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1st out of 13 books
—
5 voters
The Man Who Quit Money
by
Mark Sundeen
A Walden for the 21st century, the true story of a man who has radically reinvented "the good life"
In 2000, Daniel Suelo left his life savings—all thirty dollars of it—in a phone booth. He has been living without money—and with a newfound sense of freedom and security—ever since.
The Man Who Quit Money is an account of how one man learned to live, sanely and happily, with...more
In 2000, Daniel Suelo left his life savings—all thirty dollars of it—in a phone booth. He has been living without money—and with a newfound sense of freedom and security—ever since.
The Man Who Quit Money is an account of how one man learned to live, sanely and happily, with...more
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
March 6th 2012
by Riverhead Trade
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I've been following Suelo's blog and website, Moneyless World - Free World - Priceless World and Living Without Money, for years, now, and it's great to see that somebody finally wrote a book detailing more of his life's story.
Suelo is one of my heroes. He's not just a man of ideas, he's a man who's trying to live out his ideas in the real world. People might think he's crazy, but he's managed to live the way he has chosen to live for over a decade.
The Man Who Quit Money is about the journey...more
Suelo is one of my heroes. He's not just a man of ideas, he's a man who's trying to live out his ideas in the real world. People might think he's crazy, but he's managed to live the way he has chosen to live for over a decade.
The Man Who Quit Money is about the journey...more
I can't recommend this book highly enough. Reminiscent of Elizabeth Gilbert's "The Last American Man," it's a wonderful biography of a man who chooses to live his life on the frontiers of a simple question: What would it mean to live a life without money? While the subject is Daniel Suelo, most readers (I believe) will find the book raises broader questions about their own relationship to work, compensation, and happiness. Thoroughly entertaining and deeply philosophical, this is the type of boo...more
i want to talk about this book just as a book (not talking about the philosophy or actions of the actual Man Who Quit Money), because i want to be respectful of the author's effort without getting sidetracked into arguing (with myself!) about the Man's philosophy.
this book is a biography of sorts of a man--Daniel Suelo--who in 2000 decided to give up living on the money economy altogether. the author follows Suelo from his youth as the son of christian evangelists, through some unusual formative...more
this book is a biography of sorts of a man--Daniel Suelo--who in 2000 decided to give up living on the money economy altogether. the author follows Suelo from his youth as the son of christian evangelists, through some unusual formative...more
The story of Daniel Suelo will linger with you long after you finish this book. His refusal to participate in the money system - he neither works for wages nor accepts any kind of government assistance - draws frequent criticism from those who do not look deep enough. Your tax dollars are not supporting him. Nor does he pay taxes. He does not live in a homeless shelter. He does not eat in soup kitchens. He sleeps in caves and eats only what he can gather.
Religious fervor played a pivotal role i...more
Religious fervor played a pivotal role i...more
The Man Who Quit Money is a well-researched, clearly written, detailed, and compelling portrait of Daniel Suelo. Mark Sundeen could have easily settled for a long magazine essay on his subject, but I’m glad he didn’t. The tangents throughout—ranging from brief exegeses on religious texts and ideas to humorous asides about life in Moab—are not only enjoyable and enlightening, but they also lay a narrative groundwork for Suelo’s development.
As to Suelo’s philosophy: this is the third book in the p...more
As to Suelo’s philosophy: this is the third book in the p...more
An absolutely intriguing story about a man who gave it all up, to not merely sleep walk through life in a cubicle behind a computer screen. Daniel Suelo has lived a league of lives. A life that is certainly unpredictably, an adrenaline rush each day. I applaud and respect this man so much for doing what he does and for having the guts to explore the world without any money. How many people can write a story about their lives the way Suelo can? I may not give up all my life savings the way that h...more
A man who lives without using money is very interesting subject matter to someone like me. So the fact that I only gave this book two stars should tell you something about the writing. My general opinion is that most books are filled with about one third too much fluff and tangential nonsense. I think this book is closer to two thirds fluff. It's interesting to read about Daniel Suelo, his lifestyle, and his beliefs but I think I would rather do so in a couple of interviews than over a couple hu...more
Boy, I liked this book. For some reason I am in a groove of reading perspectives that are unusual--an autistic boy (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime), a dog (The Art of Racing in the Rain), and a 14-year (English Creek). But The Man Who Quit Money is non-fiction and tells the fascinating story of Daniel Suelo who has lived in and around Moab Utah, among other places, without money since 1999. Daniel's journey from fundamentalist upbringing his current life of freedom, by way of T...more
Not for me.
