Viewfinder: Author Visits Baldwin to Speak on 'Living and Loving the Cash-Strapped Life'

Times are tough, but author Laura Lee contends that living frugally and challenging society's perspective on success is not only acceptable, but a lifestyle to be embraced. Lee is the author of Broke is Beautiful: Living and Loving the Cash-Strapped Life and was the latest speaker in 's Writers Live! program Tuesday evening.

Lee spoke to a small audience of librarians and community members Tuesday night about embracing a life of minimalism and not getting trapped by credit card debt and inflated lifestyles. Lee stressed the importance of finding success in who we are as people rather than by how much money we make. “Rich isn’t ugly, it just isn’t a measure of your worth,” she said. “Being poor doesn’t mean you’re the least hard working.”

Lee's book, published in spring 2010, also discussed the merit of living within one’s means, encouraging its reader to tune out chronic “marketing noise” and “consumer language.”

Baldwin librarian Sarah Ormond organized the event and chose Lee’s book because of its timeliness. “I thought it was an appropriate subject for our times,” said Ormond.

Birmingham resident Julie Adams said she came to hear Lee speak to better understand how to enrich her life. “I’m always interested in how to live better,” she said.

Copies of Broke is Beautiful are available for purchase at the Book Beat bookstore in Oak Park, owned by Cary Loren, also present at the event. Broke is Beautiful can also purchased at in Birmingham. 

Writers Live! invites local and nationally-known authors to Baldwin to speak on their works. The next scheduled Writers Live! event will be March 24 when David Anthony and Charles David Clasman, authors of the popular Heroes A-2-Z and Knightscares series, will read for families with kids age 6 and up.