Dumpster Diving Books and Other Recommened Reading

The books in this section are hot-linked to Amazon.com's site for easy reference and further exploration.

Art & Science of Dumpster Diving by John Hoffman
This is the book on the Dumpster Diving phenomena. It contains anecdotes of many diving finds along with everything you ever wanted to know about the intricacies and mindset behind those who "dive" in dumpsters. Entertaining and informative, if you read one book about Dumpster Diving, this is it.

Dumpster Diving: The Advanced Course: How to Turn Other People's Trash into Money, Publicity, and Power by John Hoffman
Hoffman, the go-to man in Dumpster Diving literature, relates more Dumpster Diving lore and how-to tips for the avid Dumpster Diving hobbyist and those who seek to turn trash into treasure.

The Scavengers' Manifesto by Anneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson
Rufus and Lawson troll through the social ideas of scavenging and how it relates to status; they dive into topics of too much stuff and anti-consumerism; they provide a keen history lesson about scavenging that will connect the modern curb crawler to a storied tradition spanning many cultures from the past. They argue that via the scavenging mindset one can find liberation from the consumer culture that is iconic of the American Way. This book functions more as a historical, theoretical and philosophical guide to the underpinning and challenges of the scavenger mindset. 

Empire of Scrounge: Inside the Urban Underground of Dumpster Diving, Trash Picking, and Street Scavenging by Jeff Ferrell
Ferrell, a tenured professor, takes to the fringe life of the urban underclass who survive off the excesses of America's forlorn goods. An interesting tale and social critique casting a lens on America's throw-away culture.

Living Well on Practically Nothing by Edward H. Romney
A book that can be the guide to a lifestyle for some readers, while to others, it offers many useful ideas for survival in tough economic times--like we see today. Romney covers the basics of low cost living--how to save on shelter, clothing, food, transport, etc.--and, he even includes a chapter about keeping your self-respect while poor. This could be an indispensable guide for those unfortunate members of the workforce being layed-off as our country continues to suffer a recession.

America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money: Your Guide to Living Better, Spending Less, and Cashing in on Your Dreams by Steve Economides and Annette Economides
The founders of the HomeEconomiser newsletter share their often unorthodox tips for living well on the cheap. They cover budgeting, grocery shopping, and other areas--they offer options when it comes to saving money.

How to Survive Without a Salary: Learning How to Live the Conserver Life by Charles Long
These days of economic collapse and systemic chaos in the global financial system are leaving many unemployed with scant prospects of finding a new job anytime soon. Turn to the pages of this book for some ideas--it is all about getting by with less and making do with what you have. If you have not, there is always the Dumpsters.

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