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Tiny Homes: Simple Shelters
comments (2) June 1st, 2012 in Blogs
Mike Litchfield, Blogger, book author, one of the first FHB editors
Since its release in January, 2012, Lloyd Kahn's Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter, has been a best seller and has attracted large crowds when Kahn speaks around the country.
Photo: Shelter Publications
An interview with Lloyd Kahn, author of "Tiny Homes: Simple Shelters" (Originally aired on KWMR, Marin County, CA, Community Radio)
Join Lloyd Kahn as he discusses tiny homes, housing trends of the last 40 years, and living joyfully.
Since its release in January, 2012, Lloyd Kahn's "Tiny Homes: Simple Shelters" has been blowing the doors off the publishing world. Now in its third printing, TH looks like an enduring classic, not surprising since Kahn has been writing about housing for more than 40 years, starting with his stint as Shelter Editor of the legendary Whole Earth Catalog.
If the success of Kahn's new book is any indication, the tiny-house movement has broad appeal beyond DIYers. The book has gotten respectful reviews from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and, as you might expect, from a plethora of green building sites. Moreover, the throngs coming to his slide shows around the country have a healthy mix of young and old enthusiasts--some of whom will be looking for a builder. Such projects may not be blessed with huge budgets but they may be a way to keep your crews busy. And, as any seasoned builder or shipbuilder knows, compact spaces require great skill to do well. So Kahn's book may ultimately benefit the professional building community when Tiny Homes readers realize the skill required.
Whatever your take on tiny homes, Kahn always offers a fresh and disarmingly honest perspective on housing, his own success, and life. During the height of the dome craze in the 1970s, for example, Kahn--who was at that time the guru of the dome movement--suddenly yanked his best selling book on domes off the market because he no longer believed in them. His agent went nuts, but Kahn stuck by his decision because it was the right thing to do. "Admitting that you are wrong in front of millions of people is a wonderfully freeing experience," Kahn muses.
© Michael Litchfield 2012
posted in: Blogs, architecture
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About the Author
Mike Litchfield was a founding editor of Fine Homebuilding and has been renovating homes or writing about them for more than 30 years.
He was one of the first technical journalists to go to job sites to gather information from tradespeople and his great work, Renovation: A Complete Guide is in its 3rd Edition.
Mike’s tenth book, In-laws, Outlaws and Granny Flats: Turning one house into two homes will be published by Taunton Press in March, 2011. To preview the book and learn more about its contributors, please visit www.cozydigz.com
Comments (2)
People do learn. After I peruse it I'll comment again, btw the best place to get it is...*lol* Wallymart about fifteen buckos--delivered locally to your store free. For fifteen bucks I'll take a chance.
Posted: 8:31 am on June 14th
I was a Contractor during those times trying to explain to people these were the worst invesment they could make due to the loss of "walkable" (actual useable) square footage, and the poor design which was just begging for leaks. However because of this guy they were just sure this was the design of the future. I could go on and on about the poor design issues of those structures.
Thankfully there were only a few people that invested their life savings in those things, of which few were able to sell at any price. Not only did he yank his books, but he made himself pretty scarce. As I don't recall him apologizing to any of these people, much less offering any kind of solution to how they now recover their money.
I can't hardly believe Mr. Kahn (pronounced "con"? As in con job) is showing his face to promote anything more than a doghouse. And further, that you are giving him an avenue to do so.
Just my thoughts, and opinion.
Posted: 3:40 pm on June 13th
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