Book review of Hannah Moloney's book

"The Good Life" 
How to Grow a Better World


Book Stats:

Title: The Good Life

Author: Hannah Moloney

First Published: 2022

Genre: Non-Fiction

Sub-genre: Permaculture/climate change/activism

Trigger warnings: None

Rating: PG

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Attention:

Are you tired of the hustle of the monetary economy? Do you dream of living with the land and being self-reliant and community minded? Then "The Good Life" by Hannah Moloney is the book for you! It is certainly the book for me.
I love love love this book as inspiration on my sustainable living journey. I couldn’t put it down and read it in one night! That sounds more impressive than it is, as it is a coffee table kind of book with lots of beautiful pictures and drawings and recipes as well as stories and case studies.
I keep opening the book up to a random page and find something to act as a journal prompt on nearly every single page. It might not be a heavy read but it is an inspirational one.

Quick Overview:

Hannah Moloney's 'The Good Life' is a thought-provoking book that challenges readers to rethink their definition of success and happiness. In this book, Maloney argues that the traditional markers of success, such as wealth and status, do not necessarily lead to a fulfilling life. Instead, she suggests that true happiness comes from living a life that is aligned with one's values. Then she goes on to show you how she and loads of other inspiring Australians are living their values everyday to help fight injustice and correct climate change. From recipes for sauerkraut, growing leeks in Styrofoam boxes on a balcony to building earth-ship tire walls, if you want to live a more sustainable life then there are ideas galore in this book for you.



The overall vibe of the book is a hopeful and easy read about climate change (which is quite unusual!). There is no dogma or judgment, just practical solutions for moving toward a more sustainable and equitable planet. The writing style is clear and engaging, tactile and practical and sounds just like Hannah does on Gardening Australia. The print book is heavy and beautiful with lots of full page color photos, perfect for your coffee table or displayed on a bookshelf.




SWOT Evaluation:

Strengths.
I think the main strength of this book is Brand recognition. If you don’t already know, Hannah Moloney an Australian permaculture educator and designer. You may know her pink hair as she is the lutruwita/Tasmanian host for ABC TV’s                      “Gardening Australia” You can tune in every Friday night to watch or any time you like on ABC iview. She has also has been on a lot of podcasts – try this one https://podcast.futuresteading.com.au/896866/9504966



Weaknesses.
I think the main weakness of the book is the strength of arguments. If I was not already on board with some of the more controversial ideas, I don’t think the explanations and examples in this book would sway me.


Opportunities.
I think there is an opportunity to improve the physical book a little. In some spots it felt a little bare to me, I would have liked more pictures, drawings, captions and pop up boxes to fill the space. Although this may have been a style choice?


Threats.
I think there is a risk with this book that people will buy the book thinking that it is about gardening and be a bit surprised (maybe delighted, maybe disappointed) that it is actually about climate action. Hannah addresses this on her website, she writes:

“Just a heads up: This is not a gardening or permaculture book, it’s a book on climate action which includes elements of both, but so much more!”

Evaluation:

Overall I love this book and give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I would recommended it to anyone just starting to be interested in the climate change, frugal living or permaculture. I would not recommend it for seasoned permies as it is more of a jumping off point or an a beautiful muse to spark your interest and further research.


Other Reviews:

David Holgren's review (the co-founder of Permaculture) -

https://holmgren.com.au/writing/futuresteading-the-good-life-and-costas-world-a-review-of-three-books/

Where to get the book:

  • Your local library! (if they don’t have it request they buy it for everyone to enjoy!)

  • https://goodlifepermaculture.com.au/product/the-good-life-how-to-grow-a-better-world-my-book/

  • https://www.amazon.com.au/Good-Life-Grow-Better-World/dp/1922419389

  • https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/the-good-life-by-hannah-moloney-9781922419385

  • https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-good-life-hannah-moloney/book/9781922419385.html


Thank you for reading, I hope this has inspired you to take some action today! Please comment below on any climate change actions you have taken lately.



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