In the late 1970s, the book Possum Living: How to Live Well Without a Job and with (Almost) No Money was a counter-culture success for young, living-off-the-land author Dolly Freed. After appearing on The Merv Griffin Show, Dolly retreated back into obscurity, started going by her legal name, and vanished from the public eye.
In a new article by journalist Paige Williams, Dolly has been found 30 years later living in suburban Houston with her husband, two children, and a former career as an engineer at NASA on her resume. She’s now “half-possuming” according to the article:
Her luxuries today include good olive oil and cookbooks. She and Pete and the kids have a television but use it only to watch Netflix movies. Internet? Yes, but until only just a few months ago they were still on dial-up. They’ve never bought a new car and try not to buy new clothes, and Dolly still grows most of what they eat.
Living off the grid and complete self sufficiency are goals for many people pursuing a more simple and minimalist lifestyle. I much prefer something akin to “half-posumming,” but I can still find inspiration from both the Dolly of 1978 and the Dolly of 2010.
I read Possum Living in college on the advice of a boy I was dating who lived in a communal cooperative and told me about his long-haired dreams of living as a survivalist. (Fifteen years later, he is now the director of student housing at a major university. He must be half-possuming, too.) I thought the book was entertaining, sprinkled with a few half-truths, definitely contained some good advice, but I didn’t abandon all my possessions or college aspirations to pursue Dolly’s way of life. I didn’t want to abandon all of the comforts of my world just to claim I could do so. I liked growing the herbs I used for cooking, but I also enjoyed my electric oven. Still do.
I recommend checking out Williams’ article Finding Dolly Freed and the reprinting of Possum Living. Both offer unique insight into the simple possum and half-possum lifestyle, even for those of us who don’t want to turn our backs completely on the modern world. There are many general simple living gems to be found in both works.
Interesting article, and I’m sure the timing of it was more than coincidental. I think a lot more people are “half possuming” without even realiizing it. I’m glad to see that Dolly has found her happy medium.
I had never heard of Possum Living or of Dolly. I really enjoyed the article you shared – thanks for passing it along to your readers.