If you've never read or even heard of "Bogtrotter: Notes From a North Country Cabin" by Richard A. Coffey, I'm not surprised. It was first published in 1982 and reprinted in 1996 but has since been out of print. Copies are easily obtained on the Internet (I bought my on half.com for $1.50 but amazon has copies for $.01)

'In March 1980, Richard and Jeanne Coffey set aside their professional careers in the Twin Cities, sold their downtown condominium and most of their material possessions, and went to live near a tamarack swamp in northern Minnesota. The Coffey's.. found their serenity in the woods. Their purpose in life that year, they concluded, was to live simply and watch life on their bog.' --book jacket

If you interested in living off the land or you just like to be outdoors a lot, you would cetainly enjoy this book. It's funny and sad and introspective; I couldn't put it down. I have read many back-to-the-land stories and it always seems as though the people I'm reading about are the extreme; angry at everyone (God and the government included) and their only escape is to some backwood land where they learn to live off wild berries and tree bark while making a tent from their pants (oops, that was an episode of 'The Office'). The Coffey's are regular, midwest people who just want to learn to appreciate and better understand the world around them. Through all of the ups and downs and adventures they always keep an open mind and a positive outlook on what they are trying to do without pushing their lifestyle on to anyone else. They have their doubts at times and it is amazing to see how two 'normal' people can completely change their effect on the earth and be completely at peace while doing it.