By Joseph Pearce
Intercollegiate Studies Institute, Inc.
www.SmallIsStillBeautiful.com
PO Box 4431
Wilmington, DE 19807-0431
800-526-7022 ext. 168
This book of 336 pages (which includes Notes and an Index at the back) revisits a book by E.F. Schumacher entitled Small Is Beautiful, written in 1973. Joseph Pearce reviews Schumacher's arguments against consumerism and brings a fresh look at economic structures of today. He reminds us that bigger is not always best and that small is indeed still beautiful. The book's five parts are entitled: "At What Price Growth?" "Economics and the Soul," "Size Matters," "Grounded in the Land," and "Living Legacy."
The book was not written specifically for homeschoolers, and it is certainly not a textbook. However, its warnings against rampant consumerism could be incorporated into a study of economics. Be aware that it is fairly heavy reading, even for many adults.
I found this book to be well researched and fairly informative. Even though the book was not appropriate for our homeschool, it contains many valid points pertaining to our society's big industry and lavish lifestyles. It also delves into the negative effects our actions have on the planet.
My main reason for rejecting the book is the various comments that are in conflict with our family's Christian worldview--references to single-cellular origins of life, the earth as "our mother," and the planet being 4,600 million years old. The author also clumps Christians and Buddhists together, implying similar belief systems. Though he makes accurate comments about the harm giant corporations inflict on small businesses, he uses beer and breweries as the example for his argument. He promotes the virtues of nonviolence, smallness, satisfaction, humility, cooperation, good husbandry, and "putting ends before means," but he then says that these may be seven steps to heaven. Despite the many valid points made throughout the book, the undesirable content made it inappropriate for our homeschool.
Product review by Donna Campos, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC, April 2007
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