For a number of years, my life was devoted to caring for children who had victims of trauma and my bookshelf reflected that. I had dozens of books about parenting, trauma, mental health issues in children and autism. I had lots of early childhood ed stuff as well as general sociology and family books. But I’ve moved on and yesterday, with its snow, sleet and freezing rain was a good day for finding homes for the books I no longer use and making space for new acquisitions. I found a children’s mental health clinic that was happy to take my collection (yeah!!!) and got them boxed up. I then had the pleasure of shelving my new books. The next slow day, I want to work on system to better organize by subject. I’m reading John Micheal Greer’s The Ecotechnic Future right now. He’s a wonderful writer and I find his philosophy one I can relate too. His theory of homeostasis is very comforting.
Other new books are: The Rodale Book of Composting, Endgame, Jerry Baker’s Old-Time Gardening Wisdom, The Witch Of Hebron, Prelude, The Sheer Ecstasy Of Being A Lunatic Farmer, Home Brewer’s Garden, Tending The Wild, and a bunch of small permaculture books. This doesn’t count the cookbooks and food preservation books. I keep those in the kitchen.
Of all the things I have for preparation, my books are my most valuable. I have the self-reliant wisdom of centuries in two bookcases. If anything happens to me, my kids will have the information they need to make do. I do buy books new but I also borrow, swap, scavenge and buy second-hand. I borrow from the library if I’m not sure about a book. Reading the reviews on Amazon has saved me from many an unwise purchase. (There’s a reason a book only has one star).
One thing I have to do a better job with is keeping track of my books as I lend them out. Fortunately, most of my friends are reliable and return what they’re finished with.
The composting book was a good spend. I really need to refine my composting system. I need to add at least two more bins to the three I have so two are cooking and three being filled.
Are any of you reading anything excellent? I’m always interested in post-apocalyptic novels as well as how-to and gardening books.
January 19, 2011 at 8:23 am
I just finished a most excellent book called “Lice on Wheat” by John Hill. a very complete book which includes recipes and resources.
I love my books, but definetely need to find a better way to house them.
January 19, 2011 at 9:28 am
I just finished “Better off Flipping the Switch on Technology” by Eric Brende. It was really, really enlightening. I have already begun my quest to get some technology out of my life which will also help me be more self-reliant.
Are you planning on speaking at the MEN again this year ?
January 19, 2011 at 12:03 pm
I found The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love very inspirational. Sometimes, I’m sure that I am the ONLY person who makes mistakes, and this was an uplifting reminder that we’re all just learners.
http://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Life-Farming-Food-Love/dp/1416551603/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1295452875&sr=1-1
January 19, 2011 at 1:35 pm
I am also in the process of finding a new home for all my job-related books(special ed)as I prepare to retire. I have a very large collection(and still growing)of books on self sufficient living and cook books. I have been collecting these since the very early 70′s. I became passionate about food self reliance and eating locally after reading Francis Moore Lappe’s “Diet For a Small Planet” as a young woman.It continues to be a huge interest/concern for me. My current favourite is “The Resilient Gardener” by Carol Deppe- I read it cover to cover and was very excited and comforted by her knowledge, insights and meticulous research-as an older woman on my own I am heartened by her gardening strategies/technique for bodies that no longer function quite as they use to! Just got “Holy Shit” by Gene Logsdon-one of my old favourite authors and a book on fermentation by Katz. I too feel that this will be my legacy to my kids and grandkids in a very uncertain world.I love your blog Kathy and appreciate your info and insights. It comforts me to know that there are sane people doing good work in these unpredictable times.
January 19, 2011 at 9:15 pm
I finished ‘World Made By Hand’ (and loved it) recently and am now reading ‘Patriots’ (a little extreme for a socialist-Canadian but interesting all the same
).
Do you have a favourite book about growing medicinal herbs? Maybe a top-ten and how to prepare them?
January 20, 2011 at 3:29 pm
I am currently reading Gardening When It Counts, The Human Powered Book and Seed to Table. I am going to pick up The Resilient Gardener at the library today. All of my reading of late is geared toward self-sufficiency, so some brain candy is in order soon.
January 20, 2011 at 4:08 pm
To save all these wonderful books, go to a scrapbooking store and buy some Archival Mist or something similar… a spray that counteracts the acid and preserves the pages!
January 20, 2011 at 6:02 pm
I started a comment to respond to your question about having read anything excellent lately. It got rather long-winded, so I turned it into a proper book review:
http://livingthefrugallife.blogspot.com/2011/01/book-review-resilient-gardener.html
-Definitely qualifies as excellent. The book, that is, not my review.
January 21, 2011 at 12:58 am
Our snow and ice have almost gone but we’re supposed to be having another system move through on Monday. Hopefully not as bad as the last one.
But if it does, that’s just another good excuse to spend the days sewing. If anyone is interested in how the first batch of gift bags turned out, I’ve posted pictures on my blog.
These would be a good sewing project for someone who has a few projects under their belt. They really quick to sew. In fact, the Furoshiki wraps would be an excellent first project as they are a simple hemmed square.
Yesterday I picked up Nourishing Traditions from the library. I had it put on hold last fall at the library… but my turn for it didn’t come up until the week before Christmas when I simply didn’t have time to read it… so after Christmas I requested it again. I’ve been reading about soaking grain before cooking them to make them more digestible… which would be a good thing to know if one had to transition completely to whole grains.