Hands down the best book ever written that mentions me by name.
by Adam Stein – February 21, 2008
I went to see Ed Begley, Jr. speak at the Strand last night. It’s difficult to capture the precise nature of the charm that Ed brings to his environmental evangelism, but I’ll attempt an analogy: what Julia Child was to French cooking, Ed Begley is to green living.
Both Julia and Ed are self-taught, so they’re effective popularizers. Both bring such abundant isn’t-this-fun zeal to their subject matter that you can’t help wanting to join in, even if you’ve never held a chef’s knife or a solar panel. And both have such evident generosity of spirit that non-experts feel instantly at ease (and experts momentarily stop tut-tutting).
Last night was also my first chance to look at the new book, Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life. I’m hopelessly compromised by the fact that I’m in the book, but here goes anyway: I really like it. Ed and Rachelle’s shtik carries over well to the printed page. The book manages an appealing breeziness even when getting into such weedy (but worthy) topics as off-peak power pricing. The general patter and random asides keep the pages whizzing along without being distracting.
Most importantly, the tips seem solid. They’re grouped into six sections: Home; Transportation; Recycling; Energy; In the Garden and Kitchen; and Clothing and Hair and Skin Care. If you’re looking for some Earth Day self-help, this might just be your book.
I admit it. I’m hopelessly in love with Ed Begley, Jr, his wife, his TV show, and his book. I particularly like the format of Ed’s comments, then Rachelle’s in a different colour. It makes for a banter and conversation that is irresistable. I bought three books for friends, and need a few more for the local library. I defy anyone to not find dozens of actions they can take, and challenge the this-is-too-big-there’s-nothing-one-person-can-do-ers to step up and get excited!
I admit it. I’m hopelessly in love with Ed Begley, Jr, his wife, his TV show, and his book. I particularly like the format of Ed’s comments, then Rachelle’s in a different colour. It makes for a banter and conversation that is irresistable. I bought three books for friends, and need a few more for the local library. I defy anyone to not find dozens of actions they can take, and challenge the this-is-too-big-there’s-nothing-one-person-can-do-ers to step up and get excited!