At least in the city someone would hear me scream : (misadventures in search of the simple life)

We all dream about it, but Wade Rouse actually did it. Discover his journey to live the simple life in this hilarious memoir. Finally fed up with the frenzy of city life and a job he hates, Wade Rouse decided to make either the bravest decision of his life or the worst mistake since his botched Ogilvie home perm: to uproot his life and try, as Thoreau did some 160 years earlier, to "live a plain, simple life in radically reduced conditions." In this rollicking and hilarious memoir, Wade and his partner, Gary, leave culture, cable, and consumerism behind and strike out for rural Michigan—a place with fewer people than in their former spinning class. There, Wade discovers the simple life isn’t so simple. Battling blizzards, bloodthirsty critters, and nosy neighbors equipped with night-vision goggles, Wade and his spirit, sanity, relationship, and Kenneth Cole pointy-toed boots are sorely tested with humorous and humiliating frequency. And though he never does learn where his well water actually comes from or how to survive without Kashi cereal, he does discover some things in the woods outside his knotty-pine cottage in Saugatuck, Michigan, that he always dreamed of but never imagined he’d find–happiness and a home. At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream is a sidesplitting and heartwarming look at taking a risk, fulfilling a dream, and finding a home–with very thick and very dark curtains.

we All Dream It.
wade Rouse Actually Did It.

finally Fed Up With The Frenzy Of City Life And A Job He Hates, Wade Rouse Decided To Make Either The Bravest Decision Of His Life Or The Worst Mistake Since His Botched Ogilvie Home Perm: To Uproot His Life And Try, As Thoreau Did Some 160 Years Earlier, To "live A Plain, Simple Life In Radically Reduced Conditions."

in This Rollicking And Hilarious Memoir, Wade And His Partner, Gary, Leave Culture, Cable, And Consumerism Behind And Strike Out For Rural Michigan–a Place With Fewer People Than In Their Former Spinning Class. There, Wade Discovers The Simple Life Isn’t So Simple. Battling Blizzards, Bloodthirsty Critters, And Nosy Neighbors Equipped With Night-vision Goggles, Wade And His Spirit, Sanity, Relationship, And Kenneth Cole Pointy-toed Boots Are Sorely Tested With Humorous And Humiliating Frequency. And Though He Never Does Learn Where His Well Water Actually Comes From Or How To Survive Without Kashi Cereal, He Does Discover Some Things In The Woods Outside His Knotty-pine Cottage In Saugatuck, Michigan, That He Always Dreamed Of But Never Imagined He’d Find–happiness And A Home.

at Least In The City Someone Would Hear Me Scream Is A Sidesplitting And Heartwarming Look At Taking A Risk, Fulfilling A Dream, And Finding A Home–with Very Thick And Very Dark Curtains.

from The Hardcover Edition.

The Barnes & Noble Review

Wade Rouse Is An Unlikely Modern-day Thoreau. Sure, He's Quit His High-powered Job In St. Louis And Struck Out For The Territory On The Sparsely Populated Shores Of Lake Michigan, With Nothing More Than His Partner, Their Dog, A Healthy Dose Of Hope, And walden in Hand As A Guidebook. But The Self-professed Neurotic Urbanite's Attempts To Renounce Big-city Addictions -- Kenneth Cole Shoes, Starbucks Triple-shot-no-fat-no-whip White Mochas, Among Others -- Are Not Always Successful. Take The First Chapter Of This Chronicle On Adjusting To Life In The Woods, In Which He Fends Off A Wily Raccoon's Assault On His Trash Can, And Then His Head, With The Only Two Things He never Leaves Home Without: Lip Shimmer And Breath Spray. Turns Out The Latter Serves Double Duty As Pepper Spray, Thwarting The Beast Long Enough To Release Its Toothy Grip On Rouse. From There, Rouse Ticks Off The Ten Lessons He's Determined To Glean From His New Life, Such As Eschewing The Latest Entertainment And Fashion For Simpler Pursuits And Participating In Country Customs, Both Of Which He Tries Desperately To Embrace (the Ice Fishing Scene Is Truly Laugh-out-loud Funny) And Decidedly Fails To Achieve. His Attempts To Rediscover Religion And Redefine The Meaning Of Life And Love, However, Produce Poignant Epiphanies. The True Success In The Book Is How Rouse Manages To Toe The Line (feet Encased In Stylish Slides) Between Hilarity And Philosophy, Proving That Enlightenment Can Be Found In As Unlikely A Place As A Karaoke Contest, Where He's Reminded Of His Mother's Teaching, It's Not Where You Choose To Live; It's How You Choose To Live. --lydia Dishman

We all dream it. Wade Rouse actually did it. Finally fed up with the frenzy of city life and a job he hates, Wade Rouse decided to make either the bravest decision of his life or the worst mistake since his botched Ogilvie home perm: to uproot his life and try, as Thoreau did some 160 years earlier, to "live a plain, simple life in radically reduced conditions." In this rollicking and hilarious memoir, Wade and his partner, Gary, leave culture, cable, and consumerism behind and strike out for rural Michigan'a place with fewer people than in their former spinning class. There, Wade discovers the simple life isn't so simple. Battling blizzards, bloodthirsty critters, and nosy neighbors equipped with night-vision goggles, Wade and his spirit, sanity, relationship, and Kenneth Cole pointy-toed boots are sorely tested with humorous and humiliating frequency. And though he never does learn where his well water actually comes from or how to survive without Kashi cereal, he does discover some things in the woods outside his knotty-pine cottage in Saugatuck, Michigan, that he always dreamed of but never imagined he'd find'happiness and a home. At Least in the City Someone Would Hear Me Scream is a sidesplitting and heartwarming look at taking a risk, fulfilling a dream, and finding a home'with very thick and very dark curtains. From the Hardcover edition