I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Willam Powers at a reading he did at our local independent bookstore. He was very excited to be touring and sharing his new book “12×12 A One-Room Cabin off the Grid and Beyond the American Dream” with small groups all across the country. I am glad I met him before reading the book. I know he is not a gloomy cynic as I could imagine him at times while reading the book. The book points to a new way of life, a simpler, slower, even happier existence, while at the same time showing us in terrible detail the situation we find ourselves in at the present time due to our consumer-addicted culture.

This is a book I would recommend for everyone. He writes of time spent living in a 12×12 off the grid cabin surrounded by acres of nature, gardens, a creek and only his bicycle to get around on. It is his Walden pond. After years of working overseas in many Latin American and African countries trying to save the remaining rainforests, along with other conservation and development initiatives, he is used to always Doing something. His time in the 12×12 is difficult at first-difficult to just slow down and Be for a change. When he finally surrenders to this at times throughout the book, his most amazing realizations and inspirations come. He finally comes through the anger and frustration to other side, into a truly peaceful warrior presence that he writes about. However, I also know that being human, this is an ongoing struggle, and he is very honest about this.

For a while, the book was depressing me. Understanding how truly bad the situation we’ve created on the planet has become can be heartwrenching. ( Even those of us who know, live to a large degree in denial.) Somehow though, Powers always pulls us through. Because he is such an honest and talented writer, the book worked, and I felt inspired rather than depressed after reading it. I believe this is what he meant to achieve.

Whether these are issues that you are already familiar with, or these are totally new ideas to you, this book is definately worth checking out and sharing with friends.