inaction.
Some of the experiments struck me as a bit odd, particularly the food one, but I get the overall idea behind it. Even though it's not something I'd implement as written, it's certainly a way to achieve a healthier diet by choosing to eliminate more processed foods, and cooking at home more and eating out less.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Overall, I found this book fascinating and there are many aspects of it that made me stop to think about how much excess and consumerism I have in my own life and how easy it is to acquire more (hello one click ordering for everything from food delivery to clothing to that new gadget you just have to have). I really liked many of the ideas and want to see if I can get my family on board to do some of them. The ones that most stood out to me were Possessions and Stress, and there are definitely things we can do about waste and conservation. I appreciate the diary-like aspect of this book where she talks about the triumphs and failures she experienced along the way with each month. It gives a human face to the experiments and helps me to realize that every small change will help my life, it doesn't have to be perfect because her experiment wasn't perfect either. Perfectionism isn't an excuse for inaction.
Some of the experiments struck me as a bit odd, particularly the food one, but I get the overall idea behind it. Even though it's not something I'd implement as written, it's certainly a way to achieve a healthier diet by choosing to eliminate more processed foods, and cooking at home more and eating out less.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
December 1, 2020
I loved Jen Hatmaker’s book “7” so much that my husband and I went through the downsizing, minimalist, less-is-more experiment for ourselves. So when I saw there was going to be a new edition called “Simple and Free,” I was excited but imagined it would be the same and didn’t expect too many revisions. But, man, did I love reading these new notes Jen has added. She is funny, she is honest, she scolds herself when she deems necessary, she tells us where she’s changed and grown. She laughs at herself from ten years ago and she forgives herself for not having all the information on some subjects. I surely wish all authors would go back a decade later and revisit their work. How fun and endearing it is to watch someone admit mistakes, shore up old ideas, and tell us what they’ve learned along the way.
If you’ve read “7”, you’ll love this new edition. If you haven’t read “7”, “Simple and Free” is the perfect place to start.
If you’ve read “7”, you’ll love this new edition. If you haven’t read “7”, “Simple and Free” is the perfect place to start.
April 8, 2021
I have had 7 on my TBR list for a few years now, so when I was given the opportunity to read Simple and Free, I jumped on it. To me, this book felt like typical Jen Hatmaker writing. It gave me some things to think about, challenged me at times, and made me laugh. Some of it did feel dated because I know about the author’s evolving beliefs, but I appreciated being able to see her comments on how her beliefs have changed in this book. She left the original content from 7 and added comments and updates about what she thinks about what she wrote, where she is now, and how her life and her thinking have changed since she wrote 7. All in all, I am glad I took the time to read this book. I think that some of the themes in this book have become more commonly talked about than they were at the time of the original writing which does not make the book less impactful, but maybe not quite as revolutionary as it it may have felt at the time of the original writing.
October 6, 2023
Man, I really tried with this one. Perhaps the original edition would have been okay, but I was listening to the audiobook and she posted updates within the chapters and they were so obnoxious and distracting. The book was not cohesive and was jumping all over the place. And both the author's voice reading the audiobook and the writing itself was annoying and grating. So I couldn't finish it. I tried, but it was just that bad. I get the author's views have changed quite a bit, but having to update every little view just made the book suck. Like write a new book about your new views if you want, but don't just do a complete commentary on a book you wrote 10 years ago and be like oh wait, I actually don't believe this. on everything. I feel like in trying to appeal to the masses of the 2020s, she comes off as super unatuthentic and just trying to gain more popularity and monetary support. I had not heard of her before, but I won't be reading other books by her.
February 10, 2022
Books like this are simultaneously so inspiring and so paralyzing to me. I *want* to be more conscious of my everyday choices, purchases, time spent, and impact, and yet it's all so much to balance that I often don't know where to start. I appreciate Jen's humor and honesty both in the original writing and the 2021 updates, and I hope to grasp on to even just a few ideas that she champions. I'd recommend this book, as intimidating as it can seem, to anyone who would like to live even a bit more simply and freely.
July 14, 2021
I first read 7 back in 2013, while working through the study guide. Rereading the words here in the updated version and also the updates from Jen helped me identify parallels in my own life. I’m actually kind of surprised by how much the content from 7 has influenced me and my decisions. It was the beginning of my own minimalism/downsizing journey and 9 years later I’m reminded and corrected in my own way of thinking after reading S&F.
Read
January 1, 2023I loved the original book 7, but so loved the 2021 update even more. Jen does not shy away from her mistakes and growth. Over the last 10 years she has become an advocate for social justice and equality and this is present in her updates.
May 28, 2023
More like a half star. The only reason I gave it that is since her target audience is mass co consumer Christians, I hope they read it. DNF and I do NOT recommend this book unless you want your lessons in a minimal lifestyle to all be linked to Bible scripture. Cringe.
October 2, 2021
I read "7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess" in 2015 and felt moved by it enough to preach a series on the idea of minimizing your things so as not to be possessed by your possessions.
Then, in 2016, Jen spoke out against Donald Trump and in support of the LGBTQ community. As a result, the publisher stopped printing her books.
So, in 2020, she updated "7" and rereleased it under a new publisher with a new title.
During this reread, the following ideas stood out to me:
During the month where she ate only 7 foods, she chose chicken, eggs, whole wheat bread, sweet potatoes, spinach, avocadoes, and apples. What would your 7 foods be? That question has been a fun conversation starter for the last few years.
