Permaculture A Designers Manual

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Average customer rating 4.4 (7 comments)

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Here's the deal. This book isn't for everyone. You will likely find bits to quibble about. I certainly did. But, with so many newer books on permaculture that refer back to this epic tome--why not go to the horse's mouth? If you are unsure about this book, maybe try Introduction to Permaculture on for size first--then dive into this one. The Designer's Manual has so much to chew on and should be digested over time. I found it to be worthwhile study. Study, research, apply, do, experiment, study, get out there and do it...

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This book is not just about permaculture but seeing how ecosystems co-exist. Bill Mollison's deep insight in to understanding the natural ecosystem is reflected in this book. It would be inappropriate to comment too much on this book since, I am not an expert in the field. But just having a normal garden is a feat for someone who is starting off (now that the squirrels have eaten all the new seedlings of the flowers I planted a few days back). To know all about plants and soil is quite a task. Just using chemicals DOES NOT do the trick for all plants. Once a reasonable understanding of the subject has been developed, permaculture can be practiced on a small scale too. It all comes with experience in the local habitat where we live. Bill's knowledge bank here is very useful for that. This book is a gift to the planet.

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I found this to be a thoughtful and comprehensive treatise on sustainable living. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about living more naturally in a modern world. Far from being, "back to the old days" Mollison effectively merges old and modern ideas. These ideas may be utilized for individual families, or applied to larger groups or planned communities. I do not agree with OrganicStudent's accusation that Bill Mollison is using "junk science." He has based his ideas on research and observation, as well as direct experience. While I may not agree with all of his thoughts, his basic concepts remain solidly grounded in facts that have been supported by successful field "experiments." It is a great reference, and covers much ground. It is by no means an "easy read" but is well worth the time invested in reading it.

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While this book has several good ideas, much of the "science" involved is junk science and not supported by actual facts or proven techniques. Major disappointment for a person looking for a truly workable solution to some of the problems facing the world. I think there are better ideas and more modern, more workable approaches to several of the worlds problems out there in print. The writing comes across as disjointed and often repeats itself for no apparent reason making several of the ideas hard to follow and I question how much understanding is really there. Often taking one away from the fact several ideas are not factually correct, especially when referencing livestock of any kind. Some of these methods will cause a great deal of illness in livestock over the long run. I also find the desire to comsume large amounts of real estate to implement most of the plan he suggests as counter to what is available for most of the world's population. Invest somewhere else, not in this book.

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One of the best books ever.

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For those of us searching for an ecologically responsible lifestyle amid urban and suburban insanity, Bill Mollison has a real and exciting answer. This book is full of helpful advice presented in a very readable way. (The only problem might be getting stuck in the chapters on climates that don't concern you; just skip them until later!) The groundwork philosophy of permaculture is laid first, and the book moves from there to the practical business of actually designing one. The emphasis is on letting various plant and animal species work together as much as possible, to form a basically self-sustaining system from which people can reap a continual harvest, not only of food, but of interest and self-respect. What a prospect! It is certainly a very different one from what we young people have been taught to expect from life! This volume is much more complete in both the philosophy and the practice than were the original "Permaculture One" and "Permaculture Two." It is also much less focused on the Southern Hemisphere, which is helpful for North Americans trying to visualize their own permaculture. I can only hope that more people happen upon this book as I did and are themselves inspired to create a fulfilling life for themselves and their children.

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I know of countless commentaries on the planet's woes, of eloquent descriptions of abuses, wrongs, and destruction, of explanations for why this or that happened or didn't happen, and why this or that person is bad and should be punished for his or her injustice. What is less common is a vision of what a stable, caring, and positively evolving humanity could look like on earth; of what cocreative, mutualistic relationships with our natural system could be. Permaculture is one of these rarer, uplifting visionary concepts, and Permaculture: A Designer's Manual, by Bill Mollison, is its most complete and rounded written expression, in my opinion. Bill expresses philosophical ideas about our cooperative and cocreative potentials on earth. He explains in fair detail many ways to become self-sufficient in a stable, abundant, and evolving system, where we learn from nature since we are a integral part of it. Permaculture is a practical design system based on the principles of Caring For The Earth, Caring For People, and Conserving Energy And Resources to facilitate those aims. This book can be a guide for anyone wishing to live, or simply learn about, a caring, abundant present and future.