Book Review: See You In a Hundred Years

Maureen picked this book up after reading a review on a blog.  It seemed right up my alley after reading Growing a Farmer and Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology.  All are books about moving to a place of doing more for yourself.

See You in a Hundred Years is about a New York couple with a two year old son that sell all, buy a Virginia farm and start a "social experiment" to live for a year as if it is 1900.  Personally I like the idea of these types of trials, and I've read a few books about people that have done various undertakings like this.  At first some of the plan seems nothing more than an idea so that a book can be written. That turned me off a bit.  My personal agenda of trying to gather information so that I may live a better life ran smack into a book about someone trying to make money in the long run.  Eventually I came to see that the Wards were trying to create something similar to what I am seeking.  They seem sincere in this effort and this was their jumping off point.

I realized that some of the choices they made, puling the electric pump from the well, were made to keep the 1900 intact.  I enjoy turning on the faucet and having water come out.  I could hand pump water, but at this time choose not to do that. because of their rules they had no option.  Eventually I enjoyed hearing of the changes they made and how they adapted.  I won't give away all of their choices, but it was interesting to read how their lives changed with the loss of different modern conveniences.

One choice I was really interested in hearing about is the loss of their car and the purchase of a draft horse and wagon.  We have a friend with draft horses and are somewhat familiar with the workings. I have romantically thought of getting a horse and using it for farm work and a bit of transportation.  I know it won't be as I imagine necessarily and the sections of this book about Belle the horse reminded me of this.  It did help to further the dream though.

This is a good book. It is written in a pleasing way and is enjoyable to read. I enjoyed Growing a Farmer better because of the tone of the writer and there was more practical advice. But that shouldn't stop anyone from reading See You in a Hundred Years.  It is worth the time.