The whole concept is very romantic I suppose and the author did a great job of deconstructing that notion. It is loaded with religious and spiritual rhetoric regarding the evils of greed and stubbornness in our society. This is all true.
The writing style was poor though. The last few pages talk about how the whole situation (Living without money) is an all or nothing situation. That when he tries to convey his message to people that he alienates himself by clearly stating his Christia...more
The whole concept is very romantic I suppose and the author did a great job of deconstructing that notion. It is loaded with religious and spiritual rhetoric regarding the evils of greed and stubbornness in our society. This is all true.
The writing style was poor though. The last few pages talk about how the whole situation (Living without money) is an all or nothing situation. That when he tries to convey his message to people that he alienates himself by clearly stating his Christia...more
Confession: I have gotten to page 122 of my Nook book and I can't bring myself to go on.
It is a really interesting book about a philosophical young man who broke free from his fundamentalist upbringing in college, then when on to question everything. He eventually decided to experiment with living without money, and has continued to do so for years and years.
Okay, so that's intriguing, right? This book was written by a journalist acquaintance of his, and is well written. It really is amazing all...more
It is a really interesting book about a philosophical young man who broke free from his fundamentalist upbringing in college, then when on to question everything. He eventually decided to experiment with living without money, and has continued to do so for years and years.
Okay, so that's intriguing, right? This book was written by a journalist acquaintance of his, and is well written. It really is amazing all...more
(Adapted from me blog): Get your calendars out and write down today's miracle, children. I read a book and I have nothing pissy to say about it. I know, right? Shut the front door!
This is the tiresome part where I'm supposed to give a thorough overview of the book. I am crabby and lazy, so here's a half-assed version: In "The Man Who Quit Money," Mark Sundeen reconnects with this dude he used to know, Daniel Suelo, and chronicles his life as a man who has lived without money for more than a deca...more
This is the tiresome part where I'm supposed to give a thorough overview of the book. I am crabby and lazy, so here's a half-assed version: In "The Man Who Quit Money," Mark Sundeen reconnects with this dude he used to know, Daniel Suelo, and chronicles his life as a man who has lived without money for more than a deca...more
How is it possible to not use money? Is the man crazy? Is he a burden on the rest of us? Could someone really be sane “comfortable” in a cave; a dwelling more often used by religion makers, bank robbers, and bats? Doesn’t he want a brick house with kitchen curtains to call his own where he can enjoy the rewards of labor like the rest of us?
Sundeen is also baffled and intrigued as he approaches Daniel Suelo, the man who has the reputation in Moab, Utah of using even less money than the usual Moa...more
Sundeen is also baffled and intrigued as he approaches Daniel Suelo, the man who has the reputation in Moab, Utah of using even less money than the usual Moa...more
Ever fantasizing about selling all my stuff and hitting the road with nothing but the clothes on my back, I think I was looking to get some gumption to do that from this book. The author did a pretty balanced job of portraying Suelo's life and the evolution of his thought process about his lifestyle, though it was not without the occasional romanticizing. Suelo is/was definitely an interesting subject, what with his ultra-conservative religious upbringing and his rather stunted coming-out as a h...more
It is not very often I review a book, and even rarer for me to give a bad review. However, after reading the description on the back of the book at the time of purchase, and then reading to page 155 of 258, I feel quite deceived by the marketing of this book. The description leads you to believe this book will focus on Daniel Suelo's life from approximately Autumn of 2000 through now and how he has managed to get by and live without using currency. This is covered primarily in the first couple o...more
May 03, 2012
Moira
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
current-affairs,
culture,
environmental,
ethics,
religions,
psychology-philosophy,
spirituality,
memoir
It's hard to say I "really liked" this book as it left me profoundly sad - both for the struggles of a highly sensitive soul, and for the way so many people struggle to survive in our current commerce system and maintain a semblance of culture (the compromises!). I could identify with much of his path - being of the same age, being in the Peace Corps in the mid-80's, working in the social helping professions (although not nearly to the degree he did). The disillusionment that can come from the c...more
It is an honor to be called "Daniel's best friend" in this gripping book about him that describes how he learned to live abundantly by rejecting our cultural beliefs about money. Daniel and I were roommates at the University of Colorado 25 years ago and we have remained close ever since, living in the same tiny town in the desert. So the stories in this book are familiar and dear to me. Mark Sundeen retells Daniel Suelo's many adventures with vivid detail and incredulous mirth, letting the reade...more
13 likes · like · see review
If you are into reading historical facts and religion aspects, then this book is for you. There were some concepts about living style once he left money but he did receive money here and there for odd jobs and would leave it at a bus shelter or other places for someone to find the cash. He also did volunteer work and help other homeless people find work/job opportunities. The author, Mark Sundeen even spent up to 2 years with him, living in caves, eating out of dumpsters, and eating at friends'...more
Although I've known the subject of this book for many years, I was compelled to buy this book after hearing the author read the introduction. Mark's story about how the youngest child of Christian Fundamentalists grew up to become a philosopher living an unusual and extreme path of purity and happiness is wonderfully written and full of interesting twists and turns. I loved seeing family and friends turn up in the story (my brother sets some of the facts straight in his thoughtful Amazon review)...more
I love this book. If I could start a book club with just this book and then talk about it indefintely I'd be quite happy. I've already requested that my friends and family read this book. This is the sort of book that I just know that I will read again and again.