Calling people like the homeless "brothers and sisters" is fake when they endure situations I would never let my siblings go through.
"At some point, the church stopped living the Bible and decided to just study it."
Then, in 2016, Jen spoke out against Donald Trump and in support of the LGBTQ community. As a result, the publisher stopped printing her books.
So, in 2020, she updated "7" and rereleased it under a new publisher with a new title.
During this reread, the following ideas stood out to me:
During the month where she ate only 7 foods, she chose chicken, eggs, whole wheat bread, sweet potatoes, spinach, avocadoes, and apples. What would your 7 foods be? That question has been a fun conversation starter for the last few years.
Calling people like the homeless "brothers and sisters" is fake when they endure situations I would never let my siblings go through.
"At some point, the church stopped living the Bible and decided to just study it."
Read
March 9, 2023Jen Hatmaker doesn't do things by halves.
In this book, she conducts various experiments to teach herself how to live with less. One month she only eats seven foods. Another, she only wears seven items of clothing. There's getting rid of excess possessions and observing the Sabbath and fasting from media.
These are all good things. They also made me rather...fraught. Often, I think we don't do better at something--recycling, say--because we fill it's an all or nothing proposition. While I enjoyed the ideas that this book gave me, I'm afraid I'm going to have to be slower with change.
Fortunately, at the end, she adds a few things that made me not want to throw up my hands in overwhelmed frustration: "Guilt is not Jesus's medium" and "Guilt might be the first chapter, but it makes for a terrible story" along with the oft repeated "just do the next right thing," which I've heard from several different people.
So I'll be furthering my quest to not let perfect be the enemy of good. Self-compassion will get better results than self-condemnation. I will try to be more mindful about the money I spend and the waste I create.
One thing I do appreciate about Hatmaker--and it's present in this book as well as her others--is that she focuses on loving God and loving your neighbor. Loving your neighbor should be tangible. It means feeding the hungry, visiting the prisoners, and taking care of the widows and orphans. It also means being a good steward of the earth. Those are my goals, too.
In this book, she conducts various experiments to teach herself how to live with less. One month she only eats seven foods. Another, she only wears seven items of clothing. There's getting rid of excess possessions and observing the Sabbath and fasting from media.
These are all good things. They also made me rather...fraught. Often, I think we don't do better at something--recycling, say--because we fill it's an all or nothing proposition. While I enjoyed the ideas that this book gave me, I'm afraid I'm going to have to be slower with change.
Fortunately, at the end, she adds a few things that made me not want to throw up my hands in overwhelmed frustration: "Guilt is not Jesus's medium" and "Guilt might be the first chapter, but it makes for a terrible story" along with the oft repeated "just do the next right thing," which I've heard from several different people.
So I'll be furthering my quest to not let perfect be the enemy of good. Self-compassion will get better results than self-condemnation. I will try to be more mindful about the money I spend and the waste I create.
One thing I do appreciate about Hatmaker--and it's present in this book as well as her others--is that she focuses on loving God and loving your neighbor. Loving your neighbor should be tangible. It means feeding the hungry, visiting the prisoners, and taking care of the widows and orphans. It also means being a good steward of the earth. Those are my goals, too.
April 20, 2021
Hatmaker revisits a book she authored a decade earlier and provides commentary on her thoughts from her earlier self. The book was taken off the shelves when she aligned herself with the LGBTQ community against her evangelical roots. Seven is the magic number as each month revolves around a different plan ie only eating seven foods or wearing seven articles of clothing to be more godly. My favorite is the gardening stories. Note: Hatmaker is working on a cookbook!
Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley
Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley
January 20, 2023
I read the original book, Seven, and I’ll say this one aged pretty well. Many of the lessons resonated even more now than they did a few years ago because I’ve been working on the simplification longer.
And you can’t not love Jen’s voice. After reading her, I find my inner monologue trying to sound as funny as her… and failing.
Anyway, do yourself a favor. This one is good for us.
And you can’t not love Jen’s voice. After reading her, I find my inner monologue trying to sound as funny as her… and failing.
Anyway, do yourself a favor. This one is good for us.
April 10, 2021
I read 7 about a decade ago and wasn’t excited about the re-release, but I listened to this on audiobook and am glad I did. It’s still fresh and inspiring and thought-provoking, perhaps even more so with the 2021 updates.
August 12, 2022
I was surprised how much I loved this book. You know it’s good when you want to tell everyone that sits down by you about it. Part minimalism, part Christian ministry, part motherhood- it was all things I was craving right now, wrapped up with some good witty humor that had me laughing out loud. Very different, but very meaningful for me.
October 30, 2021
Wow. Makes ya think. I loved the revisit and updates she gave about how these experiences have impacted her life Over the past 10 years. Lots of great ideas and I sought in how to live a better- and simpler- life.
April 18, 2021
I am not normally one for self-help, and self-help with a Christian bent? Forget it. However, I really enjoy following Jen Hatmaker on social media and have enjoyed a couple of her other books, so I decided to give this one a shot and I’m glad I did! I really liked that it wasn’t a framework but more a deep dive into an idea and a place to start conversations. Everything they did wouldn’t work for me, but it made me think a lot about what would work for me, which was the point. I also really appreciated the inserts she puts in now (since this is a reprint of a book published about ten years ago) about how she’s learned and grown as a person.
Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for the review copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for the review copy.
