A Reasonable Life: Toward a Simpler, Secure, More Humane Existence (Paperback)

Some of the suggestions the author makes are much easier to make when one has money as a fall back in times of emergency. I and disagree with the author on whether one should throw the television out, since I think a major part of a simple lifestyle is self discipline and careful planning. We have DishTV since we like watching European news, as well as CSPAN and a few do it yourself shows. Driving fifty miles to take a class that I can take via television wouldn't be cost effective.

Chapter 5 The Home Garden is good. I agree that fresh is best, and know both city dwellers who have organic gardens that fill their front and back yards as well as myself and most of my neighbors here in a rural area who do the same.

I also disagree with the author that big cities (Chapter 10) are "unlivable" since I know New York, San Francisco, Seattle as examples offer ethnic diversity, free activities for families and mass transit, which living in the mountains as we do, doesn't. I agree with Chapter 12 Humane Small Towns, that if you can find a humane small town that you have found a gold mine. The key word in the chapters title is "humane." We live in the Sierras which we love because we love skiing, hiking and other out of doors activities. What we miss is the ethnic and political diversity. On page 133 as an example he says "...we abandoned our small towns for the mythical steady jobs, the excitement, fun people..." when in fact here in small town America people are abandoning the city for a more "white...republican...non-diverse" way of life.

I agree almost in total with Chapter 12 The Self Helpless Society. Because I think that there is something about living in a rural area where you really do have to develop some major self sufficiency that will be a survival tool when the power is out because of snow for a week, that makes a person stronger. But if everyone from the cities moves to the country, you get the central valley of California which was 70% agriculture 20 years ago, and now is one long suburban-city area from Sacramento to Fresno.

One thing I wish the author had addressed more, is a major solution issue, namely overpopulation. Fewer people means cleaner air, water, and few new houses needing to be built. But I am glad I bought the book on Amazon.com

My one criticism and genuine disagreement with the author is his abandonment of city living as a lost cause. At one time I felt like moving out to his idealic small-town countryside too. I stayed because of the vitality of relationships, my compassionate vibrant neighborhood church, my family in the nearby suburbs. I live within a short biking/walking distance of the beautiful Chicago lakefront, with its miles-long public park system. My tiny backyard (25 x 30')--loaded with veggies, flowers, fruit, etc.-- I call my very very small organic 'farm'. My wife and I only have one car, we walk, bike, bus, and train often. We walk to the corner for milk. We consider the incredible racial diversity of the local parks, schools, and neighborhood a gift to our children, something we never had in white small towns and suburbia. Despite their many charms, diversity is not a hallmark of most small towns, either in the US or, I suspect, in Mate's Tuscany.

Instead of bailing on the city, I am committed to making it a little bit better. This can be done through a million small things --community gardens, a church homeless shelter, block parties, consciously knowing and caring for neighbors. Is this easy? No, but it is possible and it is happening.

All of this said, I am rereading the book now, and in general I find it to be a great challenge to not cave in to to the culture of consumption and advertising. I need the smack upside the head as much as the next guy. Highly recommended.

Mate is a man who really has a knack for making sense of things. He boils the human race right down to its bare-boned inconsistencies. We are imperfect creatures -- frequently irrational, often nonsensical. Some of the things Mate has to say will make you angry. Some of it will make you laugh out loud (really!). All of it will open your eyes.

And no, Mate does not tell you how to build your own house or gut your own chicken (he recommends that every American be able to do both by the age of 12). But this book is not about little practicalities like that. Rather it is about changing the way we look at -- really look at -- all the everyday stuff we tend to take for granted. It causes us to rethink how we are living our lives. What is important to us. And who, as a nation and a world, we want to become.

All in all, this is a terrific book. I don't have one bad thing to say about it. It should be required reading for the entire Republican party.