Well I suppose the title on this one was a stretch but it is not too far from the truth. Ms. Catterson-Lindahl and family have found a place of refuge on a remote island off the coast of Sweden. As I had become interested in Swedish cooking I bought a book from Amazon on said topic and this book was linked with it. And so, being curious, I purchased this one also. And I was defintely glad I did. It clearly outshined the cookbook, and told the story of a family which embarked on a great adventure in a new land full of the promises that the USA used to offer.
Yes it is a society heavily dependent on government payments in everyway you could imagine them, but it is also about people who in their personal lives have found new roots in nature, medicine, sports, hunting, and so many other aspects of the good life. And it is a good life that they enjoy. They are modern day pioneers and rely upon nature for their sustenance. Their view of life even centers upon building a home for their needs, creating gardens and landscaping which not only provides food, but also pleasure. These are not Puritan stock. They take great care of their bodies and health. They truly believe that the body is a temple. It is not quite new age living, but that is not far from the mark. I suppose if you wanted to track down much of the new age movement, the Scandinavian countries might be the place to start. Their legends, myths, and tradition are also brought into day to day living.
They are spiritualists, not particularly tied to any religious group. For if they were, they might be outcasts. They are not afraid of nudity, touch, or pleasure. They are truly what I think the creator intended. People imbued with goodness, kindness, and innocence, on a mission to find themselves and to make the world a better place through love, compassion, honesty,and understanding. They are the answer if the rest of us would just listen.
I thought the book was entertaining,enlightening, comprehensive, and useful. It made me dream of my very own 'away from everything' cabin in the woods living with nature. The references were especially useful and I am already using some of the products mentioned in that section. A very good book for anyone who cares about health and keeping our planet as it should be.
