Author Ted Conover explores living off the grid in Colorado

Zoom in: Known for his immersive reporting, the Denver-raised author spent five years living in an area known as the "flats" which 5280 magazine describes as a place with "bargain-priced" plots that attracted people seeking the American Dream.

• "A lot of people live out here because they do not want to run into other people. They like the solitude," Conover writes in the book.
• The author told 5280 magazine the San Luis Valley was attractive to him because it is brimming with possibilities, including people who are looking for fresh starts.
• Conover likened the San Luis Valley to a "Mad Max" movie.

The other side: A review from the LA Times called Conover's observations "unfinished or overly romanticized," though overall, the reviewer described the book as a "fascinating" portrayal of the people who live there.