I, like the subject of this book, Daniel Suelo, was in his adolescent and college years and maybe even more, am at a stage in my like where I want to talk and think and question and discuss about matters of religion, philosophy, ethics,...more
I, like the subject of this book, Daniel Suelo, was in his adolescent and college years and maybe even more, am at a stage in my like where I want to talk and think and question and discuss about matters of religion, philosophy, ethics,...more
An interesting story of a man who quit money along the adventures of his life marred by the narrator.
Quitting money is certainly a great idea and I bet some of us wish they could quit money or at least not have to worry about it so much. Unfortunately, the way our society is set up does not allow people to quit money. People have debt, people spend beyond their means, people live paycheck to paycheck, people need to dip into their savings to pay for emergencies, and so forth. I honestly don't h...more
Quitting money is certainly a great idea and I bet some of us wish they could quit money or at least not have to worry about it so much. Unfortunately, the way our society is set up does not allow people to quit money. People have debt, people spend beyond their means, people live paycheck to paycheck, people need to dip into their savings to pay for emergencies, and so forth. I honestly don't h...more
Thought provoking book. Very well written. I haven't explored Daniel Suelo's website yet (the man who quit money), but I suspect that Mark Sundeen has done an excellent job of explaining a difficult, nuanced, and multi-faceted individual and his ideas to us (perhaps better than Suelo could do himself).
"Which is all a way of saying: the whole project of changing the world is hard work. And as much as we seek a balance, straddling the line between individualism and community isn't a recipe for fre...more
"Which is all a way of saying: the whole project of changing the world is hard work. And as much as we seek a balance, straddling the line between individualism and community isn't a recipe for fre...more
I was enthralled with this story ever since I saw the title. Once I clapped my eyes on the book and read the back cover summary, I knew I had to add the book to that day's purchases. The blurb on the front cover sums it up perfectly; I may think about this book, and the fascinating man behind it, every day for the rest of my life.
The author introduces us to Daniel "Suelo" Shellabarger, the man who quit money, and uses the book to explain his entire life story so that we may understand why he di...more
The author introduces us to Daniel "Suelo" Shellabarger, the man who quit money, and uses the book to explain his entire life story so that we may understand why he di...more
I will continue to think about this book for a few more weeks, months, years, etc.
The concept is fascinating. The spirituality behind it is fascinating. The lifestyle is fascinating.
And all additionally insightful.
Perhaps there is no better time to read such a tale of human life than when one is at their own crossroads, a point of making decisions which will either reflect perfectly or imperfectly on the truths one claims to hold.
A few passages:
"The people who had the least were the most willing...more
The concept is fascinating. The spirituality behind it is fascinating. The lifestyle is fascinating.
And all additionally insightful.
Perhaps there is no better time to read such a tale of human life than when one is at their own crossroads, a point of making decisions which will either reflect perfectly or imperfectly on the truths one claims to hold.
A few passages:
"The people who had the least were the most willing...more
I read this book in three days. I always bike or walk to work but took the train while reading this, just so I wouldn't have to put it down.
