Surviving Off Off-Grid: Decolonizing the Industrial Mind [Paperback]

Michael Bunker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2011

Western Society is in confusion, the industrial world is teetering on collapse, and it looks like things could get worse. Agrarian Blogger, historian, and "plain" preacher Michael Bunker has been living off of the grid for many years, and he has some advice for those living in the industrial/consumerist economy ...living an off off-grid life is achievable. It has been done for thousands of years, and it can be done today... It is quite possible that many people who have relied on a failing system for their means of survival will very soon find that they have made a mistake of historic proportions. Historic, because every major "classical" culture went down the same road our society is on today. This book is about the lessons we should have learned, and what you can do to survive what history tells us must come next.

***Warning*** In the increasingly fascistic and politically correct environment, many people are easily offended by any opinions with which they do not already agree.  The author has studied and learned from many different people and books from many different religious backgrounds and was able to gather from them what good he could without feeling the need to attack those with differing opinions and worldviews.  Unhappily, in today's society, there are those who believe that books or materials that they do not agree with should have a badge or marking stating that God is mentioned in the book.  Surviving Off Off-Grid was written by a Christian man and his faith informs his worldview and ideas.  He mentions God in the book.  If you are offended by ideas that you don't already hold, or by anyone who dares mention that there is a God in the public square, then this book is not for you.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Do you consider yourself a preparedness person? You need to read this book. Has your financial situation only become worse over time, and are you in debt? You need to read this book"... --SiffordSojournal.com

"I find this book to be one of the most profound books I've read in quite some time. It may even be the most relevant (and challenging) book of 2011 with all that is going on economically and politically" --NourishingDays.com

"...what I read was well-written, engaging, informational, and inspiring..." --Playing In The Dirt Blog

"...no one else I know of is saying... the things Michael Bunker is saying in this book. It is an incredibly thought provoking read... what he is saying is not only contra-mundum, it's right on" --Herrick Kimball, The Deliberate Agrarian

"Michael Bunker is not anti-technology and he is not a Luddite... he dares to question whether modern conveniences are necessary, and he's quick to name the cost of dependence: slavery." --Gnowfglins.com

About the Author

Michael Bunker is an off-grid farmer, author, historian, philosopher, iconoclast, husband, and father of four living children. He lives with his family in a "plain" Christian Community in Central Texas where he reads and writes books... and occasionally tilts at windmills. Michael's latest, "Modern Religious Idols" is now available on Kindle and in Paperback. MRI follows up on Michael's national bestseller "Surviving Off Off-Grid" which went to #26 on the Amazon.com Bestseller list, and to #2 on the "Movers and Shakers" list. Michael is currently working on several other projects, including a a fiction novel, The Last Pilgrims based on the philosophy Michael taught in Surviving Off Off-Grid. Check out lastpilgrims.com to read the early chapters of the novel. Michael interacts with his readers at facebook.com/michaelbunker, and can be heard twice a week on his BlogTalkRadio show at blogtalkradio.com/michaelbunker.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Refugio Publishing (February 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615447902
• ISBN-13: 978-0615447902
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.9 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (169 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #328,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Bunker is a bestselling author, off-grid farmer, historian, philosopher, iconoclast, husband, and father of four living children. He lives with his family in a "plain" community in Central Texas where he reads and writes books... and occasionally tilts at windmills. Michael's thriller smash series W1CK has remained a regular on the top 20 charts on Amazon.com in all of its categories. WICK Part 4: One Word of Truth, the final part of the WICK series, will be released in late June. The Silo Archipelago, Michael's offering that takes place in Hugh Howey's World of WOOL quickly became a bestseller in its categories. Michael interacts with his readers at facebook.com/michaelbunker, and on Twitter as @mbunker. His blog can be found at michaelbunker.com.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#72 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Science Fiction

#93 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

#72 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Science Fiction

#93 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

147 of 171 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book if you have ever thought there is more to life than working, tv and shopping February 28, 2011

By Nathan Chattaway

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

You've probably read plenty of books that tell you how to survive off the grid. This book doesn't have a misprint in the title. It teaches you why you should be getting on with surviving off "off-grid". In other words, a whole lot less dependant. Off-grid living focuses on such things as using technology to produce electricity (perhaps wind or photovoltaic cells) Off-off-grid living would pose the question "How can I thrive without electricity?". This book doesn't describe the backwoodsman skills you might employ to eke out an existence as a hunter gatherer. Rather, it lays out a belief system that is as old as humankind, but largely forgotton in the western world of grid-connected luxury.

The belief system you will be introduced to as you read is the basis for all planning, designing and action contained in the book. So, while it's chock full of excellent examples and suggestions about HOW to go about becoming more self reliant, once you understand WHY it is so important and natural to do so, you will be on your own exciting journey into actually living it!

Michael Bunker is a colourful character. He's like John Wayne, John Calvin, Grizzly Adams and Thomas Cromwell rolled into one Texas-sized individual. Bunker doesn't pull his punches and this book is written in a direct and forceful manner. You can tell it has the ring of authenticity that comes from someone who genuinely practices what he preaches. Bunker lives in an Agrarian community in central Texas with his family and they largely produce what they need there. This book is a distillation of his learnings, mistakes and successes and has been literally field-tested for years prior to making it into print.

