Making the Good Life Last: Four Keys to Sustainable Living [Paperback]

Michael A Schuler (Author), Scott Russell Sanders (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2009

The Sustainable Life Is the Good Life

In our materialist culture, the idea of "the good life"--fancy cars, designer clothes, once-in-a-lifetime vacations--leaves even those few who can afford it feeling anxious, empty, and dissatisfied. Michael Schuler deconstructs the assumption that consumption and constant stimulation equal happiness. He shows how, by applying the principles of sustainability to our personal lives, we can discover treasures of perennial value: a beautiful and healthy earth home, enduring relationships, strong communities, work that contributes to the common good, and play that restores our bodies and lifts our souls.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for Making the Good Life Last

"Sustainability isn't only, or even mainly, about light bulbs. It's about patience and prudence and the other virtues described in this book--it's about becoming mature as people and as a society. That's hard work but good work, and this is the manual."
--Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy and The End of Nature

"Sustainability requires each of us to rethink our moral and spiritual relationships with the planet, with each other, and with ourselves. No one understands this better than Michael Schuler. He tells of his efforts with friends and family to enact these values in his own daily life. It is an inspiring story."
--William Cronon, Frederick Jackson Turner and Vilas Research Professor of History, Geography, and Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of Changes in the Land

"Organize a study group around this book! Schuler has provided one of the most persuasive, cogent, readable, useful guidebooks I have ever seen to what really sustains an ecology, an economy, a society, and a human life that really matters."
--John Buehrens, Past President, Unitarian Universalist Association

About the Author

The Reverend Dr. Michael A. Schuler serves as the parish minister of the First Unitarian Society of Madison. During his twenty one-year tenure, the society has grown rapidly to over 1,500 adult members, 500 children, and approximately 200 active affiliates.

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers (May 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576755703
• ISBN-13: 978-1576755709
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #909,704 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Live a more abundant life, May 11, 2009

By 

John G. Webster (Madison, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making the Good Life Last: Four Keys to Sustainable Living (Paperback)

I definitely enjoyed Michael Schuler's Making the Good Life Last with his four keys to sustainable living. His suggestion to pay attention, especially how paying attention to diet and exercise to minimize health problems, to family and friends can actually encourage enduring relationships and make the good life last.
The author's suggestion to stay put. Especially staying put to become competent at our work and to develop a sense of neighborhood and a church that sustains us.
His suggestion to exercise patience. Especially exercising patience to slow down in life and not overdo our busyness. You don't have to reach your goal tomorrow.
With parents from New England, I especially enjoyed the author's suggestion to practice prudence. I was always taught to spend less than I earned so practicing prudence has made it possible for me to avoid the overspending that has caused our current recession and to have a bit of a surplus to retire and with practicing continuing prudence enjoy a sustainable good life.
I highly recommend everyone to read this book, to think about its many recommendations, and follow them to live a more abundant life.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect match for challenging times, May 13, 2009

By 

Mary Bergin (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Making the Good Life Last: Four Keys to Sustainable Living (Paperback)

Who doesn't want to live the good life? And who hasn't gotten confused or fooled about what this requires? Thanks to Rev. Schuler, we now have a thoughtful and practical guide to help us prioritize and preserve what matters the most during our time on this planet. Inside "Making the Good Life Last" is solid and timeless advice, with an eco-friendly and values-driven mindset, from an ordained minister who is effective because he persuades through gentle nudging instead of righteous preaching. Adults of any age and any religious denomination (or lack thereof) will find useful perspectives to ponder.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars By Turns, Inspiring and Thought Provoking, April 24, 2009

By 

John Woods (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Making the Good Life Last: Four Keys to Sustainable Living (Paperback)

Sometimes when we hear about adopting a sustainable lifestyle, it seems we have to sacrifice in one way or another. However, the premise of this intriguing and very well written book shows that this is not the case. It explores the values, attitudes, and behaviors that comprise a good life. Then it demonstrates that these are also what lead us to want to live in a way that contributes to the sustainably of our communities, country, and world.

The author recognizes that we are all in this together and that by looking out for that of which we are a part, we look out for ourselves as well.

The book includes an intriguing chapter that explores the things get in the way of making sustainable choices. These include what the author calls "The Christian Conundrum," "Humanism's Unconfirmed Optimism," the compromises of capitalism, and the "Broken Promise of Technology." It's not a critique of these broad themes of modern life, but a look at how, unexamined, they lead us to do damage to our communities and our own well being.

The heart of the book is the author's four keys: pay attention, stay put, exercise patience, and practice prudence. He explains each of these concepts, synthesizing writings from a wide variety of thinkers and doers. It's really stimulating stuff. He is asking us to act like adults, take responsibility for our actions, and, by the way, create more fulfilling lives for ourselves.

I especially enjoyed the last chapter, "A Sustainable Code of the Soul," where the author reminds us of Teilhard de Chardin's quote, "We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey." While the focus of the book is clearly on our human journey, it is good to remember that living sustainably, as Schuler explains it, is very good for our souls as well.

I highly recommend this book.