The Self-Sufficiency Bible: From Window Boxes to Smallholdings - Hundreds of Ways to Become Self-Sufficient

by Simon Dawson

In today's economic climate, self-sufficiency is increasingly seen as a viable means of taking control of our lives and safeguarding for the future - this is the book that will help every householder do just that. Each of the twelve chapters focuses on key topics for living a more self-sustainable life, with practical information and expert guidance that will make the subject come alive for everyone, whatever their needs, circumstances and resources. This means that the gardening chapter, for example, is appropriate both for people with an urban back yard or a more substantial plot of land. Written in a down-to-earth, engaging and often amusing style, the book will appeal to single people as much as to those with large families, to women who want to be more creative, resourceful and independent, to men who want to rediscover their inner 'hunter-gatherer', and to parents looking to equip their children with basic life skills.

• ISBN10: 1780285418
• ISBN13: 9781780285412
• Publish Date: 14 March 2013 (first published 1 April 2010)
• Publish Status: Transferred
• Out of Print: 6 October 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Watkins Publishing
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 288
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781780285412

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Self-Sufficiency Bible: Window Boxes to Smallholdings is a collection of tutorials and tips for more self reliant lifestyle whatever the reader's current situation. First published in 2011, this reformat and re-release second edition is due out 9th Feb 2021 from Watkins Publishing. It's 337 pages and will be available in paperback format (other editions available in various other formats).

This is a very well and logically laid out book with hundreds of tips and small (to larger) tutorials. It's not a step by step manual for self-sufficiency to be followed slavishly. In fact there are so many small changes from which to choose that virtually all readers will find something to incorporate into their daily lives to move in a more self sustaining and self-reliant direction.

The way consumerist society is set up is an unsustainable cycle of buy-use-discard which has to move ever faster to maintain forward momentum. The very scary reality is that the vast majority of urban dwellers have nearly zero food security. This book provides numerous tips for increasing food and resource security and diminishing reliance on transport and resource heavy supply chains (which eat up even more of the scarce resources and increase costs astronomically).

The author is a former urbanite who made a paradigm shift to self sufficiency in the early 2000s and now teaches other how to life more simply and self-sustainably.

This book is a goldmine of good advice from homemade dog biscuits to building a hoop house to setting up the first vegetable garden to butchering small stock. There are stops along the way to revisit crafts (basketry, tanning, jewellery-making, candle & papermaking, woodcarving and the like) as well as cooking, preserving, and sausage making. The tutorials and crafts are -very- basic and will need further elaboration to really make much progress, but it does provide a starting point for further research.

In a lot of really good ways, this book reminds me of John Seymour's iconic Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency, but with a lot more humor and, frankly, understanding for the modern lifestyle. There is no photography included in this volume; it's illustrated with clear retro-feeling line drawings. Most of the instruction is very brief and basic.

Four stars. Heartily recommended to all smallholders, dreamers, and readers looking for a more independent life with less reliance on commercial sources. This would also make a superlative selection for makers' groups, community/cooperative gardens and allotment collectives.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.