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The Longing for Less

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The Longing for Less
First edition
AuthorKyle Chayka
LanguageEnglish
SubjectMinimalism
GenreNonfiction
PublisherBloomsbury
Publication date
21 January 2020
Pages272
ISBN9781635572100

The Longing for Less: Living with Minimalism is a nonfiction book by American writer Kyle Chayka that explores the concept of minimalism. It was published in January 2020 by Bloomsbury.[1][2][3]

Synopsis

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The book investigates minimalism in modern times. Its aim is to gain further understanding into this movement's rise in popularity. Chayka does this by tracking the origins of minimalism back to a 1965 essay by Richard Wollheim. The original 1965 essay describes minimalism as acting in opposition to more traditional art forms. Whereas traditional art tries to convey a specific message to the viewer, minimalism allows the viewer to form their own message from the art. Chayka argues that minimalism has taken on a new meaning, representing something much different than its origin. He pushes against this modern minimalism, arguing that it has caused us to consume more, rather than less.[4]

Development and publication

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Reception

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References

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  1. ^ Szalai, Jennifer (21 January 2020). "'The Longing for Less' Gets at the Big Appeal of Minimalism". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  2. ^ Tolentino, Jia (23 January 2020). "The Pitfalls and the Potential of the New Minimalism". The New Yorker. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  3. ^ Lanks, Belinda (1 January 2020). "'The Longing for Less' Review: Upscale Austerity". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  4. ^ Joppich, Stephan (24 June 2023). "'The Longing for Less' by Kyle Chayka: 5 Lessons on Minimalism". Stephan Joppich. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
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