March 18, 2021
This book appears to be a new revision to Jen Hatmaker’s 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess which was updated and revised in 2020. The premise remains the same: a laudable concept of fasting from excess and living as simply as possible with less, with the additions of the author’s reflective comments to the original text. New as I am to her work, I applaud the premise but not the way it is carried out. It’s too drastic to be possible for many.
Fasting from anything can be an extreme activity, and that’s how the 7 challenges here are executed, making them less relatable and sustainable than they might have been. The fasting described is from clothes, shopping, waste, food, possessions, media and stress. As I’ve been simplifying my life for a while now, I can relate to the need to pare back, buy less and buy better, consume less altogether, and be more eco-aware. But not quite at the extreme level indicated here.
The writing style is like a confessional journal, resembling a string of haphazard blog posts joined together as one. I appreciated some of the humorous asides to start with before they began to pall and get in the way of the book’s important message. In the beginning, the author appears excitedly naive about her experiment, aided by her team of supportive friends and family. The story of their adoption of two Ethiopian children is a touching addition threading through the narrative.
She seems to mature later on, sensing more of their spiritual benefits the longer the challenges go on. I was more enamoured with her message when she cut back on attempts to be funny and focused more on what she and her family/friends were learning from this experiment, sharing deeper spiritual teaching and wiser insights. Thoughts on the Sabbath and prayer struck a chord, as did the mention of some of the contemplatives and activists that influenced her a lot. All in all, it’s a brave but unsustainable attempt to live counter-culturally, but not a great read for me.
Fasting from anything can be an extreme activity, and that’s how the 7 challenges here are executed, making them less relatable and sustainable than they might have been. The fasting described is from clothes, shopping, waste, food, possessions, media and stress. As I’ve been simplifying my life for a while now, I can relate to the need to pare back, buy less and buy better, consume less altogether, and be more eco-aware. But not quite at the extreme level indicated here.
The writing style is like a confessional journal, resembling a string of haphazard blog posts joined together as one. I appreciated some of the humorous asides to start with before they began to pall and get in the way of the book’s important message. In the beginning, the author appears excitedly naive about her experiment, aided by her team of supportive friends and family. The story of their adoption of two Ethiopian children is a touching addition threading through the narrative.
She seems to mature later on, sensing more of their spiritual benefits the longer the challenges go on. I was more enamoured with her message when she cut back on attempts to be funny and focused more on what she and her family/friends were learning from this experiment, sharing deeper spiritual teaching and wiser insights. Thoughts on the Sabbath and prayer struck a chord, as did the mention of some of the contemplatives and activists that influenced her a lot. All in all, it’s a brave but unsustainable attempt to live counter-culturally, but not a great read for me.
December 14, 2020
This book will change your life.
Whether you think you need it or not, buy it. Let it sit on your shelf and when you are ready walk your family through it.
You will hate it, you will love it, you will be transformed! I read it in its original form as 7. It changed my life: especially in regards to food and shopping. I love the commentary in this book, and seeing how she feels about her experiences and the changes looking back is fun.
This is a good book. It's not my fave Jen Hatmaker book, but it is a good experience!
Whether you think you need it or not, buy it. Let it sit on your shelf and when you are ready walk your family through it.
You will hate it, you will love it, you will be transformed! I read it in its original form as 7. It changed my life: especially in regards to food and shopping. I love the commentary in this book, and seeing how she feels about her experiences and the changes looking back is fun.
This is a good book. It's not my fave Jen Hatmaker book, but it is a good experience!
October 2, 2022
I am really torn on what to rate this book...
I actually LOVE her experiments & tried a few myself.
Getting rid of 7 things a day has been a super useful challenge at helping me declutter, which is surprising because I'm already a fan of the "minimal mom" and like to clean out. (Although, 7 items to wear was just too limited. No wonder she counted multiple pairs of shoes as 1 thing!)
What I didn't like about the book was her writing style. It just jumped around too much. I like to skim non-fiction books, but I just couldn't because her writing is rather stream-of-consciousness, plus she interjects a lot of updates into it. It felt like reading the half edited journal of someone whose mind is like a pinball machine. Lots of the passages were straight from her blog, so they were originally written to be short, stand alone posts. It was rather hard to follow with them just tacked together.
And I realize I'm an outlier here because so many others love that her "voice sounds authentic" and that she shares how she's evolved over time. But, many of those reviewers seem familiar with her podcasts. If you don't know her already, maybe just be aware that you have to read slowly & can't skim or there's a high risk of getting lost.
Definitely, if you want to live more simply, these are great experiments to try! If I were just rating the experiments of the book I would give 5 stars. Those are brilliant!
I actually LOVE her experiments & tried a few myself.
Getting rid of 7 things a day has been a super useful challenge at helping me declutter, which is surprising because I'm already a fan of the "minimal mom" and like to clean out. (Although, 7 items to wear was just too limited. No wonder she counted multiple pairs of shoes as 1 thing!)
What I didn't like about the book was her writing style. It just jumped around too much. I like to skim non-fiction books, but I just couldn't because her writing is rather stream-of-consciousness, plus she interjects a lot of updates into it. It felt like reading the half edited journal of someone whose mind is like a pinball machine. Lots of the passages were straight from her blog, so they were originally written to be short, stand alone posts. It was rather hard to follow with them just tacked together.
