This book promises a lot and delivers very little. It can be described as a mixture of 1) A vague retelling of what caused our economic woes, 2) Obvious "advice" such as reminding you that in hard times you can move back in with your parents, and 3) Stern admonitions about how decadent modern society is and how much better off we'd all be if our standard of living is reduced to roughly that of the medieval peasant engaged in subsistence farming and participating in a barter economy.
Now, I'm an odd enough person that I more or less agree with this last point. The trouble is that not only does Depression 2.0 contain very few actual "strategies" for coping with such an eventuality, but what it does have to tell us is written in such a self-righteous, heavy-handed manner that even as sympathetic a person as myself felt condescended to and marginalized.
What practical "strategies" this book does contain are more along the lines of making it through a tough but relatively short-lived recession, such as dumpster diving and hanging out at the library for free entertainment. If you're looking for actual tips on how to weather the big one, this is not the book for you. In fact, I can't think of any situation in which I'd recommend this book to anybody. No matter what you hope to learn, it can be learned much better elsewhere.
While the list of topics in the book's description is impressive, you will be amazed at the actual size of the book, as it is quite slim. Consequently, I found that most of the book consists of what would work well as overviews of large sections of useful, practical content, but that, unfortunately, that actual content is not there. Being told that it's a good idea to do something is nice; being told how to do it would be better.
If you are interested in real advice, practical strategies, and solid how-tos, I highly recommend "The Urban Homestead" from the same publisher. That will teach you to do everything from collecting rainwater for irrigation to baking bread to setting up a chicken coop to heating your house without electricity. Much handier to have around if things continue to get worse, and there's no reason to believe that they won't.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Follow the author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start over
- When There Is No Doctor: Preventive and Emergency Healthcare in Challenging Times (Process Self-reliance Series)PaperbackFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Friday, Oct 24
- The Urban Homestead (Expanded & Revised Edition): Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City (Process Self-reliance Series)PaperbackFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Friday, Oct 24Only 13 left in stock (more on the way).
About the author
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2009Format: Paperback
