"I started building almost 50 years ago, and have lived in a self-built home ever since. If I'd been able to buy a wonderful old good-feeling house, I might have never started building. But it was always cheaper to build than to buy, and by building myself, I could design what I wanted and use materials I wanted to live with.
I set off to learn the art of building in 1960. I liked the whole process immensely. Hammering nails. Framing -- delineating space. Nailing down the sub-floor, the roof decking. It's a thrill when you first step on the floor you've just created.
Ideally I'd have worked with a master carpenter long enough to learn the basics, but there was never time. I learned from friends and books and by blundering my way into a process that required a certain amount of competence. My perspective was that of a novice, a homeowner -- rather than a pro. As I learned, I felt that I could tell others how to build, or at least get them started on the path to creating their own homes.
Through the years I've personally gone from post and beam to geodesic domes to stud frame construction. It's been a constant learning process, and this has led me into investigating many methods of construction -- I'm interested in them all. For five years, the late '60s to early '70s, I built geodesic domes. I got into being a publisher by producing Domebook One in 1970 and Domebook 2 in 1971. I then gave up on domes (as homes) and published our namesake Shelter in 1973. We've published books on a variety of subjects over the years, and returned to our roots with Home Work: Handbuilt Shelter in 2004, Builders of the Pacific Coast and The Barefoot Architect in 2008, and Tiny Homes in 2012.
Building is my favorite subject. Even in this day and age, building a house with your own hands can save you a ton of money (I've never had a mortgage) and -- if you follow it through -- you can get what you want in a home." -Lloyd Kahn
"Lloyd Kahn's books on housing are ina class by themselves --
hand-crafted, orginal, and useful. Tiny Homes on the Move is no
exception It is a book for both doers and dreamers that says, in
effect, you don't have to resign yourself to dreary wage-slave jobs
and cookie-cutter houses if you are resourceful, self-reliant, and
willing to take the road less traveled. This book chronicles dozens
of folks around the world who have done just that, by renovating
sailboats, barges school buses, campers, gypsy caravans, and the
like. Many of the bravest souls shown are women, I'm happy to say.
And most of the stories are written by the owner-builders, giving
the book a fresh, first-hand feeling. (Kahn is great at drawing out
peoples' stories.) The photography is as vivid and varied as the
lives and locales it depicts. Whether or not this book gets you
doing, it will certainly set you dreaming about what is possible in
your own life."
-Mike Litchfield, Home at Last "I read it cover to cover tonight.
What a joy. It's the most aspirational book you've done, making me
say, I really should do that. Reading it is a lot of fun. Dwelling
+ Travel. What's not to covet? Great job on the book. Def a cool
tool."
-Kevin Kelly, author of Cool Tools "The result is an explosion of
creativity, some amazing craftsmanship, and more treehugging
hippies than I have seen in 40 years. Every page is a wonder, a
jumble of thousands of photos and all the tech specs you want to
know."
-Lloyd Alter, Treehugger.com "I've been up since 5AM today, pouring
over it. the quality, the stories, the association with Nature, the
fine craft whether done by hand or chosen from a source ... all
intelligent, fascinating, enthralling and provides not a manual but
a path on how to live the life of happiness one always wants but
finds oh so darned hard to achieve..."
-Jack Fulton, photographer and Lloyd's good friend "...I spent
Friday, Saturday and Sunday night savoring each and every page. And
I have to say, I haven't had as good a time 'staying in' in ages.
Believe you me, this is the most inspiring book I've read all year
and it is now required reading for the Los Angeles Van Association.
(L.A.V.A. is just a name we bestowed upon our group of van-owning
surfers.)
-Jordan "Take an inspiring tour of the world with modern travelers
who live in vans, buses, trailers, and boats that combine the
comforts of home with the conveniences of being able to pick up and
go."
-San Francisco Chronicle "...a rich adventure account which will
appeal to homeowners and travel fans alike, charting the moving
explorations of all kinds of buildings."
-Diane C. Donovan, Midwest Book Review
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