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Helen and Scott Nearing's Sixty Years of Self-Sufficient Living

I really wanted to read this as it was billed as a classic and essential reading for anybody interested in self reliance. However, so far I have only managed a few chapters. It doesn't actually give any advice on how to be self-sufficient but is more an account of their experience, and the morals and ethics that drove them. That isn't to say that it isn't a worthwhile read, just not what I expected.

They come across as uncompromising and highly principled, but a bit dull. They worked incredibly hard, but were only interested in making enough to live on, giving any surplus money or produce away. They seemed to exist on a small amount of fruit and vegetables, as any product derived from an animal was seen as exploitative, but they write that they were healthy and full of energy.

I will at some point get round to reading the rest of the book as I am sure their viewpoint is valuable. However, it doesn't have the readability of, say, a John Seymour book, that teaches you how to be more self-sufficient and is obviously more relevant to those of us in the UK.

I have "the good life" and from the little I have read of it, I agree with your comments Chooklady. I also have a fair number of JS books as well - Fat of the land; Self sufficiency etc and although they are UK based they are still a bloody good read with good ideas. I would have loved to meet the man himself, but there you go .

Nev