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This book lives up to its subtitle. It really is 'a practical 'cookbook' of tested ideas', full of useful, fascinating, enjoyable and sometimes wacky tips (though we're not sure we agree with John Yeoman's favourable opinion of dandelion root coffee!). In four sections, Self Reliance draws you gently into the world of the scrounger (in the positive sense of the word!), the cook and preserve maker, the home brewer (and distiller!) and, finally, the doomsday survivor (plus family). The book draws together all manner of ways to save money, live healthily and enrich you and your family's lives. Most of the ideas have been tested, if not used regularly, by the author, and this is where much of the book's value lies. It's perhaps worth mentioning one omission and one practical drawback. Firstly, it's a shame there isn't a little more emphasis on the importance of community in the book. And secondly, because of the plethora of tips and ideas included in the book, the index can only guide you to general subject areas rather than specific iems, so be sure to mark the pages you want to find again! --Andy & Angie Polkey Permaculture Magazine 23
Product Description
Self Reliance is a book of recipes in the broadest sense, from recipes for getting and staying out of debt and improving your financial independence, to tried and tested recipes for household items and life sustaining meals created from the simplest ingredients (often free) to the highly unusual. It is full of essential information for anyone who wants to live a more independent, self reliant lifestyle or plan for surviving a disaster scenario. "This is not a black book of survival. It is intended as an introduction to self reliance, showing tested, practical and often entertaining ways to escape the mindset of helplessness and the chains of habit forged for all of us by the consumer society. It guarantees not only an improvement in the odds but also, if you follow its suggestions and experiments, a vast improvement in your own self-confidence. Because in the worst scenario, you will endure and endure well." John Yeoman
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
59 of 60 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am greatly impressed! It's a vast encyclopaedia of tested , unusual but practical ideas to help any individual or family become self-reliant (even self sufficient) and free of the consumer rat-race - while still working 'within' the consumer society.
It's clear that Mr Yeoman has great experience in doing this himself, and his research is awesome. What's more, the book is entertaining, easy to read, irreverent and guaranteed to give you plenty of mind-provoking ideas to save money, make money and live better.
Highly recommended.
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When I first saw the book, I liked it a lot. The idea behind it (not complete self-sufficiency, but just a bit of independence from the consumer society - mainly by reducing the food bill) is good, the writing is amusing and easy to read.
BUT: When I read through for the first time I noticed some errors (soaked nettles smell just as bad as soaked animal dung - if not worse, the idea of putting wine into an oven that's hotter than for joghurt-making to get it up to drinking temperature could get Yeoman banned from France) and when I started to try out things, I found more (my orange peel are difficult enough to get to burn, I never managed to start a fire with them, as Yeoman suggests). Based on this, I certainly would not rely on the book for survival in a real life-or-death situation (as the last part, "Recipes for Real" suggests).
Still, there are some useful ideas - the best thing would probably be to borrow the book and copy down what seems useful. Writing down the good ideas is necessary anyway, as the table of contents is more concerned about being "cute" than informative ("Put a Tabby in the Tank"), the structure of chapters and sections is not always logical, and the index is not very useful either - I had to reread the book to find the section about conserving fat (which then worked).
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a GREAT book. With the way the world is going at the moment there are some very real issues, that we all must become more self reliant. This book is a great start and has really encouraged me to prepare myself and my little family to be a little more aware of what is on offer around us!
I recommend this book to anyone who is a little nervous of the future. This book brings a little more reasurance that we might actually be OK, if we suddenly find ourselves fending for ourselves.
I do pity his poor family though, they must have been very longsuffering!!! Having said that, I think my poor husband is getting a little nervous when he saw me reading how to create great culinary delights out of grass!!
I recommend this book to anyone who is a little nervous of the future. This book brings a little more reasurance that we might actually be OK, if we suddenly find ourselves fending for ourselves.
I do pity his poor family though, they must have been very longsuffering!!! Having said that, I think my poor husband is getting a little nervous when he saw me reading how to create great culinary delights out of grass!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
money savers and survivalists
a great book full of loads of money saving ideas. from the very simple to the totally absurd. I refer to these recipes on a regular basis and have found many of the ideas easy and... Read more
Published 19 months ago by C. Barrett
A good read
Mr Yeoman's book presents the frugal/self sufficient lifestyle by degrees. The book starts off with simple thrifty ideas and progresses through to radical self sufficient... Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2008 by Mr. H. Morrison
orange peel
haven't read the book, but thought I'd comment on the other review that mentions orange peel as a fire starter. Read more
Published on 28 May 2007 by Mr. Michael E. Collinson
A book without equal in the history of literacy
I can only add my praise to that of the previous reviewer - and in fact would go further. I would willingly deliver my lovely wife and charming children into slavery; divest... Read more
Published on 5 Feb 2002
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