This month’s column comes courtesy of Peter Forbes. He recently wrote a book, A Man Apart, a family memoir about his relationship with Maine homesteader Bill Coperthwaite, 30 years older than us, who shaped a good deal of our lives and our dreams. Coperthwaite inspired many by living close to nature and in opposition to contemporary society and was often compared to Henry David Thoreau. Much like Helen and Scott Nearing, who were his friends and mentors, Coperthwaite led a 55-year-long “experiment in living” on a remote stretch of Maine coast. There he created a homestead of wooden, multistoried yurts, a form of architecture for which he was known around the world. Coperthwaite also embodied a philosophy that he called “democratic living,” which was about empowering all people to have agency over their lives in order to create a better community. The central question of Coperthwaite’s life was, “How can I live according to what I believe?” For Peter, Bill Coperthwaite was both sail and anchor. Coperthwaite taught Peter how to use his hands, build his own home and create his own life. And when Coperthwaite died in a car accident a year ago, Peter’s family helped build his casket, paddle him home and bury him on his homestead. The book is a story of friendship, encouragement and the quest to design a better world. You can read more at Peter’s website, billcoperthwaite.com.


Well, that’s pretty much it. Please remember to pay your class dues and to contribute to the Alumni Fund! You can do both on our class website. Forever green.


—Maren Christensen, 173 S. Nardo Ave., Solana Beach, CA 92075; marenjc@yahoo.com