Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life

Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life cover
Good Books rating 4.17
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  • ID: 4891
  • Added: 2025-10-22
  • Updated: 2025-10-24
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
journals.sagepub.com · Unknown · 2021-01-01
positive 4.00

The reviewer appreciates the practical and humorous advice in 'Throw Out Fifty Things' by Gail Blanke, which simplifies decluttering by focusing on 50 categories of items rather than individual pieces. They find the approach manageable and plan to start with their office desk, aiming to declutter one room every two weeks.

The reviewer is currently reading 'Throw Out Fifty Things' and finds the book's no-nonsense, humorous style refreshing. Unlike other decluttering advice that can be too basic, Blanke's approach of focusing on 50 categories of items makes the process feel more achievable. The reviewer is initially nervous about starting but appreciates the structured timeline of two weeks per room. They plan to begin with their office desk and will track their progress, using the book's workbook for motivation. The reviewer also invites others to share their decluttering challenges in the comments.


Quick quotes

    One thing I like about the book is Blanke’s no-nonsense, get-it-done style. I also love her sense of humor.

    Yeah, it sounds easy until you read that 50 things is really 50 _categories_ of things.

    I’m a bit nervous about this. I have multiples of the same type of items (who doesn’t?). Will I be able to make it to fifty?

tampabay.com · Unknown · 2016-05-19
inspiring 4.50

The book 'Throw Out Fifty Things' by Gail Blanke is praised for its inspiring stories and practical advice on decluttering both physical and mental clutter. The reviewer found the book motivating and consistent with their own beliefs about letting go of unnecessary items and mindsets.

The reviewer was initially drawn to 'Throw Out Fifty Things' by Gail Blanke due to a favorite article they had read in Real Simple magazine. The book's premise of throwing out fifty things to declutter and find one's life resonated deeply with the reviewer. They particularly appreciated a story about a nine-year-old Gail Blanke learning to embrace her uniqueness rather than trying to please everyone. The reviewer found the book's advice on decluttering both physical items and mental clutter, such as perfectionism and regrets, very motivating. They started their own decluttering mission immediately after reading the book and found it to be a valuable resource. The reviewer also appreciated the book's suggestions for passing along items to others, including tips for turning a sale into a social event. Overall, the reviewer highly recommends the book for its inspiring stories and practical advice on decluttering.


Quick quotes

    They love that. And this little nugget only scratches the surface of the gems that fill the pages of this wonderful, little book.

    The overall premise of this book is to throw out fifty things. In the process of letting go of your clutter, you find your life.

    I found it to be very motivating and very consistent with my own beliefs about clutter and letting go.

theguardian.com · Unknown · 2016-04-11
positive 4.00

The book 'Throw Out Fifty Things' by Gail Blanke offers a humorous and patient approach to decluttering physical, mental, and emotional clutter. It provides simple coaching to help readers let go of stress-causing items and replace destructive habits with positive ones.

Gail Blanke's 'Throw Out Fifty Things' is a gentle yet effective guide to decluttering. The author, known for her motivational work, challenges readers to examine their clutter in all forms—physical, mental, and emotional. With humor and patience, she suggests ways to let go of items that cause stress and to replace self-criticizing habits with more positive ones. The book is practical and empowering, offering simple coaching to help readers live a more organized and exceptional life. They found the book's approach refreshing and its advice actionable, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to declutter and improve their lifestyle.


Quick quotes

    Ms. Blanke challenges us, with humor and patience, to examine our physical, mental and emotional clutter.

    She offers simple coaching to ease us into letting go of or cleaning up items which are causing us stress.

    Ms. Blanke also cautions us to look for our self-criticizing habits, habits which often contribute to our accumulations of “stuff.