Back from the Land: How young Americans went to Nature in the 1970’s and Why they came back.

This book was a most interesting read, and everything I expected. Sometimes you can read the inside flap and get all excited, but it ends up being slightly different, however, this book was not that way for me.The details of setting up and preparing for the move along with the raising kids out in the middle of nowhere was very intriquing. Eleanor, the writer, still alluded to the romantic part of simple living, yet crushed those dreams in a very pleasant and understanding way. You had no doubt this was not the romantic ideals people have of simple living.

“The bare wood floor was freezing. When the dog had an accident on the floor, it froze. I had to use a pick ax to dislodge it…. The sheer excitement of living like pioneers kept my blood pumping against the cold.”

Of course it wasn’t always fun and games……

“Yes, the novelty of chopping wood, hauling water, and using kerosene lights had worn thin. The sheer physical discomfort alone was enough to change most of our minds, not to mention the complicated nature of things, which could slowly drive a person mad.”

The 70’s, in many ways were out done /commercialized by the 60’s, but then that decade had their own ‘radicals’ as well.