And I realize I'm an outlier here because so many others love that her "voice sounds authentic" and that she shares how she's evolved over time. But, many of those reviewers seem familiar with her podcasts. If you don't know her already, maybe just be aware that you have to read slowly & can't skim or there's a high risk of getting lost.
Definitely, if you want to live more simply, these are great experiments to try! If I were just rating the experiments of the book I would give 5 stars. Those are brilliant!
June 20, 2021
This book basically is 7. For context, Jen Hatmaker wrote a book called 7 ten years ago. Then she became vocal about her support for the LGBT community so the publisher pulled her book.
Now ten years later she republished the book with a different publisher and a new name. Honestly this book is basically the same as 7. If you've read 7 you don't need to read this.
She calls her expirement "simple and free" instead of "7" so all instances of 7 are replaced with simple and free. This sometimes causes the writing to not make sense particularly where some of it has to do with the number 7.
Other that than she interjects a few 2021 updates. The updates were the reason I read this book. Unfortunately, I was let down by the updates. The updates weren't really noteworthy. Mostly obvious facts like kids grow older or technology is prevelent now than ten years ago. The other updates just made the whole thing seem more preachy and have a agenda. I liked 7 because it was genuine and real, she made mistakes and was normal. The updates took away from that a bit for me.
This book is the same as 7 but calling the expirement by a new different name and uninteresting updates made me like it less than 7 even though it is the same story.
Now ten years later she republished the book with a different publisher and a new name. Honestly this book is basically the same as 7. If you've read 7 you don't need to read this.
She calls her expirement "simple and free" instead of "7" so all instances of 7 are replaced with simple and free. This sometimes causes the writing to not make sense particularly where some of it has to do with the number 7.
Other that than she interjects a few 2021 updates. The updates were the reason I read this book. Unfortunately, I was let down by the updates. The updates weren't really noteworthy. Mostly obvious facts like kids grow older or technology is prevelent now than ten years ago. The other updates just made the whole thing seem more preachy and have a agenda. I liked 7 because it was genuine and real, she made mistakes and was normal. The updates took away from that a bit for me.
This book is the same as 7 but calling the expirement by a new different name and uninteresting updates made me like it less than 7 even though it is the same story.
April 24, 2021
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I am going to be transparent and say that I am a little biased in this review. I have been a huge fan of Jen Hatmaker’s for about 6 or 7 years. She is a Christian humorist writer who balances both not taking herself too seriously, and having care and concern for the world and others in it. Hatmaker has a heart for the poor and disenfranchised. The first book of hers I read was “For the Love”, and then I read the subsequently published “Of Mess and Moxie” and “Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire.” I’m also a member of her book club. I’ve also paid cash money to hear her speak in person, and I regularly listen to her podcast “For the Love.” I watch her Instagram videos and follow her social media, all of which I highly recommend.
Now that I’ve disclosed my bias to an almost embarrassing degree, I’m also going to be completely honest in this review. Simple and Free was formerly published in 2012 as “The 7 Experiment: staging your own mutiny against excess.” In the Conclusion of Simple and Free, she describes the reader she had in mind when creating the 7 Experiment as being mid to upper middle class parents with enough material advantages to make them feel uncomfortably conflicted. If you don’t yet feel uncomfortably conflicted by being mid to upper middle class and living in America, then you certainly will after reading some of the issues that Hatmaker parades out.
So here’s the 7 Experiment, which was invented by Hatmaker: she takes seven categories of areas of excess and focuses on simplifying one of them for a month each. The seven areas of excess she decides to reduce includes food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste, and stress. She not only self-imposes the criteria for simplifying each area of excess, but she has a friend council of six friends who also give her ideas, motivation and encouragement. During the food month she eats only seven different types of food, when she focuses on clothes she picks only seven pieces of clothing to wear all month, and during the stress focused month she pauses seven times a day for prayer. So on and so forth.
This book is like reading her diary entries about what she thought and experienced while simplifying that area during any given day that month. For some categories, she references books and resources for digging deeper into information about that category. For others, she provides attainable projects or names of businesses that do work in the area of focus. For most categories, there is a local non-profit or charity project that she participates in, such as the KP Project during waste month or openarmsstudio.org and the Prom Project during possessions month.
The 7 Experiment is further complicated by the fact that, at the time of its writing, she and her husband have three children and are in the process of adopting two more children from Ethiopia. Imagine trying to reduce stress while parenting three and going through the adoption process. Hatmaker’s family and friend participation in the 7 Experiment allows for some of the book’s levity. The rest of the levity she brings herself, partly because of her exaggerated and unfiltered honesty. While Hatmaker is addressing some heavy societal and environmental concerns, she does it in a way that readers may feel like they are chatting with an informed girlfriend about how to spend responsibly while caring for the poor and the environment.
Make no mistake that any one of these categories could be its own book. Hatmaker brings information to back up her concerns, but it’s like looking at the world through the eye of a needle. There are layers of complexity and nuance to the areas of consumption that she is targeting, and only one chapter dedicated to each. As one example, Hatmaker writes about spending less on things and giving more to others. That left me wondering, if mid to upper middle class America spends less, how will that impact jobs? It seems like it could impact manufacturing, distribution, sales, and small business owners. I wish there were one or more economist quoted or referenced, because that approach feels maybe too simplistic. I think the book is effective at raising awareness of the issues around these areas, but it also skims the surface of the ocean of knowledge about any one of these areas. This book is a good primer to trigger thoughts about consumer ethics but readers will have to go elsewhere if you want to dig deep.
