51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Educational and Amusing Guide to Living Green, 28 May 2005
By A Customer
This review is from: A Life Stripped Bare (Paperback)
I'd enjoyed reading Leo Hickman's columns in the Guardian on his attempts to live a more ethical, environmentally-friendly life, and I was pleased to be able to read more about the changes he made to his life as a response to an"ethical audit".
There are plenty of books out there that will tell you how to live your life the environmental/green/ethical/sustainable way, but this book has a real advantage over all of them - it doesn't just tell you what to do, but shows the impact that the changes have on your life. Leo writes honestly and amusingly about the effect of using washable nappies, getting fruit and veg delivered by an organic box scheme, taking a holiday in Europe by train instead of plane, having a wormery, going for a week without TV or radio, and how it feels when the ethical auditors criticise almost every aspect of your life. It's also interesting to read some of the letters he received while writing the newspaper articles, and the effect they had on his ethical "journey".
The book also mentions how these things had an effect on his family, particularly the times his wife was less enthusiastic about the changes - I think I would have liked to find out a bit more about things from her point of view.
I've found myself considering many of the things he mentions in the book, especially "food miles" in supermarkets while buying fruit and veg, and the book has inspired me to try to make some changes to my lifestyle. A good read for anyone who wants to consider their life and their impact on the world around them.
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32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Compulsive, amusing reading!, 26 May 2005
By A Customer
This review is from: A Life Stripped Bare (Paperback)
For all would be environmentalists living in the city or suburbia this book is a must! Leo Hickman writes with generous and amusing style, slightly tongue in cheek at times giving the reader the sense that he does indeed have his feet firmly on the ground! With his wife Jane he tackles tough issues about how they and their daughter Esme live in a society where being ethical and environmentally conscious at all times is virtually impossible! I thought he was quite good anyway, not having a car and eating healthily,but after the arrival of their three auditors their lives are turned upside down after being bombarded with sometimes impossible-to-live-by ethical values! However many of the suggestions in his book are easy to put into practice and gives one the hope that even by doing a little, it makes a difference. It's thought-provoking and fun to read. I've been enjoying reading it and thinking about it all week!
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very enjoyable and suprisingly easy read!, 7 Dec 2005
This review is from: A Life Stripped Bare (Paperback)
I have to admit I was already very interested in living a 'more sustainable life' before I read this book so I knew of quite a few of the issues highlighted very amusingly in this book. However my wife hadn't really taken any interest before I pursueded her to read this book and now she's really interested too, which is great for me! I think the reason the book had an effect on my wife, where my previous attempts had failed, was because it's written in a very readable and amusing style and doesn't put you under any pressure because Leo Hickman isn't saying you must do everything suggested, in fact he compromises all the time. It shows how to do your bit without having to change your life too much.
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