Setting out on his Utopia Experiment, Dylan Evans had a fantasy which i'm sure many people (myself included) often share - to escape our environmentally destructive technological civilisation and live a sustainable and fulfilling life off the land. So, after leaving behind his academic life studying robotics and selling his house to pay for the venture, Evans founded a small community of like-minded individuals in the North of Scotland to explore a fictional scenario in which civilisation has collapsed and attempt to live a virtuous life with minimal effect on our landbase. Needless to say, not everything went according to plan. Focusing more on Evans' relationship with the varied characters that turn up in Utopia and his subsequent mental deterioration, the book avoids becoming a Walden-esque recording of Utopia's daily workings. Evans writes clearly and unpretentiously, taking time to examine his own shortcomings and critiquing the choices he made during the experiment and the mindset which led to its creation. The result is an engaging, highly readable and often brutally honest account of failed idealism. Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.