Comments on: TMEN Founder John Shuttleworth — a very gifted writer/publisher has passed away

By: Vincent Kosik

Vincent Kosik — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 23:40:46 +0000

I was shocked to hear of his death at this late date and I had to goggle his name to find out. I was an early follower of TMEN and with it other; Nearings, John Vivian, Nancy Bubel among many others.
I never had the urge to pay him a visit but I did get a collection of all the hard copy early issues when he and his wife were in charge.
Read his interview that is available on the web and it rings true today.
Too bad his foresight was paid heed and we are in dire straits because of this.
I sometimes wondered what he did after his days with Mother and envisioned him collaborating with Amory Lovins or the like.
He was ahead of his times (promoting Permaculture no less) and I hope we don’t ignore his words of wisdom any longer.
God Bless John, my you rest now in peace.

By: Anne Durkin

Anne Durkin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:08:55 +0000

I was just 8 when Mother #1 was first published, and about 14 when I discovered it and became addicted and a subscriber. I learned so much and stayed a subscriber until the sale. I searched high and low until I found all the back issues I didn’t have. I now have #1 and all up to the sale protected in binders. I will be gifting them to my 29 year old son this year, to use on his 14 acres, along with a gift subscription to BHM. RIP, Mr. Shuttleworth, you lit a light in my soul, and passed it down to my child.

By: mike konczak

mike konczak — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:20:14 +0000

John was a gifited individual, and was responsible as any one person for the success of the back to the earth movement. While “MOTHER’ was under his guidence it was a GREAT inspiration and help to me personally. I looked forward to each issue and read it cover to cover…… the tips, tricks and ‘look what I did’ articles were wonderful. After the sale the phrase came to mind….. ‘where am I and why am I in this handbasket???’

John left a void, somewhat filled by Dave and BHM, FARM SHOW, and a few other publications. But there has never been another John and the original MOTHER.

By: Dave Brock

Dave Brock — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:40:42 +0000

Sorry to hear of Mr. shuttleworths passage as “his” early version of TMEN had a tremendous effect on my life when I first found it at about issue No. 48. At that time it was like my Bible for getting back to the land. Yes, John was probably one of the first environmentalists but it’s my opinion that he was a common sense conservationist and nothing in comparison to those wacky left tree huggers of today.

I also loved the writing style that he developed for TMEN and I taught myself a college education by studying his writer’s guidelines with intense passion. As a result they ended up buying two feature articles from me, one of which they used in No. 86. Regretfully, I eventually canceled my subscription in 2000 when I felt they only offered one opinion during the national elections and I wasn’t interested in the brand of environmentalism and activism they had become and nothing in line with what John & Jane Shuttleworth had given us.

Thanks for the heads up about someone who had a profound effect on my life during the 1970′s and 80′s.

By: Suzy Brown

Suzy Brown — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:42:42 +0000

The early TMEN articles were full of detail and well thought out so you could actually do yourself what they were talking about. We have kept all the old issues. In the last 8 years of so it has become more of a “Yuppie” magazine, more story than meat. The early TMEN magazines are the best ones. John Shuttleworth truly made the magazine’s reputation. He will be missed.