Book review: A Life Stripped Bare: My Year Trying to Live Ethically – Leo Hickman (2006)

A Life Stripped Bare is a humourous account of one man’s journey to live ethically over the course of a year.

Former Guardian environment writer Leo Hickman, who is now chief climate change adviser at WWF-UK, sets out to find out if living ethically is compatible with a normal family life. The book looks at what ethical living means and the choices someone would have to make in order to live a sustainable and ethical life.

A Life Stripped Bare differs from other ethical living books as it doesn’t just tell you how to live ethically but demonstrates how the decisions can impact on your life and that of your family’s. The amusing and easy to read writing style will keep readers entertained whilst inspiring change.

Hickman’s choices and obstacles will be relatable to many readers and are likely to make you question your own personal values and how you act upon them. The non-preaching tone keeps the book lighthearted whilst still dealing with an important and emotive subject.

Many of his suggestions are easy to put into practice and Hickman shows readers that you can compromise and still make a positive impact.  A Life Stripped Bare is a great introduction to ethical living and an excellent read for anyone considering how their choices impact the world around them and wants to make a change.