Goodbye, Things

 Fumio Sasaki

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Nonfiction

Goodbye, Things is one of those books that either will convince you to make changes in your life by taking the first step or will make you totally dismiss the whole idea of what it suggests and go on with your life as it is without taking its advice. There is no right or wrong here, because it is your life and you know better what is right or wrong for you.

The author gets very personal in this book by giving his take on minimalism. He blends practical advice with his own reflections on why we clutter our lives in the first place. While the book may seem to be mainly about decluttering your house, I feel it is more about decluttering your mind first—setting your priorities and understanding what is more important and what you can let go of to save your energy and money.

The great thing is that the book is very easy to read and understand. I alternated between reading and listening to the audiobook, and both formats worked well for me in reinforcing the message. The content is quite easy to digest and makes you pause and think of the possibilities if you applied the idea to your own life.

One of the strongest aspects of the book is how motivational it is. I won’t lie here when I say that this book has motivated me and made me want to declutter many unnecessary things in my house. I found that the author’s honesty about less doesn’t mean less but can be more is very fascinating and, at times, even liberating. 

While reading the book, I was thinking about my book shelves, movie collections, and other items. Yes, I have been unhauling things lately that I don’t plan to read or watch again—especially those that have less reread or rewatch value. It can be difficult at first to part with your things at first, but eventually it will feel like a very freeing process. The idea that everything we own, actually, we don’t own but are renting, that the book suggests is true if you think about it. We come to this world without a thing, and we leave it empty-handed. Whatever we leave will be passed to someone else. 

I’ve also begun applying the same mindset to other areas—clothes, electronics, and even unnecessary furniture. The book highlights something simple yet powerful: the more you own, the more complicated life becomes. Managing, organizing, cleaning, and even thinking about all those items adds a kind of invisible weight that you don’t fully notice until you start removing it.

I feel minimalism should not stop at physical things but also should include digital decluttering, which the author mentions too. Organizing and decluttering your PC or mobile can be a starting point before you go for the physical items. 

The book is not without downsides. Those downsides can differ from one reader to another. I don’t think that everything the author suggested could be practical for everyone. People have different lifestyles and different living situations. There was also a bit of repetition, which I find is a flaw of many nonfiction books. 

Overall, Goodbye, Things was a positive reading experience for me. It’s not the perfect universal guide because those do not exist, but without a doubt, I found it to be impactful and convincing. You don’t need to follow every piece of advice by the author. However, I bet you will find a few of his ideas that can help you in making your life less complicated than it is with so many things surrounding you. It is definitely worth reading. 

Key Themes:

• Minimalism
• Freedom
• Identity
• Possessions
• Decluttering
• Ownership

The Illuminati: Facts & Fiction

 Mark Dice

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½

Genre: Nonfiction

Initial Reaction: The Illuminati has always been an intriguing subject that I was looking forward to read about but didn’t for no particular reason. This book has been on my TBR and Kindle for such a long time. Every time I say I will read it next month, that didn’t happen and the month eventaullty turned into years. I’m glad that I finally tackled it. 

Mark Dice’s The Illuminati: Facts & Fiction presents itself as a foundational guide for readers seeking to understand the controversial and often misunderstood subject of the Illuminati. The book as the title suggests aims to differentiate between what is fact and what is fiction where Illuminati is concerned. In this book, the author expands his investigation into global conspiracies, secret societies, and the alleged hidden forces that are behind major world events. He considers this book to be a continuation of his earlier work, The Resistance Manifesto. According to Dice, his objective is to dispel myths and reveal the truth about the Illuminati's ideology, history, and current influence. He bases this on his training in communication studies and his own Christian worldview.

I found myself reading the book with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. I believe that Dice's methodical citation of historical sources is his strongest point. He clearly tries to track claims back to their sources, which, in my opinion, lends a level of legitimacy that is frequently lacking in writings on this topic. I liked, for instance, how he brought up foundational works by John Robison and Abbe Barruel and referred back to 18th-century documents that had been confiscated from the Illuminati. These additions, in my opinion, give his argument historical evidence rather than rumors.

Dice's main assertion is that the Illuminati or its ideological offspring still work behind the scenes, influencing everything from political upheavals to economic meltdowns. Although I personally am still wary of making such broad assertions, I do see why so many people find the theory compelling, and I believe that many readers will find this idea provocative. There seems to be a growing mistrust of mainstream institutions, and this book capitalizes on that mistrust.

Where the book begins to falter, in my opinion, is in its portrayal of specific controversial figures. Dice includes the testimonies of alleged defectors like John Todd and Bill Schnoebelen—both of whom make extraordinary claims involving demons, vampires, and other fantastical elements. Although Dice provides some disclaimers, I believe that he could have gone further in his efforts to distance himself from these narratives. In my opinion, the book's more weighty, research-based arguments would be undermined if they were included without a more comprehensive comment.

I have to mention here that his examination of media manipulation and the influence of fiction on public opinion struck me as being very convincing. I can’t help but share Dice's worry that themes connected to conspiracies are frequently trivialized in entertainment, particularly when they are presented without context. In my opinion, works like Angels & Demons do contribute to a climate where the public begins to view all conspiracy claims as mere fantasy, regardless of their source or substance.

I think Dice makes an interesting case that some elites in secret groups might follow a Satanic or Luciferian way of thinking. Yes, this sounds crazy, but personally, I don’t find that idea convincing, but I do think it’s important to think about how hidden beliefs or ideologies can shape the choices made by powerful people. Even if you don’t take these claims literally, I feel they show a deeper concern about the direction world leaders might be heading—morally and spiritually.

When it comes to today’s world, Dice tries to connect the old Illuminati to modern groups like Bohemian Grove, the Bilderberg Group, and events like the 2008 financial bailouts. In my opinion, some of these links seem like guesses, but others do make you stop and think. For example, I felt the idea that financial elites support population reduction because of the Georgia Guidestones was a bit far-fetched. Still, I understand that some people might see it differently, and I respect that.

Ultimately, The Illuminati: Facts & Fiction is not an easy book to read. It is a dense, ambitious book that seeks to navigate one of the most controversial topics in modern conspiracy literature. It succeeds in offering a solid historical overview and raising important questions about secrecy, power, and influence. However, in my opinion, it sometimes stumbles when trying to juggle both credible research and highly questionable personal testimonies. For readers like me who value a mix of open-mindedness and critical thinking, this book provides much to ponder—but also requires careful discernment.

Key Themes:

• The Illuminati as a Secret Global Power Structure
• The Pursuit of a New World Order
• Luciferian Doctrine and Occult Philosophy
• Control of Information and Mainstream Media
• Economic Manipulation and Control
• Political Infiltration and Influence
• Associated Secret Societies and Organizations
• Depravity and Immorality of the Elite
• False Flag Terrorism