Living the Good Life: How One Family Changed Their World from Their Own Backyard [Paperback]

Linda Cockburn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2007

Inspiring and challenging, this chronicle of a unique household experiment takes readers inside one family’s environmental test. Already mindful of the impact human activity has on the environment, the author and her family decided to take a further step towards thoughtful living by aiming for complete domestic sustainability. For six months, the Cockburns grew, bartered for, and made everything they ate; used exclusively solar power; collected rainwater for drinking, cleaning, and cooking; parked the cars and turned to bicycles; and aimed to not spend a single dollar. From just their average home on an average-sized lot, they experienced success, surprises, and challenges in their quest—all while learning about themselves as a family. Whether readers are looking for lessons on adopting some—or all—of the Cockburns' practices or are just curious about what it might take to “do it yourself” even more deeply, this story will bring them along for the ride.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Linda Cockburn is a writer whose work has appeared in Organic Gardener. She quit her job to take on the challenge of domestic sustainability.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Hardie Grant Books (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740663128
• ISBN-13: 978-1740663120
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,277,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Are you ready for it? It'll change your life!, September 3, 2007

By 

Romi Jensen (QLD, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Living the Good Life: How One Family Changed Their World from Their Own Backyard (Paperback)

This is a fantastic read, could not put it down. The way the author expresses the issues and facts and incorporates them in the way they have chosen to live their life is inspiring. If you have any interest in the planet, you will find information in this book fascinating. Each person can adapt different elements into their life, big and small.

Oh and did I mention it has humorous bits where you will find yourself belly laughing...

Buy the book, you will not regret it.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars truly inspiring, March 9, 2007

By 

K. Nott "sunsetsgrand" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Living the Good Life: How One Family Changed Their World from Their Own Backyard (Paperback)

I Loved this book. Its a very realistic look at the good life. A very good read as well as an inspiration. They set their rules and mostly stuck to it. A very good illustration of what can be achieved by real people in real life. If you have an interest is self sufficiency, downshifting or simplifying your life, this is a great read.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very good read..., November 21, 2008

By 

daughternature "daughternature" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living the Good Life: How One Family Changed Their World from Their Own Backyard (Paperback)

I really enjoed reading this book. It takes place in Austrailia but Americans can easily relate to it as well. The author's writing style is informative, realistic and humorous at times which makes it a nice read. The family spent 6 months with the intentions of not using a car, growing their own food and trying to be as self sufficient and environmentally friendy to our earth as possible. Though most of us would not go to the extent they did to live this simply I think any reader will be inspired to take some of their ideas and implement them in their on life style. This book is especially good for helping us think about living simply during today's economic hardships.