One disappointment about this reprint of the book is how many of the stats are outdated. I did find a couple of stats from 2018 and 2019, but those were the exceptions. I am a person who likes data, and I was surprised that the stats quoted were as old as 10 -20 years ago. I expected notes in the margins about how consumerism in these areas has grown or lessened today.
A bonus you do get in this reprint is that Hatmaker makes notes in certain places where she has evolved her thinking even further. There are sections where she updates readers about her family. She corrects herself in a few sections on her choice of words, particularly those where she writes about the poor. I appreciated her transparency in those areas.
What you will get out of this book is a catalyst for self-reflection about how you consume. Hatmaker provides a relatable narrative of the complexities of spending and consuming in a responsible way. However, you won’t get updated data from this book, in depth analysis, nor an economists view. I think most readers will gain a greater understanding of areas to be aware of in order to consume wisely and with intention. After this book was written, Hatmaker founded a non-profit called Legacy Collective that funds micro loans for small business women entrepreneurs around the globe. So you’re not only getting information from an authority who walks her talk, but you also get that information in a down to earth, genuine, reassuring, funny and encouraging package.
I am going to be transparent and say that I am a little biased in this review. I have been a huge fan of Jen Hatmaker’s for about 6 or 7 years. She is a Christian humorist writer who balances both not taking herself too seriously, and having care and concern for the world and others in it. Hatmaker has a heart for the poor and disenfranchised. The first book of hers I read was “For the Love”, and then I read the subsequently published “Of Mess and Moxie” and “Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire.” I’m also a member of her book club. I’ve also paid cash money to hear her speak in person, and I regularly listen to her podcast “For the Love.” I watch her Instagram videos and follow her social media, all of which I highly recommend.
Now that I’ve disclosed my bias to an almost embarrassing degree, I’m also going to be completely honest in this review. Simple and Free was formerly published in 2012 as “The 7 Experiment: staging your own mutiny against excess.” In the Conclusion of Simple and Free, she describes the reader she had in mind when creating the 7 Experiment as being mid to upper middle class parents with enough material advantages to make them feel uncomfortably conflicted. If you don’t yet feel uncomfortably conflicted by being mid to upper middle class and living in America, then you certainly will after reading some of the issues that Hatmaker parades out.
So here’s the 7 Experiment, which was invented by Hatmaker: she takes seven categories of areas of excess and focuses on simplifying one of them for a month each. The seven areas of excess she decides to reduce includes food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste, and stress. She not only self-imposes the criteria for simplifying each area of excess, but she has a friend council of six friends who also give her ideas, motivation and encouragement. During the food month she eats only seven different types of food, when she focuses on clothes she picks only seven pieces of clothing to wear all month, and during the stress focused month she pauses seven times a day for prayer. So on and so forth.
This book is like reading her diary entries about what she thought and experienced while simplifying that area during any given day that month. For some categories, she references books and resources for digging deeper into information about that category. For others, she provides attainable projects or names of businesses that do work in the area of focus. For most categories, there is a local non-profit or charity project that she participates in, such as the KP Project during waste month or openarmsstudio.org and the Prom Project during possessions month.
The 7 Experiment is further complicated by the fact that, at the time of its writing, she and her husband have three children and are in the process of adopting two more children from Ethiopia. Imagine trying to reduce stress while parenting three and going through the adoption process. Hatmaker’s family and friend participation in the 7 Experiment allows for some of the book’s levity. The rest of the levity she brings herself, partly because of her exaggerated and unfiltered honesty. While Hatmaker is addressing some heavy societal and environmental concerns, she does it in a way that readers may feel like they are chatting with an informed girlfriend about how to spend responsibly while caring for the poor and the environment.
Make no mistake that any one of these categories could be its own book. Hatmaker brings information to back up her concerns, but it’s like looking at the world through the eye of a needle. There are layers of complexity and nuance to the areas of consumption that she is targeting, and only one chapter dedicated to each. As one example, Hatmaker writes about spending less on things and giving more to others. That left me wondering, if mid to upper middle class America spends less, how will that impact jobs? It seems like it could impact manufacturing, distribution, sales, and small business owners. I wish there were one or more economist quoted or referenced, because that approach feels maybe too simplistic. I think the book is effective at raising awareness of the issues around these areas, but it also skims the surface of the ocean of knowledge about any one of these areas. This book is a good primer to trigger thoughts about consumer ethics but readers will have to go elsewhere if you want to dig deep.
One disappointment about this reprint of the book is how many of the stats are outdated. I did find a couple of stats from 2018 and 2019, but those were the exceptions. I am a person who likes data, and I was surprised that the stats quoted were as old as 10 -20 years ago. I expected notes in the margins about how consumerism in these areas has grown or lessened today.
A bonus you do get in this reprint is that Hatmaker makes notes in certain places where she has evolved her thinking even further. There are sections where she updates readers about her family. She corrects herself in a few sections on her choice of words, particularly those where she writes about the poor. I appreciated her transparency in those areas.
What you will get out of this book is a catalyst for self-reflection about how you consume. Hatmaker provides a relatable narrative of the complexities of spending and consuming in a responsible way. However, you won’t get updated data from this book, in depth analysis, nor an economists view. I think most readers will gain a greater understanding of areas to be aware of in order to consume wisely and with intention. After this book was written, Hatmaker founded a non-profit called Legacy Collective that funds micro loans for small business women entrepreneurs around the globe. So you’re not only getting information from an authority who walks her talk, but you also get that information in a down to earth, genuine, reassuring, funny and encouraging package.
