Archive for the 'Books to read' Category
July 9th, 2007 - Into the Forest by Jean Hegland
Into the Forest by Jean Hegland is so good I’m going to go check out Hegland’s other books right away! This is one of my favorite types of books–post-apocolyptic Earth. Only this time, it’s not generations after the apocolypse, but during/after. It’s the story of two sisters in their late teens who live in the woods alone (Mom and Dad died in the last couple years, told in flashbacks). For reasons I do not recall and which don’t really matter anyway, gas and electricity slowly disappear. Without electricity, many other aspects of society also disappear, such as hospitals, schools, travel, banks, etc. So here they are, living in the woods trying to survive on what’s around them, while also believing as most others do that things will get better in the fall.
A gripping tale of survival. And who knows if this won’t come to pass sooner than expected with the talk of peak oil either being here or just around the corner?
If you go looking for this book, pay attention to the author. It is not the little kids’ book of the same name.
June 30th, 2006 - Made to Break
Commentary on new book Made to Break at Grist leads me to another book to read! I’m still working on Garbage Land however.
Even with such books in front of my face, I’m having difficultly lately being frugal. Just this week, for example, our college bookstore had a 90% off sale. I bought a shirt for my sister (that was okay–she adores getting mail and it was only $4 including postage), 3 shorts for Eric (not completely necessary although very useful, so a toss up), and a completely unnessecary pair of lounge pants for me. I do have only one pair for winter (I used them for PJs), but I’ve survived for two years with just one pair. I could survive longer. Argh. Sure, they, too, were less than $2. But still. I did NOT need them. And although cute, they aren’t the colors I’m trying to buy all my clothes in. What was I thinking!
I think part of it is that we have the $20000+ home repairs (lead based paint) looming over us. In comparison, everything else is cheap. Yet at the same time, I tell myself that we need to spend less in order to start paying off the HELOC we’re going to need. It’s kind of overwhelming to think about this amount of money…..We got our first bid last night, for window replacement. Nearly $15000 to replace the 15 windows. Another $4000 to redo the front porch windows and doorway. We’re thinking maybe we WILL do some of the work ourselves.
May 9th, 2005 - Ordway book review
Holly Ordway writes great book reviews, such as yesterday’s on The Progress Paradox, in her Spending Wisely blog. I want to read this. After I’m done with the dozen books lying around my desk and at home….I’m done with some of those but need to write them up in here. I don’t write nearly as long reviews as she does, however!
December 21st, 2004 - Better Basics for the Home
Checked this out bvia ILL but didn’t have time to read much of it. by Annie Berthold-Bond.
December 10th, 2004 - Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everday Things by John C. Ryan and Alan Thein Durning
A tour through the production life of a car, bike, coffee, cola, burger, computer, and more. Covers each item from natural resource to getting it to you. You find out just how much waste material, natural materials, chemicals, pollutants, etc., are used to supply Americans with the stuff we “need.” A fascinating book; a very easy read in a slim volume. I was disappointed at it’s slimness–I’d hoped for more!
I also have in my stacks another book that takes a hard look at the effects of American consumerism. I can barely stand to read it, it’s so depressing. I didn’t feel that way with this book, although it paints a pretty bleak picture. I think it might be that Stuff also presents things that aren’t as bad. For instance, it notes that laptop computers use a lot less in their production and usage than desktops. (Which I learned just after deciding to get a laptop as my next computer at work. whew!) It also seems more factual than preachy. (The other book seems preachy to me.) I think the other book is going to say “Stop being a consumer.” This book recognizes that few people are going to go that route, so it suggests buying local products, reducing the amount of things you buy, paying attention to organic products, and so on. Things I can actually do!
Find out more about Stuff at Amazon.
Ryan also has another book that looks like a good read: Seven Wonders: Everyday Things for a Healthier Planet (at Amazon).
And if you live in the Pacific Northwest, as Ryan does, you may be interested in his State of the Northwest (at Amazon).
December 8th, 2004 - More Urbanska/Levering books to read
Nothing’s Too Small to Make a Difference and Moving To A Small Town : A Guidebook To Moving From Urban To Rural America by Urbanska and Levering (links are to Amazon).