“The past may not be easy to forget, but it is not dead. It lives in us all. The point is not to return to another time but to enrich the experience of our own time. By respecting the past, we can live a more meaningful present – and future.” (p. 229)
Logan Ward and his wife Heather were burnt out from the hectic pace of life in New York – always rushing to and from work and childcare, with little time for their son or each other. Ward also felt drained from the constant bombardment of technology. So he proposed a radical experiment to his wife…sell everything, buy a remote farm and live as if it were 1900 for exactly one year. They proceeded to do just that, and this book is a chronicle of that year.
They (mostly Heather) cooked on a wood cook stove, used a draft horse (and sometimes bicycles) as transportation, planted a garden, chopped wood, hauled water, canned, made cheese (from goat’s milk they had milked themselves), and lived without electricity and indoor plumbing (yes, there was an outhouse).
What they discovered initially was that they were still exhausted, and were still out of sync with each other. It took a good six months (and the arrival of winter with fewer chores) for them to settle into their new life and find time for each other. And although they originally started out as the community curiosities, by the end of the year the Wards discovered that they had actually brought their neighbors closer together.
I actually have a few things in common with Logan Ward, although I was only three when I experienced them. Although we had electricity and running water (but no toilets), my parents did something similar and escaped LA in the early ‘70s for a remote place in Oregon. I still remember the outhouse (it was a scary place) and the wood cook stove that my mom cooked on. I’m sure this is partly why I found this book so intriguing (and also why I hate camping to this day).
Anyways, this is quite a different take on the “a year in the life” story. I thought it was fascinating, especially as Ward is brutally honest. And if you’re wondering what happened after their year was up, you’ll just have to read it to find out. Hah!
Kudo’s to the Wards! I don’t think I could ever get that burned out–I don’t even like to camp any more!
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That really sounds horrific for me. I like the past in books but that’s about it. Wasn’t there like a TV show kind of like this a couple of years ago?
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Sounds interesting, but something like that is definitely not for me. Perhaps for a week for “fun”, but not a whole year. But I am intrigued to learn if the couple stayed together or if their troubles finding time for each other and their son had to do with their city-life style or if it was within them, no matter what “year” they chose to live in.
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I think you’re the first person I “know” (virtually speaking) to have had an outhouse!
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Thank you for the great review, Jill. It’s such a radical move to make in today’s day and age, but I do admire them for going through with it. I think I’d be too chicken to try it. Haha
I am not a huge fan of camping either. My family did a lot of it when I was growing up and while I loved many aspects of it, there were others that I don’t think I’d be so willing to take now that I’m an adult. I think it really bothers my dad that I grew into a non-camper as it’s something he really loves.
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I went to add this to my list and discovered it was already there! Thanks for reminding me why it’s on my list
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What a neat experiment! I love watching the shows on pbs that have people moving out to 1900s farms and victorian houses. Great review!
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I don’t think I’d want to DO this, but I’d like to read about it. Thanks for making me put one more book on the ol’ wish list
.
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Oooooohhhh…I love “difficult things I did for a year” books! I am so putting this on my TBR list!
And outhouses can turn anyone off to toileting in the out of doors forever!
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I just loved this book and while I never lived like you or the Wards did, I could picture things in the book, because the Wards lived close to Carl’s family.
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I enjoy the rustic kind of life while camping, but by the end of a week it’s time to go home to hot showers, electric ovens and (thank heavens) indoor plumbing. I can’t imagine living without modern amenities for an entire year! This book looks really intriguing.
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I’ve got to say, living the way they did 100 years ago does not sound remotely appealing to me.
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I sometimes think that I need to peel back the layers and return to a simpler time. However, not as simple as using an outhouse. I’m actually a pretty tough cookie when I have to be and would make do if I had to, but I don’t have to.
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This is certainly not something I’d ever consider (as a Girl Scout leader, I told the troop I was a “hotel camper”!), but I sure would like to read about it.
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Sounds so totally weird but interesting!
I would have never taken it up but not i m curious.
Wasn’t there a reality show of observing such a family roughing for a year? I could never…
.-= Care´s last blog ..Proust Was a Neuroscientist =-.
Gonna have to add this one to my list, I love books like this AND I love to camp.
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This book is definitely going on my wishlist. One of my friend’s have relatives that live in the hills of Kentucky, and my friend always loves going up there. I can’t exactly picture myself doing that, though. Sure, for vacations, sounds like it could be fun. I think I love technology too much to do that.
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