Living at the End of Time

Rating:
Summary: One of the better "shack dweller" books to come out lately.
Review: Ever since Thoreau went down to the Walden woods, writers have been going down to the woods to emulate him. "Living at the End of Time" recounts John Hanson Mitchells own shack dwelling period, and it is a very engaging account of his experiences. Particularly interesting are his accounts of his varied and eccentric neighbors, and anyone who has done a bit of construction will sympathise with his opinions on housebuilding. Its too bad this book is out of print.

Rating:
Summary: Almost a 20th-century _Walden_
Review: Mitchell created his own Walden experience on land just 16 miles away from the original site in northcentral Massachusetts. He built a cottage at the edge of his property when he and his wife separated, and so he distanced himself from the trappings of civilization at the same time. Most of them, at least. Here he relates stories from his first year at the cottage, complete with woodland encounters with wildlife, bizarre and unique individuals, and unknown shapes and spirits. He doesn't spend all his time there: he works, he travels, he investigates a local computer company. Like Thoreau, Mitchell is no hermit. And there's so much Thoreau in this volume that when you finish turning *these* pages, you might very well find yourself reaching next for _Walden_. A thought-provoking and entertaining book.