Welcome, dear reader! As I write this, I am down with the first virus of the season. As I sit on my couch, feeling tired and achy, I am going to take time to read a book. If I can’t do anything productive, I can use the time to learn new skills or cooking techniques. I have some favorite books that have helped me in my self-reliance journey, and I’ll share a few with you now, along with a resource for discount books.
Mother Earth News
Back in the 1990’s, our local library was giving away an entire box of then 20-year old Mother Earth News magazines. Mother Earth News was first published in January 1970, with a focus on “ the Back-to-the-land movement, self-sufficiency, ecology, and do-it-yourself living”. ME News is still in print, having become a more mainstream magazine. You can probably find it at your local library. I wish I still had the 1970’s issues, that had a certain charm. If you find some old ones at a garage sale or thrift store, buy them!
Tightwad Gazette
The Tightwad Gazette was a newsletter written by Amy Dacyczyn, which was later condensed into books. I have a copy of the Complete Tightwad Gazette, with all three volumes in one, which is a LOT of good information. Although a little of the advice is dated, most of it is still very helpful. I especially appreciate the way the author explained how she did the math to make sure she was really saving the most money possible on groceries, meal planning, household utilities, and more.
Frugal Gourmet Series
The Frugal Gourmet was a PBS television cooking show, featuring Jeff Smith. It aired from 1983 to 1997, and was a great source of inexpensive recipes from around the world. Smith encouraged families to cook together and eat together before it was a common message. His cookbooks are out of print now, but might still be found at libraries, thrift stores, etc.
Junk Jeans
Junk Jeans was written by Luveta Nickels, published in 1987. It was the first book I read on recycling and upcycling fabric, long before it became a mainstream idea. This series focused on using the usable parts of old denim garments, and I made many projects with this “free fabric”. The projects were practical, with lots of inspiration and great directions.
Cookbooks from the 1920’s to 1970’s
I love old cookbooks, especially those from war-time, depression-era and 1970’s recession era. Housewives needed to cook with inexpensive substitutions and easy-to-find ingredients. The recipes are simple and filling, to feed a family on little money.
ThriftBooks.com
When I am looking for older books, I like to search on ThriftBooks.com. Thrift books has mostly used, but sometimes even new books, at discount prices. Shipping is direct from their booksellers all over the US, so shipping can be a bit pricey here in Canada. But if you really want an out-of-print book, you are very likely to find it here. You can sometimes choose what quality of book you want (how worn it is) at different prices. If they don’t have a book in stock, you can choose to be notified by email when they get one. They even let you know how often they usually receive a copy of the title you are searching.
In Conclusion
So, if you are looking for books to fuel your interest in building practical DIY skills, check your local library, then look at thrift stores, or have a look on thriftbooks.com. Knowledge is power, and you can use your reading time as learning time.
Take care of yourself, dear reader, and I hope to be back at my normal tasks in a day or two!
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