January 25, 2021
I originally read Jen Hatmaker’s “7” several years ago. It came at a time when I was struggling with all the ways that I was contributing to the larger issues we are facing globally (climate change, global warming, waste), as well as my own struggle to reign in our spending, pare down what we already had, and use all of our resources more wisely.
“Simple & Free” is the same book, re-released under a new title, but with some added commentary, updates, data, and insights from a 2020 perspective (10 years after the initial release) which I thought was helpful. Obviously, some things have changed drastically in that timeframe, so it was nice to have an updated perspective to reflect on and to see where the author made more permanent changes and which practices fell to the wayside for her, as well. I found it equally convicting the second time around, which means 1) there’s still work to do, and 2) many of the insights initially provided still stand!
Much like the author, there were new practices I adopted after my initial reading. We grew our own garden for several years. We upped our recycling game significantly. We regularly go through our possessions and donate items we no longer need it have outgrown. We are fairly conscientious about the things we bring into our house, making sure they are needed or are things we will love and add value to our lives (though we could absolutely be better about this). But we can always do better and I found myself particularly convicted about our love of all things delivered and how those practices impact our carbon footprint. And there’s always the challenge of balancing buying local vs being frugal vs buying healthy/organic, so I still deeply resonated with the chapter on waste and the inner dialogue between Sage Moonjava, Ryvre, and Freedom Shakra.
I think the book is important. I think the message is absolutely still relevant. And since the original release was pulled by the publisher due to the author’s affirmation of the LGBTQIA+ community, I think this is a clever way to ensure it finds its way back out into the world.
“Simple & Free” is the same book, re-released under a new title, but with some added commentary, updates, data, and insights from a 2020 perspective (10 years after the initial release) which I thought was helpful. Obviously, some things have changed drastically in that timeframe, so it was nice to have an updated perspective to reflect on and to see where the author made more permanent changes and which practices fell to the wayside for her, as well. I found it equally convicting the second time around, which means 1) there’s still work to do, and 2) many of the insights initially provided still stand!
Much like the author, there were new practices I adopted after my initial reading. We grew our own garden for several years. We upped our recycling game significantly. We regularly go through our possessions and donate items we no longer need it have outgrown. We are fairly conscientious about the things we bring into our house, making sure they are needed or are things we will love and add value to our lives (though we could absolutely be better about this). But we can always do better and I found myself particularly convicted about our love of all things delivered and how those practices impact our carbon footprint. And there’s always the challenge of balancing buying local vs being frugal vs buying healthy/organic, so I still deeply resonated with the chapter on waste and the inner dialogue between Sage Moonjava, Ryvre, and Freedom Shakra.
I think the book is important. I think the message is absolutely still relevant. And since the original release was pulled by the publisher due to the author’s affirmation of the LGBTQIA+ community, I think this is a clever way to ensure it finds its way back out into the world.
February 25, 2021
Pros: The first pro is that this is a Jen Hatmaker book! She has a way with words, and I enjoy following her on Instagram and reading her books. This is one of her backlist books that I had not read before, and it has been updated in this new edition. The themes in this book—excess, consumerism, waste, etc—are still extremely relevant, ten years after she first wrote the book. The timing of reading this book (a few days after being without water for a week due to a snowstorm) made it even more relatable. Being without a daily necessity made me think about those who live every day without necessities and about what things are true necessities and what I rely on for comfort and a feeling of security. Although some of the author’s practices in this book (e.g., only eating 7 foods, wearing 7 outfits, and shopping at only 7 stores for four weeks) seem extreme, I think there is a lot to learn from her experiment. Some of these ideas could be adapted for Lent or new habits.
Cons: I read an ebook version of this book, but I think I would have liked it even more on audiobook read by the author because I’ve enjoyed her other books on audio. Also, those who have already read 7 should know that this is not a completely new book. Something that might be distracting for readers who also follow the author of social media is that there are changes in the author’s family since this book was first written 10 years ago that the reader will know about. However, the author’s notes from 2017 and 2020 help catch the original stories up with the present.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars on the Goodreads scale.
Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent books for the opportunity to read this book!
Cons: I read an ebook version of this book, but I think I would have liked it even more on audiobook read by the author because I’ve enjoyed her other books on audio. Also, those who have already read 7 should know that this is not a completely new book. Something that might be distracting for readers who also follow the author of social media is that there are changes in the author’s family since this book was first written 10 years ago that the reader will know about. However, the author’s notes from 2017 and 2020 help catch the original stories up with the present.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars on the Goodreads scale.
Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent books for the opportunity to read this book!
March 8, 2021
“Simple & Free” by Jen Hatmaker revisits “7” ten years later. While the content is the same, Hatmaker annotates with updates and thoughts looking back on who she was and the things she said, so as to better help people. The book follows Hatmaker through seven months of fasting from various things like clothing, stuff, foods, and more. This refresh gives more clarity and perspective to the hard act of fasting.
This book was crazy-guilt-inducing for me. I’m looking at you, Jen Hatmaker. Just kidding. But it did make me question my shopping habits. I buy the things I want more than just things I need. You can see it in my closet, in my fridge, on my bookshelf… The idea of fasting from stuff makes a lot of sense, but it’s something that I haven’t thought much about it. And I recognize exactly how that sounds.
