As in several of her 24 previous books (Choosing Happiness
; Feeling at Home
), Stoddard focuses on how to live a fully rewarding life. She advises on how to find time in a busy schedule for goals like volunteer work or taking a class, suggesting that you maintain a detailed calendar of how you spend every hour and day, which will help you avoiding time-wasting distractions (her list ranges strangely from worrying to "marrying the wrong person"). The volume is a series of short, softly toned essays that lack a unifying theme, touching on everything from style (and her personal discomfort with "frills and fussy designs") to enthusiasm (Stoddard likes to skip when the doorman compliments her on her attire). An experienced interior decorator, she strongly advocates continually reorganizing and improving your living space. She also recommends the luxury of carefully prepared meals, bubble baths and cultural activities. Stoddard can be platitudinous (one chapter is called "Your True Essence Is Love") and perhaps not everyone can afford "fresh, crisp new fabrics" every five or 10 years, no matter how diminished the old fabrics' "life force" may be. Alexandra's guide to life is thus not for everyone; there's a lot of work involved in living the simple life she recommends. (Oct. 1)
