Cabins: A Guide to Building Your Own Nature Retreat

Rating:
Summary: Even Better Than Stiles' Usual Excellent Work
Review: I have always enjoyed books by Stiles and her group of architects. I built a tree house from one and a play structure from another. This is the most thourough book I have seen by her. Lots of good tips, superb drawings, construction details, etc. This is not just a pretty picture book (although there are some of those, too. This is a book for the real do-it-yourselfer.

Rating:
Summary: they make it sound so easy
Review: Pictures aren't bad either.

I've always thought that the Stiles' books are empowering. Yes, it IS put one foot down right after the other.

Rating:
Summary: Lacking in detail
Review: The book is billed as a guide to building a nature retreat. This is not a fair or accurate characterization of the subject matter of the book. There is almost no substantive information provided with regards to building codes or engineering. This book has some very primitive drawings that would only go so far as to enable an individual to make significant and serious errors in judgement in the design and construction of a cabin. It appears that the authors of this book have little if any experience in actually building or designing a structure.

Rating:
Summary: Just great!
Review: This book is an absolutely essential guide for anyone planning to build a getaway home. It takes you, step-by-step, through the process of choosing your site, planning and designing your cabin and then building it. It includes plans, details and do-it-yourself hints on building all types of cabins: pole-frame, A-frame, timber-frame, log, stick and stone. Designs included range from Thoreau's 10'x15' cabin on Walden Pond to a big, comfortable lakeside cabin with all the extras. If you're dreaming of a little place in the country, get this book.

Rating:
Summary: Has Everything You Need
Review: This book is wonderful. It contians all the information you could possibly need for building a cabin, whether you want a one room hut with no amenities, a two-betroom beach house with running water, electricity, and a bathroom or something in between. It covers everything I can think of and gives clear instructions for projects.
This book lives up to its title: it really is for someone who is serious about building, with more diagrams than "arty" pictures of the wilderness. However, there is a nice section of color pictures in the middle of the book to give a taste of what sort of results you can expect from your efforts.

Rating:
Summary: A Work of Art
Review: This is a unique and beautiful book because of the first-rate and informative illustrations on nearly every page. It is thoroughly enjoyable to read, and the breadth of ideas is comprehensive. This book is really intended for do-it-yourselfers and quite realistically concentrates on relatively small projects,(small one-room cabins), but goes into the process in great detail.
In addition, there is a full color photo section that shows some examples of small cabins built by individuals, or couples. While some of these cabins are not that impressive, it is informative to see what can be achieved without contracting out to professionals.

Rating:
Summary: A Work of Art
Review: This is a unique and beautiful book because of the first-rate and informative illustrations on nearly every page. It is thoroughly enjoyable to read, and the breadth of ideas is comprehensive. This book is really intended for do-it-yourselfers and quite realistically concentrates on relatively small projects,(small one-room cabins), but goes into the process in great detail.
In addition, there is a full color photo section that shows some examples of small cabins built by individuals, or couples. While some of these cabins are not that impressive, it is informative to see what can be achieved without contracting out to professionals.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book!!
Review: This is an excellent book. I absolutely love reading Stiles books and have purchased practically every book he has written. There are very detailed hand sketched drawings and illustrations which I have found very helpful. The illustrations are very well drawn and very well written instructions. All Stiles books are the greatest I have found for Do-it-yourself projects.