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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
No-nonsense realism lovingly explained, January 8, 2000
This review is from: Escape to a Small Town!: Create a New Life & Fulfill Your Dreams in a Place Where You Can Breathe (Paperback)
Many Americans dream of fleeing urban blight to a small town, but what is life in small town really like? Will someone who's used to the city enjoy a small town? And how does one find just the right small town? Lisa Rogak answers these questions and more in ESCAPE TO A SMALL TOWN! She starts the reader with setting goals, choosing what *kind* of small town is best for you, how to find that town, and how to adjust to living there, including issues of employment, your kids, fitting in, and staying happy. Rogak also includes sections on what it's like to live in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Upstate New York--her end of the country, where many former urbanites head. Rogak is careful, however, to not see small town life through rose-colored glasses--she points out (and includes examples of) different types of folks who think they might like small town living but turn out not to. After all, there are many advantages to living in a big city that just can't be found in small towns, like a wealth of shopping, plenty of jobs, and gourmet restaurants galore. It's obvious that Rogak is writing from her head as well as her heart and truly wants to inform her readers and have them be happy with whatever decision they make. The book is written in a witty, folksy style that is easy to read and includes first-person accounts from others who have taken the plunge. Highly recommended for anyone who wonders what it's like to not lock your doors at night, to smile and chat with people in your local market, and to hear birds, crickets, and frogs rather than sirens, horns, and engines. Kimberly Borrowdale Under the Covers Book Reviews
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Honest Truth About Small Towns, November 23, 1999
This review is from: Escape to a Small Town!: Create a New Life & Fulfill Your Dreams in a Place Where You Can Breathe (Paperback)
The pressures of urban living at the turn of the millennium have generated a lot of romantic longing for a return to small-town America. Lisa Rogak's Escape to a Small Town! cuts through the day-dreaming and deals with small-town living in an honest way that creates an invaluable resource for anyone considering such a change of location and life-style. Rojak isn't wearing any rose-colored glasses. Escaping to a small town in New England worked for Rogak--but she lets readers know why it might not work for them. For example, if you're a mechanical and home fix-up klutz, you better consider how you'll accomplish repairs and maintenance with a foot of snow on your dirt road and without a two-inch-thick urban yellow pages at your elbow. She also emphasizes that all small towns aren't alike. A small college town three hours out of New York offers a living climate different from a dusty cowtown six hours from a small city. Her checklists of points to investigate and consider dramatically increase the chances that you'll select a small town that suits your needs and personality. Although the book emphasizes New England in its examples and descriptions, the points it makes are just as useful for someone considering a move to southern Oregon or the lakes region of Minnesota. Beyond the choice of a town, Rogak suggests how best to introduce yourself to your new neighbors and adapt to the new lifestyle. Things to avoid get attention, too. For example, you may have a masters in public administration and years of local government experience as a citizen activist. But do yourself a favor and don't try to start running your new small town right away unless you want to be branded as some snob from the city who thinks he's smarter than the locals. All in all, the simple economic return on this book -- money saved and problems avoided in relation to its modest price -- makes it a must-buy if even the slightest notion of a small-town move lurks in your heart or mind.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A "must have" guide to plan your escape!, February 6, 2000
This review is from: Escape to a Small Town!: Create a New Life & Fulfill Your Dreams in a Place Where You Can Breathe (Paperback)
Now a staple by my bedside, this book offers a no-nonsense overview of moving to a small town. Ms. Rogak outlines the various types of towns, interviews successful transplants, unsuccessful transplants and others. Among the most valuable parts of the book are the checklists for moving. Her advice is practical and obviously well researched by her own experience. The ancedotes, checklists and other snippets of small town life make this book easy to pick up, open to any section and begin planning! Planning a move? Dreaming like me? either way this book is a "must have" guide!
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