Book Review-The Good Life

It was the summer of 97 when I picked up The Good Life by Helen and Scott Nearing and it has been one of the most influential books in my life.


The Good Life is the journey of Helen and Scott during 60 years of self sufficient living. The first part of the book provides details of their move from the city and the establishment of their Vermont farm. The second half of the book is about them leaving Vermont and starting fresh in Maine. Their journey begins in 1932 when Scott was 49 and Helen was 28.


For the most part the book is simply written. They have put a lot of thought into their beliefs and how they choose to live. In the book they share their experiences in building stone houses, gardening to feed themselves, maple syrup production and heating with wood. At times the book can be a little technical and drawn out but I wonder when I am actually trying to do these things if I won't have a greater appreciation for the amount of details they provide.


What amazes me the most is how clearly they saw the direction society was heading. They raise issues of pesticide use, the western diet and the use of fossil fuels long before these were concerns making the news. Instead of following the crowd they forged their own path and with hard work they created their version of a good life.


I don't know that I would recommend trying to duplicate their lives for most people.They were incredibly motivated and disciplined. They did not consume meat, tobacco or alcohol. However they were able to live without debt, or any of the health problems that plague society today. Scott lived to the age 100 and Helen the age of 91. While they worked hard they worked only 4 hours a day on "bread labour"(work directed to meet shelter, food, clothing requirements) which left time for intellectual pursuits, recreation and community service. They were also able to travel frequently.

Each year I reach for The Good Life, usually in the spring when my mind turns towards planting a garden. I know that I will never be able to give up some of the comforts and little luxuries that bring me joy but I do find inspiration in their words. We may not need to go to the extreme that they went but we also don't need to keep up with the neighbours. Every year when I pick up this book I am reminded of who I am at the core, what I believe and my dreams for the future. It brings me hope knowing that there are others out there pursuing alternative paths towards a good life.