First person to me seems more egotistical, at least for certain genres. Worked extremely well for James Herriot, though!

I do not agree with the less is more in most cases. I was once told a story I'd written wasn't descriptive enough because I used words so sparingly. Most times I paint with my words and cannot imagine not describing the surroundings, feelings etc. going on in a story.

Bee-dubya-ell, "Letters of a Woman Homesteader" is exactly that, only non-fiction, most chapters being the actual letters Elinore Pruitt Stewart wrote to her former landlady in Denver, from her homestead in WY. One of my favourite books.