Living the Good Life

Living the Good Life chronicles Helen and Scott Nearing's journey to create a self-sufficient homestead in Vermont during the Great Depression. The couple documents their transition from city life to a rural existence centered on sustainable farming, simple living, and philosophical ideals. The book provides instruction and insight into their homesteading methods, from building stone houses to organic farming without animals. The Nearings detail their systematic approach to work, including their strict schedule of dividing days between "bread labor" for sustenance and time for intellectual and creative pursuits. Their experiences highlight an alternative path during a time of economic and social upheaval in America. The narrative demonstrates their practical application of social, economic, and environmental ethics through daily living choices and community engagement. The work stands as both a practical guide and a philosophical treatise on the possibility of stepping outside mainstream economic systems to create a life of purpose. Their experiment raises enduring questions about the relationship between self-sufficiency, social responsibility, and personal fulfillment.

Readers appreciate the practical details of the Nearings' self-sufficient lifestyle, including their methods for organic gardening, building stone houses, and living frugally. Many note the book's impact on their own decisions to pursue simpler living or homesteading. Readers highlight the authors' disciplined approach to work-life balance - dividing days into thirds for labor, leisure, and social activities. Several mention the useful specifics about maple sugaring and vegetable preservation. Common criticisms include the authors' privileged starting position with savings and education, making their lifestyle change less relatable. Some find their tone preachy or rigid, particularly regarding their strict vegetarian diet and work schedule. A few readers note the dated gender roles and societal views. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (2,300+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (180+ ratings) "A blueprint for intentional living" - Goodreads reviewer "Inspiring but unrealistic for most" - Amazon reviewer "Too idealistic and moralistic" - LibraryThing reviewer

Walden by Henry David Thoreau A firsthand account of living self-sufficiently in nature while pursuing a life of simplicity and spiritual discovery.

The One-Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka A philosophical and practical guide to natural farming, self-reliance, and living in harmony with the earth's natural systems.

Back to Basics by Abigail R. Gehring A comprehensive handbook for self-sufficient living, covering homesteading skills from growing food to building shelters.

The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It by John Seymour A detailed manual for achieving independence through growing food, raising animals, preserving harvests, and traditional crafts.

The Good Life by Scott, Helen Nearing The predecessor to Living the Good Life, documenting the authors' first 20 years of homesteading in Vermont through practical instruction and philosophy.

🌿 Helen and Scott Nearing wrote this influential homesteading guide in 1954 after leaving New York City during the Great Depression to become self-sufficient farmers in Vermont. 🏡 The book helped spark the "back-to-the-land" movement of the 1960s and 70s, inspiring thousands of urbanites to pursue rural, sustainable living. 🍎 The Nearings survived primarily on a vegetarian diet they grew themselves, working only 4 hours per day on income-producing activities and 4 hours on improving their homestead. 📚 Before becoming homesteaders, Scott Nearing was an economics professor who lost his academic positions due to his radical political views and anti-war stance during WWI. 🌱 The couple lived to be 100 (Helen) and 100 (Scott), crediting their longevity to their lifestyle of organic farming, vegetarianism, and purposeful living - principles detailed in the book.