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Book Review of The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It

The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It
LaurieS avatar reviewed on + 504 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


This book like "The Backyard Homestead" covers a large amount of topics for a self-sufficient lifestyle. This book, however, goes into better detail about its many topics. Still, if you're serious about any of this I think you may want to do further research.

The author makes some comments about a true homestead having no waste and I probably took the comment too literally but I do have to wonder how that is achieved. Wouldn't one still need to buy deodorant or does he make that too? And what about birth control packaging, old shoes, broken glasses? I don't think you should feed that stuff to the pigs. . . I find it very difficult to imagine a life with no waste being a reality but it is a wonderful dream. In reality, I'm guessing you'd eventually have quite a stash of broken things hanging around. Despite that one comment I find his advice on everything from beginning a garden to building a chicken coop very practical and helpful. If you dream of buying a small plot of land and raising your own food and animals this is a book chock full of good old fashioned info. for getting you started the natural way.

This has to go back to the library before I get to finish it but I'll be on the lookout for my own copy to keep. It's one of those books you really need on hand for it to be truly useful unless you've got a spectacular memory and I don't!