So, if you want a book that thinks survival is all "Check out my cool bunker!..." then go get one of the hundreds of books out there that cover this stuff. But if you want to learn how and why to live with meaningful and fulfilling process, relationships and freedom, click on the link to "Check out Michael Bunker!"

February 29 - 2012 A year later: My above review of this book still stands. Surviving Off-Off Grid remains a very, very useful book. The book deserves to be read and reading it entirely is really the only way to find out for yourself why this book polarises people so completely. If you love the book, you possibly didn't need it in the first place, and if you loathe the book, you're someone who would stand to gain the most from adopting the paradigm shift that this book documents so thoroughly. Look, Michael Bunker causes controversy and often evokes extreme emotions in other people, but I can guarantee you that reading books by such authors is always anything but mundane. Michael Bunker walks around with a spectral amplifier volume knob floating above his head - set to 11. Read more ›

68 of 84 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Off-Grid Paradigm February 24, 2011

By Gregory Miller

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

There are many books out there that tell you how to live off-grid, but none of them go into the detail of the 'why' like this one. Our thinking has been so cluttered, and our distractions so numerable, that we often never really sit down and think about the reasons we do what we do. Pulling our head out from all the noise, this book gives a reality check, and makes us take a good hard look at ourselves. Just going along to get along no longer seems wise, because this book introduces a new paradigm in living off the grid. Read it, you'll see what I mean.

63 of 78 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Most books do not live up to the description...BUT this one actually does May 13, 2011

By thetruth

Format:Paperback

I stumbled upon this book in my research for "prepping" and "survival" information which I have been actively pursuing over the last year. I read most of the reviews both positive and negative and decided it was worth the money, because even the negative reviews didn't say the information was useless, only that the reviewer didn't agree with the conclusions/or philosophy of the author. After finishing the book, I can honestly say it WAS worth the money. The book completely challenged the most basic assumptions and beliefs about life and sustaining life in the future. This understanding is the primary piece of the "survival/prepping" paradigm puzzle that I was missing and had given me so much trouble. Trying to balance living in a modern world, preparing for the worst, and then guessing how long the disruptions would last ultimately increased my stress levels, lack of confidence, and led me to institute many incorrect "survival" systems that are actually unnecessary if your fundamental understanding of the world and your place in it is congruent with the actual reality present. Not only does this book challenge the reader, but it almost seemed as if the author was sitting right next to me answering the questions that popped into my head during that given section. Obviously, the author has spent numerous quality hours researching and structuring the material in a way to try to anticipate any questions the reader has while balancing the presentation of the information as to not scare off or offend any not so open-mined persons or individuals that have never been presented a philosophy in this way. This book is for every human being alive on this earth, whether you end up agreeing completely with this author's conclusions or not.... No matter what, it will expand your thought process and require you to at least defend your personal philosophy against a plethora of information presented. Enjoy. Read more ›

134 of 177 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed March 28, 2011

By Adam Seymour

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

It's hard to write a review of a book that I probably did not give a fair shake. Saying that, I tried my hardest to read it. There is some interesting viewpoints in this book, however you have to get beyond the constant religious attempt at proselytizing. Normally, I can just read over these, but it was an onslaught throughout the part of the book I read. I finally gave up reading it because this becomes the premise of everything the author is saying. It would probably be a good book had he written it for everyone.
If you are a deeply religious christian, then you would probably enjoy reading as you would agree with his theistic approaches to life.
I think the editors hide this information in their marketing of the book so as not to scare away possible market share.

27 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars How far we've fallen... March 5, 2011

By Michelle Shelton

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book on some levels broke my heart. How far we've fallen as a people from personal independence and strength to selling ourselves willingly into bondage for garbage goods, services and ideas. Michael Bunker does an incredible job illustrating how we went down this road to dependence on things that were supposed to "save time" for us. This quote gives a taste: "However, it is notable that, prior to the advent of grid power, the people could only be subjugated by military power, or by the persuasive power of philosophy or religion. Historically, coercion had to come from outside the individual person, group, or society. It was readily identifiable. If people were slaves, they were slaves to superior might. They could see their chains." Until I finished this book I did not realize how profoundly heavy the chains that I willingly used to bind myself to slavery in the worldy system were until I could feel them pulling me down. Once you become aware of them, can "see" them you'll never be able to go back. I've been a survivalist, a "prepper" for a long time, thinking I could buy enough goods to get me over the hump of TSHTF and then just "start growing things" once the worst was over. What a dead end trap that is, and this book helped me see that. You can't "buy" your way into survival, it's a foolish idea. It's no secret to all of us that our lives are about to change beyond recognizing, that's why we are all searching for a way out. This book is a giant first step for those that don't know where to get started, as the author delves into the most important part of making a change: getting your MIND in the right place.... For those like me that were already well down the path of living "off-grid" with our survival gear and grandiose plans of outlasting TSHTF, this book shows a divergent path by taking us through our presuppositions about what survival really is, and shows us the true path to personal freedom. It's so far from where all of us probably reside mentally he has to start with defining terms, such as what survival really is, to taking us through ending debt slavery down to the basics of evaluating land, food, water, and shelter. This book is really different from the usual "buy this and you'll be free" survival book. It's not just a "how" book, but a "why" book as well. It helped me view the plans that we made critically and to look at each part in terms of the whole, and the outcomes and consequences of the choices we've made in the past as well as for the future. I can't recommend it enough, it's that valuable. It provides true hope. Read more ›