While I don’t think I could complete every month that Hatmaker partakes in, there were some things that I felt like I could do after finishing the book. I love the idea of recycling and try my best to sort out what I can. I want to eat more local produce, thankfully there are farmer markets all over. I have all the items to start a small garden (here’s hoping I can see it to producing anything before I have to move again…).
Overall, I gave this book 4 stars. I think that fasting is interesting and I loved seeing it done practically. I didn’t love the guilt I felt, but maybe every once in a while some good christian guilt is good for me, right? Hatmaker gave me real solutions to everyday problems that we face and will be facing in the years to come. I love a good real life solution. Any book that makes me think is well worth the time to read.
Thank you to Convergent Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book was crazy-guilt-inducing for me. I’m looking at you, Jen Hatmaker. Just kidding. But it did make me question my shopping habits. I buy the things I want more than just things I need. You can see it in my closet, in my fridge, on my bookshelf… The idea of fasting from stuff makes a lot of sense, but it’s something that I haven’t thought much about it. And I recognize exactly how that sounds.
While I don’t think I could complete every month that Hatmaker partakes in, there were some things that I felt like I could do after finishing the book. I love the idea of recycling and try my best to sort out what I can. I want to eat more local produce, thankfully there are farmer markets all over. I have all the items to start a small garden (here’s hoping I can see it to producing anything before I have to move again…).
Overall, I gave this book 4 stars. I think that fasting is interesting and I loved seeing it done practically. I didn’t love the guilt I felt, but maybe every once in a while some good christian guilt is good for me, right? Hatmaker gave me real solutions to everyday problems that we face and will be facing in the years to come. I love a good real life solution. Any book that makes me think is well worth the time to read.
Thank you to Convergent Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 29, 2021
I've been meaning to read Jen Hatmaker's book "7" for years, so I was glad to see it was available on Net Galley a while back. It took me a long time to read it, but it's the sort of book that makes you want to stop and think about what you've just read.
The book follows Hatmaker and her family during a year when she chose seven big areas where she wanted to make changes and remove the excess of contemporary life. The areas she focused on are: food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste, stress. She approached this from a Christian perspective, but it could very well be seen as a secular decision to simplify and reevaluate. I am so glad she focused on the spiritual aspect a lot, and she didn't shy away from being honest and admitting her failures & errors.
The seven aspects she's tackling in her book are important and relevant today, just as they were back in 2011 when she first wrote the book. There are some funny parts, just as you'd expect from a Hatmaker book, but through funny she draws home tough points. I also liked the edits she wrote throughout the book pointing to the changes that intervened since she first wrote "7", and how things changed or stayed the same.
All in all I liked this books, although at times it was slow paced. It did help that for each of the big seven parts she structured the book on days, which made the reading easier. It was fun seeing the good and the bad days string together. I do recommend it to readers who feel the same way she felt when she decided to do this experiment: overwhelmed with too many options and stuff. It's relatable and fitting to our daily life.
I received a free copy of the e-book from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
The book follows Hatmaker and her family during a year when she chose seven big areas where she wanted to make changes and remove the excess of contemporary life. The areas she focused on are: food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste, stress. She approached this from a Christian perspective, but it could very well be seen as a secular decision to simplify and reevaluate. I am so glad she focused on the spiritual aspect a lot, and she didn't shy away from being honest and admitting her failures & errors.
The seven aspects she's tackling in her book are important and relevant today, just as they were back in 2011 when she first wrote the book. There are some funny parts, just as you'd expect from a Hatmaker book, but through funny she draws home tough points. I also liked the edits she wrote throughout the book pointing to the changes that intervened since she first wrote "7", and how things changed or stayed the same.
All in all I liked this books, although at times it was slow paced. It did help that for each of the big seven parts she structured the book on days, which made the reading easier. It was fun seeing the good and the bad days string together. I do recommend it to readers who feel the same way she felt when she decided to do this experiment: overwhelmed with too many options and stuff. It's relatable and fitting to our daily life.
I received a free copy of the e-book from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
December 20, 2021
Finished my 120th book of the year: #SimpleAndFree by @jenhatmaker.
I got the book from the library and bought the audiobook on Audible. I mostly listened to the audiobook which is read by the author and I 10/10 recommend.
This book is an updated version of her book “7” previously released ten years ago. I never read that one, but I liked reading this one with her 2021 asides and updates. It’s interesting how our mindsets and ideas change over a decade later. I know mine have!
I didn’t care for the tedious details and multiple LONG diary entries. Jen is funny but she knows she’s funny and then makes too much of an effort to be funny and that’s not funny - it’s exhausting.
She could have done away with the diary entries (or at least greatly reduced the number of them) and stuck to the well-researched commentary in each section. That would have made it a better book. As it is, it’s still good though. This is my favorite book by her by far.
Summary:
“Simple & Free is the true story of how Jen Hatmaker (along with her family) identified seven areas of excess—food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste, and stress—and made seven simple choices to fight back against the modern-day diseases of greed, materialism, and overindulgence. So, what’s the payoff from living a deeply reduced life? It’s the discovery of a greatly increased connection with God—a call toward simplicity and generosity that transcends social experiment to become a radically better life.”
I plan to declutter my entire house in 2022 and practice more mindful consumerism, so this book was super inspiring and motivating!
I got the book from the library and bought the audiobook on Audible. I mostly listened to the audiobook which is read by the author and I 10/10 recommend.
