A Widow’s Walk Off-Grid to Self-Reliance, by Annie Dodds
I received this book from a friend a couple of weeks ago and picked it up only yesterday morning, I confess, because it was a rainy day and I didn’t want to run down my batteries by using the ‘pooter. From the descriptions I’d heard, I didn’t really expect to enjoy it. If you’ve read other reviews posted on TUAK, you know I can be a bit of a writing snob.
I then proceeded to consume the whole thing in a single day, so I guess you could say my expectations were mistaken.
Annie Dodds, the author, is an interesting woman. And I mean interesting in the sense that I’m not really sure what to make of her. Before the story ever begins she apparently endured an eventful life more or less totally unlike that presided over by Ward and June Cleaver. She met her second husband in a 12-step program, and after several contented years he suffered a protracted death in an apparently agonizing welter of physical and mental ills. Annie, one gathers, wasn’t exactly Ms. Emotional Stability herself.
And that, right at the point where some onlookers might have been forgiven for betting Annie’s story was over, is the point at which this story begins. Broke, emotionally devastated and with virtually no safety net, Annie does something a little crazy. She moves away from everything she knows into a falling-down 80-year-old house with no electricity or plumbing, no outhouse, no known way to get water or food but with plentiful rats, scorpions, snakes, heat, cold and dust.
And by god she makes a go of it. For a period possibly up to two years – it can be hard to discern time periods in the disjointed narrative – she can’t even cook indoors so she just learns to cook over a fire outdoors – in every sort of weather. Having no water supply but an underground cistern, she cobbles up a rain catchment system by cut and try. She improvises, extemporizes, revises, devises and makes due in ways and under conditions that would have had me sniveling to the welfare board and she does it for years and years.
Some of her actual choices during this period would only make sense to a fellow hermit, and some are just plain puzzling. But through it all she demonstrates to herself and others – friend and foe alike – that under a certain amount of confusion and emotional damage this is one hell of a strong, determined lady.
I mentioned the narrative, and yes it has issues. Ms. Dodds spends a great deal of space on the shortcomings of others with whom she had to deal, to the point where I really wished she’d stop. Along those lines the last section of the book, covering the period immediately after she was forced to leave the 50 Acres, doesn’t really add anything good. The biggest change I’d have wanted, if I had been her editor, is a lot more along the lines of “Wait, what do you mean you made a stove out of a boot-scraper? HOW did you do that? Pictures! Description! Something!” I’m probably going to spend the rest of my life wondering how one goes about making a stove out of a boot-scraper, and I have her to blame. Don’t get this book expecting anything like an off-grid how-to, because it’s not here.
What there is, is a memoir of a woman who goes into the boonies armed with absolutely nothing but a determination to make it work somehow, and who actually does that. She finds depths of strength and ability within herself she likely didn’t know were there, and she succeeds to build a life in a setting where reasonable people would be so sure of failure they probably wouldn’t even try.
I just sent this to Anne. Maybe she will tell you how!
My name is Anne Dodds–its a journal about life unintended—-dealing with the short comings of others is a task we face every day–we all know folks just like them.
You make a stove out of a boot scrapper by finding it hidden in the over-grown grass–digging some concrete blocks that had been thrown in the dump- under the boot scrapper–you put some wood under it that you have to walk the woods to find,light it and you do that when its raining,miserably cold/hot or you eat out of a can.
Think no blow dryer for your pretty hair—needing a hot bath so bad,bathing in the open until you can build some privacy,
It took awhile to write this journal—even now I have to take care of my needs and I am not a full time writer or claim to be one–my Editor/Publisher lives a long ways from me and we did what we could–he is a very busy man.
Just because I belonged to a 12 step Program DOES NOT make me unstable–if not for the life I learned to live I wouldnt have made it–period.
I so appreciate your critic of my book—in a strange way bad reviews have been my best advertisement.
I am looking to sell the movie rights—and btw–writing this book has been the hardest thing I have ever done and YES I would move back this very moment–in a heart beat.
Oh one more thing–its NOT a Survivalist How To Book–there’s thousands of them out there–this is about life—surviving.,emotionally and mentally.
I am a tougher,better more self sufficent and not afraid of a dam thing.
But I am loveable and devoted to my friends.
Cant ask to turn out any better than that huh?
I like to say I am tougher than a 3 day old taco.
I actually thought that was a good review. Most writing has flaws and a fellow writer would naturally pick up on that, but the bottom line of the review made me come away wanting to read the book.
Joel commented “She improvises, extemporizes, revises, devises and makes due” and I believe that those are the most important elements of How-to Survival and high praise from a hermit like Joel who’s btdt.
I agree with coloradohermit. I thought it was a wonderful review — and more enthusiastic than the one I wrote (which, if you know crotchety old hermit Joel and his opinions of a lot of writers, is saying something).
And Annie, I agree with Joel that your story is all the more remarkable because you do come across as a person who has an intriguing combination of toughness, absolute determination, and emotional fragility.
It was the most learning/living/induring time of my life.
I got hungry,but had so much to do just gathering wood/water and trying to survive a time in life while middle aged and just didnt know what /where to go or do.
I am a bit of an Isolationist—and am happy with my own company. Thank God because it was lonely there until I got use to the silence.
Thats something folks need to understand—-aloneness.
no other way would I have learned to be alone with me but this journey taught me how and what kind of people to allow in my life.
Thanks.
Thank you Joel—
This statement is on the Amazon page for Anne’s book – with no explanation. Maybe Anne or Deb R could provide more information? and explain why a refund or free replacement wasn’t offered?
“Thank you to all who pointed out some embarrassing editing oversights in the book. We’re pleased to report those issues have been fixed. Those readers who own copies with the errors now have collector’s items, of a sort! Thanks again!. ~Mason Marshall Press”
Anne Dodds here–Amazon has a return policy: Check their site for that info.
And indeed–you have a rare copy–weren’t that many published.
Writing/editing/clarifying and publishing this work was a work of love and serious hardships for my Publisher—he had to do by phone/email instructions/kudos and lifting my spirits when I didnt think I could do it.
I am so sorry if your not happy with the book—-but I so appreciate you buying it.
BTW—my profits wont buy me new things etc—they will go to Charity PalsofthePound,Liberty Tx in honor of those pets/critters I llived with all those years.
Again Thank you—its a book about courage,carrying on in the darkest days.
annie
Unless you read Claire Wolf’s critique of my book—you have missed a treat. She was way to kind.
And I was/am so humbled by her taking her very busy time to read it.
One day–I will meet this lady–whom I have admired for years.
Dear Miss Annie,I loved your book-to me it read like a diary. I find myself wondering,what has happened to Annie and her family?Thank you for writing it.
I read your book. It brought me hope and I think of you when I am low and feeling alone.
Thank you Annie for your real life experiences that helped me to feel like I am never alone.
If I were living near you we would be very close friends.. You are an old soul and you seem like you are “Aware”… (sadly many people are not aware and never will be) but you are and your life experience speaks to me.
Thank you
I loved your book. Thanks for sharing.