Possum living: How to live well without a job and with almost no money [Hardcover]

Dolly Freed (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Universe Books (1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876639872
• ISBN-13: 978-0876639870
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,301,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"Why is it that people assume one must be a hippie, or live in some dreary wilderness, or be a folksy, hard-working, back-to-nature soybean-and-yogurt freak in order to largely bypass the money economy? My father and I have a house on a half-acre lot 40 miles north of Philadelphia, Pa. (hardly a pioneer homestead), maintain a middle-class façade, and live well without a job or regular income--and without working hard, either."

--Dolly Freed, Possum Living: How To Live Well
Without A Job And With (Almost) No Money

Following her success as an author, Dolly Freed grew up to become a NASA aerospace engineer. She aced the SATs with an education she received from the public library and put herself through college. She's been an environmental educator, business owner, and college professor. She now lives in Texas with her husband and two children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Possum Living - "The Real Deal", February 28, 2002

By 

C. F. Hill "CFH" (Blue Ridge Summit, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Possum living: How to live well without a job and with almost no money (Hardcover)

*** EDIT *** 8/24/2009 - An updated version has been published and can be ordered: Possum Living: How to Live Well Without a Job and with (Almost) No Money

First, I should let you know that I am Dolly's younger brother (briefly mentioned in the book and in the documentary). For the many people who have asked, here and elsewhere, Dolly is very much alive and well.

To reviewer "Howard":
A) The intro to book clearly says 1/2-acre lot 40 miles from Philadelphia. It was not 5 acres, 5 miles from Philadelphia.
B) Say what you want, but they really did have rabbits and chickens in the basement (more rabbits than chickens). Sorry, but you are wrong.
C) Since we already established that your geographic positioning was incorrect, we can also conclude that you assumption about the quality of the wildlife is also wrong. They lived right next to the water reservoir and many farms. The fish and game 40 miles away from Philadelphia are some of the best eating around!

To reviewer "Gregory": You bet! Dad was not to be taken lightly!

To all of the rest, Dolly is still one of the most quick witted and frugal people I know. She is also pleased and wryly amused that so many people still take an interest in her book.

The book is dated by today's standards and definitely contains some socially unacceptable elements, but most of the basic philosophies found in the text still hold true. You might also want to keep your children from reading the "Necessities of Life" chapter.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars treasure found, May 22, 2001

By 

Carl M. Keefer (Santa Rosa Beach, Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Possum living: How to live well without a job and with almost no money (Paperback)

I was laid up sick many years ago listening to an interview of Dolly Freed on PBS. It was during the 70's recession and " live [inexpensively] " books were all the rage. Dolly was charming, and as a Euell Gibbons reader, her book was in my hobby but as I got well I couldn't find it but couldn't forget it. Twenty years later I found and bought it as my first ebay purchace. I wasn't sorry ! The book is a storehouse of [inexpensive] living information, with jewels of knowledge such as how to build a kitchen still and barrel stove. You'll fall in love with Dolly and her dad, the " old fool ".

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Possum Living by Dolly Freed, June 25, 2000

By 

Michael Wing (Kentfield, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Possum living: How to live well without a job and with almost no money (Hardcover)

I found this book in the "free" box outside a used bookstore and I have read it so many times it is falling apart. It is wise, inspirational, and very entertaining. Like her other fans, I would like to know what has become of the author in the 20+ years since the book was written.