This book is an updated version of her book “7” previously released ten years ago. I never read that one, but I liked reading this one with her 2021 asides and updates. It’s interesting how our mindsets and ideas change over a decade later. I know mine have!
I didn’t care for the tedious details and multiple LONG diary entries. Jen is funny but she knows she’s funny and then makes too much of an effort to be funny and that’s not funny - it’s exhausting.
She could have done away with the diary entries (or at least greatly reduced the number of them) and stuck to the well-researched commentary in each section. That would have made it a better book. As it is, it’s still good though. This is my favorite book by her by far.
Summary:
“Simple & Free is the true story of how Jen Hatmaker (along with her family) identified seven areas of excess—food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste, and stress—and made seven simple choices to fight back against the modern-day diseases of greed, materialism, and overindulgence. So, what’s the payoff from living a deeply reduced life? It’s the discovery of a greatly increased connection with God—a call toward simplicity and generosity that transcends social experiment to become a radically better life.”
I plan to declutter my entire house in 2022 and practice more mindful consumerism, so this book was super inspiring and motivating!
March 8, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Convergent books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book has been on my reading list for while. I was drawn in by the concept of a book that details a social experiment and isn’t a how-to, 'these are the rules you must follow', instruction manual. I’m so over those. She points that out from the outset and speaks brilliantly about being moved where you are and not being guilt-tripped.
I’m glad I didn’t get around to actually reading this until this new edition: the 10 year update. Jen has thoughtfully not deleted or rewritten any of the parts she now disagrees with, or finds uncomfortable. Rather, she inserts additional commentary on where she’s at now, the new lessons learnt and where she was just plain naive or offensive before. I appreciate this reflective process and that she can speak honestly and humbly about how much she didn’t know then about adoption, true equity and the bubble of the western church.
As soon as I started reading it, I couldn’t help by hear Jen’s voice in my head. If you follow on IG or listen to her podcasts, you’ll know what I mean! As a Brit, I did need to look up some of the references to understand a few sentences here and there.
I’m sad that this book in its original form was pulled off the shelf because Jen stands by the LGBTQ community. Thank you Convergent for putting it back out with these new lessons woven in. I know this is a book I’ll go back to.
This book has been on my reading list for while. I was drawn in by the concept of a book that details a social experiment and isn’t a how-to, 'these are the rules you must follow', instruction manual. I’m so over those. She points that out from the outset and speaks brilliantly about being moved where you are and not being guilt-tripped.
I’m glad I didn’t get around to actually reading this until this new edition: the 10 year update. Jen has thoughtfully not deleted or rewritten any of the parts she now disagrees with, or finds uncomfortable. Rather, she inserts additional commentary on where she’s at now, the new lessons learnt and where she was just plain naive or offensive before. I appreciate this reflective process and that she can speak honestly and humbly about how much she didn’t know then about adoption, true equity and the bubble of the western church.
As soon as I started reading it, I couldn’t help by hear Jen’s voice in my head. If you follow on IG or listen to her podcasts, you’ll know what I mean! As a Brit, I did need to look up some of the references to understand a few sentences here and there.
I’m sad that this book in its original form was pulled off the shelf because Jen stands by the LGBTQ community. Thank you Convergent for putting it back out with these new lessons woven in. I know this is a book I’ll go back to.
October 5, 2021
Interesting book in the catagory I call "stunt non-fiction." I thought the idea of fasting in a different way and category each successive month was interesting. (Sorry, I'm aware that I'm being redundant and lack the brain power to do anything about it!) It was especially interesting to read her comments from 2017 Jen back to the woman she had been when she was writing the book.
I'm also happy for her that she was able to get her book out in the world again. This is one of the books that was pulled from shelves and not published any more when she decided to support the LGBT community, which I still think was a really courageous action.
I was particularly interested in the idea of praying the hours, and may pay more attention to that in the coming months.
_______
Like James said, “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do” (James 2:15–18).
I'm also happy for her that she was able to get her book out in the world again. This is one of the books that was pulled from shelves and not published any more when she decided to support the LGBT community, which I still think was a really courageous action.
I was particularly interested in the idea of praying the hours, and may pay more attention to that in the coming months.
_______
Like James said, “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do” (James 2:15–18).
April 30, 2021
Simple & Free is the new edition of 7 Experiments Against Excess. It describes how Jen Hatmaker decided to spend seven months “fasting” from things we tend to have in abundance and take for granted. Her seven months included food, clothes, possessions, media, waste, spending, & stress. During each month she focuses on purging, learning, and changing her lifestyle to recognize where her family tends to overindulge. She then teaches the reader what she’s learned what she’s researched and experienced throughout each month.
I loved this book. It definitely challenged me in various areas. It makes you rethink what life should look like as a Christian and what values we should hold to. I’ll admit that not every chapter was as powerful as others only because my family already has established positive habits in a few of these areas, but of course we need to continue to grow in others. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to rethink how we should define the Christian-American lifestyle. It will definitely make you review your own spending of money and time and how we can better represent Jesus with our resources.
I loved this book. It definitely challenged me in various areas. It makes you rethink what life should look like as a Christian and what values we should hold to. I’ll admit that not every chapter was as powerful as others only because my family already has established positive habits in a few of these areas, but of course we need to continue to grow in others. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to rethink how we should define the Christian-American lifestyle. It will definitely make you review your own spending of money and time and how we can better represent Jesus with our resources.
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