This is not just because I'm a fan of Mark Sundeen's writing for Outside or Daniel Suelo's blog, either. (I am, though, to the extent that when I saw Mark and Daniel at a reading for this book, I thanked Mark for his latest Outside article on an Iraq war vet and somehow ended up telling him where I'm from. What the hell? Let's just write that off to some ne...more
This is not just because I'm a fan of Mark Sundeen's writing for Outside or Daniel Suelo's blog, either. (I am, though, to the extent that when I saw Mark and Daniel at a reading for this book, I thanked Mark for his latest Outside article on an Iraq war vet and somehow ended up telling him where I'm from. What the hell? Let's just write that off to some ne...more
This is the story of Daniel Suelo, who gave up money completely in order to live unencumbered by the false world of finance and the daily American rat race. He's done not too badly living within the parameters he has set for himself: he accepts no money and accepts only such goods and services that are freely given. Sometimes this means that he forages for food along the highways or in dumpsters. Home is frequently a contrived shelter concealed on public land.
The book is enjoyable, very readable...more
The book is enjoyable, very readable...more
9 likes · like · see review
This book is NOT a how-to on how you can live without money. If you thought that was the case, you would be sadly mistaken.
The Man Who Quit Money is actually the true story of a man who drops out of regular society and lives in a cave in Utah. While he does in fact live without money, he still is a productive member of society - he gives his time and energy to worthy causes and friends. He rarely takes anything in return.
He lives off of food he harvests food from the area around his cave as well...more
The Man Who Quit Money is actually the true story of a man who drops out of regular society and lives in a cave in Utah. While he does in fact live without money, he still is a productive member of society - he gives his time and energy to worthy causes and friends. He rarely takes anything in return.
He lives off of food he harvests food from the area around his cave as well...more
3 likes · like · see review
At first I had some complaints about the book and its philosophy that I thought I was going to document here. But as the book wrapped up with final thoughts I found that my initial reaction towards the "preachiness" of the author may have been short-sighted. I value the book for the story it presented, although it has left me wanting to learn more as well as have the story considered from a different viewpoint. The author is in strong cahoots/agreement with his subject, and while I think the edi...more
I have a deep appreciation for the message here, but I think the author has idolized Suelo a bit too much. To often Suelo is made out to be some sort of hero or Christ figure. Maybe he is, but I don't want to hear some other guy tell me he is.
In any case, I don't know that I'd be willing to go as far as he has, but reading this certainly offers an alternative perspective on the state of the world, especially in light of the financial meltdown we're experiencing.
Also, I read a few reviews who s...more
In any case, I don't know that I'd be willing to go as far as he has, but reading this certainly offers an alternative perspective on the state of the world, especially in light of the financial meltdown we're experiencing.
Also, I read a few reviews who s...more
I would have liked this book more if were a first person account of the man who quit money and didn't stray into other other areas such as the town of Moab, Christianity, economics, etc. Since I listened to the audio version, it was easy to lose focus at times and I'd find myself missing the transition to a new topic. I'd keep listening, thinking it will surely be a short diversion and so I'd patiently wait for him to get back to the real topic. But these diversions would go on and on and I coul...more
The title was provocative enough for me to give this book a go.
I was curious about what kind of life Daniel Suelo had by giving up money, and the book definitely covered that. What I didn't expect was the amount of depth of thought Suelo put into his moneyless decision, and the book covers that as well.
There is a clear spiritual perspective shared, and not just the religious references. To abstain from a money-based economy in a place like the United States is a greater challenge than actually l...more
I was curious about what kind of life Daniel Suelo had by giving up money, and the book definitely covered that. What I didn't expect was the amount of depth of thought Suelo put into his moneyless decision, and the book covers that as well.
There is a clear spiritual perspective shared, and not just the religious references. To abstain from a money-based economy in a place like the United States is a greater challenge than actually l...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield Free ...: The Man Who Quit Money | 8 | 10 | Mar 18, 2013 06:44pm | |
| How graphic is the content? | 3 | 11 | Sep 09, 2012 09:34pm |
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“It made Daniel think. The people who had the least were the most willing to share. He outlined a dictum that he would believe the rest of his life: the more people have, the less the give. Similarly, generous cultures produce less waste because excess is shared, whereas stingy nations fill their landfills with leftovers.”
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3 people liked it
“The person with the least worry over the compromises he must make is, of course, the person who doesn't compromise.”
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2 people liked it
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Apr 20, 2013 06:11pm