Does anyone know what the exact number of books written by Scott and Helen Nearing? The more I read and re-read his books the more I want to know. I'd like to have as complete of a set as possible to keep me company on the long winter nights. Thanks.

-- Nik Nikkila (laplander@onemain.com), September 25, 2001

Answers

Helen Nearing: The Good Life Album of Helen & Scott Nearing, 1974; Simple food for The Good Life, 1980; Wise Words on the Good Life, 1980; Our Home Made of Stone, 1983; Loving & Leaving the Good Life, 1992; Scott Nearing: The Maple Sugar Book, 1950; Living the Good Life, 1954; USA Today, 1955; Socialists Around the World, 1958; The Brave New World, 1958; Our Right to Travel, 1959; Building & Using Our Sun Heated Greenhouse, 1977; Continuing the Good Life, 1979.

Got this information out of Helen's last book, Loving & Leaving the Good Life. One of my favorites.

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), September 26, 2001.

I loved their books too but have a hardier appetite than they did. Also, I felt that we couldn't use them as ideal homesteaders because they were pretty much getting their lifestyle finance by Universities or Organizations of some sort, of course they only took enough to live their life. But the rest of us need to sell, barter or do something for money. Now, I follow their advise on the Blueberries as a cash crop and it is working. Read recently an article from his son who he never had contact with after he drop his mother and they definitely had problems with all, although the son seem to be a (gentleman) homesteader type. Correct me if I wrong. Debbie

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), September 26, 2001.

Debbie, where did you read that article?

-- Sandy Davis (smd2@netzero.net), September 26, 2001.

It was on the internet in a lazy afternoon finding information out on the Nearing. By the way I love their books. I think I will search again and when I find will post or email exactly the site. Debbie. The information I got was he was married and had a son then married Helen whom he sent the next 50 years. I suppose if you like a good steak once in a while Scott might not be the man for you! Debbie

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), September 26, 2001.

Sandy type in Scott Nearing on Yahoo. I got a biography that says most of what he wrote was before meeting Helen. Boy he was a radical, fired all the time, ran for the Communism Party in America. FBI always after him. Kept losing jobs with large Universities because of his teachings - it says after all this his "marriage fell apart" he met Helen and because they couldn't get jobs with their politcal views they "took to the good life", he says if you have to be poor it is better in the country than city. Also, he received money from a trust fund his sister set up for him and several life insurance polices he was named on. Just recently the site for homesteading on this couple was ordered to include his views. Like I said I still enjoy his books on homesteading but not too interest in the radical ones.

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), September 26, 2001.

Hello Nik, I am a big fan of the Nearings! Though I have not read more than a fraction of his works, I estimate that Scott has written about fifty books during his lifetime. One of his criticisms was the way Government stuck their nose into our affairs. He was also very outspoken during the beginnings of WWI and was opposed to the USA involvement. He was labeled a Communist because he believed in not being a SHEEP,(one that follows everybody else). This caused his demise as a Economics Professor from the University he was lecturing at at the time. He continued lecturing on a private circuit for years after. Another one of his criticisms was the unfair treatment of minorities by the USA government. He saw unfair labor practises and spoke out how most high earning positions were held exclusively by the white majority. This got him labeled as a "nigger lover". Which of course continued to affect his status. He spoke out against child welfare and labor issues as in those days many businesses were using child labor six and a half days a week. Working the children as much as 12 hours per day. Finally, once he was ousted out of society by his "unethical views", him and his second wife "Helen" moved to the country and rebuked ALL government control. When the depression hit the nation, Scott was noted at saying, that if I am to be poor, at least let it be in the country where I can grow my own food instead of digging through the garbage cans of the city for it. During his years in the country he continued his "unethical views", in addition to writing the above mention books about country living that he and Helen are now famous for. Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), September 26, 2001.

My only problem with the Nearings is that he had a trust fund. We read his books and "go for it". Still you have to have money in the first place to do any of the things he did and while homesteading he was still writing most of the time and I believe Helen was involved in speaking or writing jobs too. Now I have follow their cash crop advice and planted the same amount of blueberries and same distance and while buying the best of the blueberries books "to make sure of what we were doing", I enjoyed and got ideas from his books. The thing is most homesteaders eat different than they do. They go for days on ends eating raw nuts, berries or whatever. Because they are too busy writing they hardly ever eat anything warm or cook. Most of us like to put on big meals for our families. Not all but a good many of us like animal husbandry and they talk about "enslaving animals" including horse power for the garden. So, I think I like Johon Vivian's way (although he made his money writing and her teaching) or the Robinsons (sp). They the Robinsons seem to be close to the Nearings in lot of their ways but closer to what we can do as homesteaders. I do like the 4 hrs of labor, 4hrs of writings and I forget what the other 4hrs are for that the Nearings preach about.

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), September 27, 2001.

Nik, 4 hrs was for bread labor (work only until you have enough money to pay bills, taxes, etc.), 4 hrs to better yourself (through writing, studying something you are interested in, learning to do a skill, craft, play an instrument, etc.) and 4 hrs for your community (he was big into social justice - help your fellow man all that you possibly can, not only because it's the right thing to do, but because they will (hopefully!) be there when you need help from them). Before Helen died, she turned over Forest Farm (their home in Maine) to the Trust for Public Lands if they would create a non- profit organization. That organization, The Good Life Center, now officially owns Forest Farm. They have a website and will sell any books that they will have in their possession that either Helen and/or Scott wrote. Some of his earlier works are not available. I don't know if that's because they just don't print them anymore or if they don't consider them to be popular enough to reprint. I am currently doing a college research paper on the Nearings and have bought many books from The Good Life Center. The people are very friendly and helpful, as is the website. Check it out: www.goodlife.org

Happy hunting! Pat

-- Pat Riddlemoser (patriddlemoser@alltel.net), September 30, 2001.