The Man Who Quit Money

Written by Mark Sundeen

Narrated by Grover Gardner

A Walden for the 21st century, the true story of a man who has radically reinvented "the good life."

In 2000, Daniel Suelo left his life savings-all thirty dollars of it-in a phone booth. He has lived without money-and with a newfound sense of freedom and security-ever since.

The Man Who Quit Money is an account of how one man learned to live, sanely and happily, without earning, receiving, or spending a single cent. Suelo doesn't pay taxes, or accept food stamps or welfare. He lives in caves in the Utah canyonlands, forages wild foods and gourmet discards. He no longer even carries an I.D. Yet he manages to amply fulfill not only the basic human needs-for shelter, food, and warmth-but, to an enviable degree, the universal desires for companionship, purpose, and spiritual engagement. In retracing the surprising path and guiding philosophy that led Suelo into this way of life, Sundeen raises provocative and riveting questions about the decisions we all make, by default or by design, about how we live-and how we might live better.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ascent Audio
• Release date: May 21, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469000763

Mark Sundeen

Mark Sundeen is a contributor to Outside, New York Times Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, Men's Journal, and McSweeney's. He is the author of The Making of Toro and Car Camping.

Reviews for The Man Who Quit Money

[satyridae · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Not what I expected from the cover. I was looking to read about the mechanics of living without money, and about what exactly Suelo's life is like. Instead I got a well-researched but pedestrian chronicle of a fundamentalist Christian's upbringing and philosophy with a side of living without money. At the end of the book, I just don't care. Not even a little bit.

[aychan_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book reinforced my choice to become a minimalist. It puts my previous life as a consumerist in the spotlight and ask myself over and over again where my values and needs are. A good read for anyone pondering on their life and wants to see alternatives.

[seongeona · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sundeen writes in a way that captures your interest. I kept telling myself "only one more chapter" but couldn't stop reading. His telling of this tale about Suelo is not so much a biography (although it is that) as a travelogue of the life and experience of Suelo. There are no straight paths here from point A to point B, they wind around and branch off (much like the life that Suelo has lived). Sundeen liberally sprinkles the life story of Suelo with the history of Moab Utah and other places he's been to, interesting facts about the flora and fauna of the desert, examples of others who have or have tried to live as Suelo does, interviews with those who have come in contact with Suelo, bits of Americana, and thoughts from various philosophers, religious figures, psychologists, ecologists, transcendentalists, etc. He weaves a rich tale to show us the humble but abundant life of Suelo, a man who with joy, love, spirituality, and bravery chooses to live an authentic life in the midst of too-inauthentic, intolerant, American capitalist culture.

[adrienna_turner_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book had an interesting concept about how one man decided to quit money. There were some other perspectives that came into play, why he may have left money such as depression, career choices that went downhill, and gay relationship went sour that left him heart-broken. What made me give a low score, was historical background about Mormons, religion, Budda, and even Christianity. There was also insight about Utah, and other places Daniel Suelo lived or visited which made the book a little dry and boring for my tastes. However, if you like history and religion, then you may enjoy this read aside from the man eating out of dumpsters, from the land, and eating in people's homes here and there.Some of the biblical scriptures in reference to what Jesus taught was very profound for me as a believer! This was the highlight for me in the book.

[nmele_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's hard to say anything more accurate about this book than that it raises and explores some fairly deep and fairly important questions, about how society is organized, about economic justice, about consumption, about our relationships with others.

[coolmama_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Daniel Suelo is on a spiritual path to not take anything and live off the land. He lives in the canyons of Moab, Utah dumpster diving, volunteering at shelters, foraging and his old rafting guide Mark Sundeen tells this riviting story of a man who chooses an alternate way of life.

[Maria Aiello · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Adding this to my list of favourite books!! Entrancingly beautiful.