Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up

by Marie Kondō
Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up cover
Good Books rating 3.62
Technical
  • ID: 5258
  • Added: 2025-10-22
  • Updated: 2025-10-22
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
abebooks.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
practical 4.50

The book provides a practical and engaging guide to decluttering and organizing one's space, emphasizing the importance of finding joy in possessions. It offers a unique approach to tidying up that focuses on emotional connections to items rather than traditional organizational methods.

Marie Kondo's 'Spark Joy' is a comprehensive guide to decluttering and organizing one's living space. The book builds on her previous work, 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,' by providing detailed instructions and illustrations to help readers apply her KonMari Method. Kondo emphasizes the importance of finding joy in possessions and encourages readers to keep only those items that truly bring them happiness. The book is particularly useful for those who struggle with clutter and want to create a more peaceful and organized living environment. While some readers may find the process time-consuming, the results can be transformative, leading to a more mindful and intentional approach to material possessions.

Quick quotes

    The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.

    By choosing what to discard and what to keep, you experience a sense of liberation, clarity, and confidence.

    The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.

mrrl.org · Unknown · 2025-10-24
insightful 3.00

The reviewer found 'American Nations' insightful, praising its hypothesis that America is composed of eleven distinct cultural nations. They noted some generalizations and criticisms but overall appreciated the book's valuable insights.

The reviewer enjoyed 'American Nations' for its unique perspective on American culture, highlighting how the book challenges the notion of a monolithic United States. They appreciated Woodard's hypothesis that America is made up of eleven distinct cultural nations, each with its own values and aims. The reviewer found the application of these cultural fault lines to modern elections and issues particularly interesting. However, they noted some criticisms, such as Woodard's generalization of Puritans and the Deep South, and the lack of attention to positive aspects of the Deep South before and during the Civil War. Despite these criticisms, the reviewer found the book to be a terrific read with plenty of valuable insights. They also reflected on the religious implications of the book, noting that while Yankeedom aimed to bring the Kingdom of God to earth, it went astray by relying on human will-power rather than evangelical faith.

Quick quotes

    Even in avoiding death, [#AmericanNations](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmericanNations?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw) patterns recognizable: <https://t.co/weJGkbu56X>

    Overall, this was a terrifically insightful book.

    Something that struck me (which Woodard doesn’t draw out as he is not writing this with a religious lens) is that while Yankeedom (i.e. Puritan Calvinists) set out to bring the Kingdom of God to earth (as we are called to do), this must never be divorced from the pure Gospel of Christ and Him crucified.

facebook.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
intriguing 3.50

The book provides an interesting framework for understanding North American history through eleven cultural nations, but its usefulness in explaining late 20th and early 21st-century U.S. history is questionable. The reviewer appreciates the book's recognition of cultural diversity and its historical insights, but finds the framework less applicable to modern times.

The book 'American Nations' by Colin Woodard offers a fascinating perspective on North American history by dividing the continent into eleven distinct cultural nations. The reviewer finds this framework generally useful for understanding the development of European colonies and their evolution into the United States. The book's recognition of cultural diversity, such as the shared culture between northern Mexico and the U.S. border regions, is particularly appreciated. However, the reviewer is skeptical about the framework's applicability to understanding U.S. history in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The book's focus on historical interactions among seven of the eleven nations is noted, with the best chapters dealing with the Revolution, the Civil War, and the westward movement. Overall, the reviewer appreciates the book's historical insights but questions its relevance to modern times.

Quick quotes

    The United States is a federation comprised of the whole or part of eleven regional nations, some of which truly do not see eye to eye with one another.

    Americans have been relocating to communities where people share their values and worldview.

    The best chapters of 'American Nations' are those which deal with the Revolution, the Civil War and the westward movement of the individual or groups of nations.

readersvibe.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
intriguing 3.50

The book provides a fascinating exploration of the cultural and political divisions in America, tracing them back to the early settlers and their distinct visions. While it offers valuable insights, some readers find the author's broad generalizations and personal biases detract from the overall analysis.

American Nations by Colin Woodard delves into the historical and cultural roots of America's political and social divisions. The book argues that the United States is composed of several distinct 'nations,' each with its own unique characteristics shaped by the early settlers. This perspective sheds light on why certain regions have different political leanings and cultural norms. For instance, the book explains why the Deep South struggled with integration and why the Pacific Northwest leans blue. It also highlights the positive and negative aspects of each group, such as the religious intolerance of Yankeedom and the tough, sometimes stubborn nature of the Scots-Irish. However, some readers find the author's broad generalizations and personal biases problematic. The book's later chapters, in particular, come across as caustic toward certain regions and ideals, which can be off-putting. Despite these criticisms, the book offers a compelling and thought-provoking analysis of America's cultural landscape.

Quick quotes

    The book answered so many questions. Why was integration so much harder to implement in the Deep South? Why are the states of the Pacific Northwest in the ‘blue’ category? Why did the Scots-Irish not side with the rest of the south until AFTER the Civil War?

    Woodard’s personal prejudices are made most evident by the facts and events he chooses to discuss, and the ones he ignores.

    It was good, but particularly toward the end became more the author's opinion rather than statistical evidence or other facts.

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