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Lloyd Kahn started building more than 50 years ago and has lived in a self-built home ever since. If he'd been able to buy a wonderful, old, good-feeling house, he might have never started building. But it was always cheaper to build than to buy, and by building himself, he could design what he wanted and use materials that he wanted to live with. Lloyd set off to learn the art of building in 1960. He liked the whole process immensely. Ideally he'd have worked with a master carpenter long enough to learn the basics, but there was never time. He learned from friends and books and by blundering his way into a process that required a certain amount of competence. His perspective was that of a novice, a homeowner, rather than a pro. As he learned, he felt that he could tell others how to build-or at least get them started on the path to creating their own homes. Through the years, he's personally gone from post and beam to geodesic domes to stud-frame construction. It's been a constant learning process, and this has led him into investigating many methods of construction. For five years in the late '60s to early '70s, he built geodesic domes. He got into book publishing by producing Domebook One in 1970 and Domebook 2 in 1971. He gave up on domes (as homes) and published his company's namesake Shelter in 1973. Since then, Shelter Publications has produced books on a variety of subjects and returned to its roots with Home Work in 2004, The Barefoot Architect and Builders of the Pacific Coast in 2008, Tiny Homes in 2012, and more. Building is Lloyd's favorite subject. Even in this day and age, building a house with one's own hands can save a ton of money and-if you follow it through-you can get what you want in a home. Lesley Creed (19472023) moved out of San Francisco in the early '70s, intent upon a back to-the-land lifestyle. She worked with Shelter Publications as a consulting editor, while maintaining a vegetable and flower garden and pursuing an interest in how things are made. She lived with her husband and co-author, Lloyd Kahn, in West Marin County, California, until her death in 2023.
I just inhaled your book, reading it cover to cover in one sitting. It's all that I hoped it would be. Now my favorite book of yours.... -Kevin Kelly, Senior Maverick, Wired magazine; founder, Cool Tools (kk.org) Warning: Reading the book may lead to pulling up stakes and heading into the hills to claim your own half-acre homestead. -Patrick Thomas, San Francisco Chronicle The King of D.I.Y. Dwellings -- Before cabin porn and van life were hashtags on Instagram, before tiny houses were a movement, Mr. Kahn, now 84, was the indefatigable champion of their funky, D.I.Y. antecedents. ...his new book, The Half-Acre Homestead... (is) a memoir of sorts of this hard-won idyll, it is also a love letter to Ms. Creed, a skilled artisan and gardener whose glorious handiwork is vividly portrayed. -Penelope Green, New York Times The book is absolutely WONDERFUL...The language is modest and direct, the inspiration is down to earth and celestial...Gorgeous book, a ...magnificent one-of-a-kind gift to us all. -Peter Nabokov, professor of American Indian Studies and World Arts and Cultures at UCLA I think it's the best book you've done since our Shelter. -Bob Easton, designer and co-editor of Shelter, now an architect in Santa Barbara I just read the book cover to cover, and think it's my favorite yet! -Charles Post on Instagram The sincerity and harmony just shine through on every page. The love is baked in! -Elise Cannon, Publishers Group West - ...the whole thing is about a harmony in life that few achieve but most desire... Jack Fulton, photographer and life-long friend of Lloyd's I LOVE the new book. It is beautiful and useful...You've so well captured not only how your homestead looks but also its soul and spirit. -Charlotte Mayerson, formerly Senior Editor, Random House It's great!!!! -Bill Steen, co-author of The Strawbale House What a treasure! -Charlie Winton, musician/publisher Love the new book. -Deek Diedricksen, builder, author, photographer, musician, founder of Relaxshax.com Your place looks really great, especially with the excellent photos. -Drew Langsner, author of Handmade: Vanishing Cultures of Europe and the Near East, and Country Woodcraft It is a lovely, friendly, warm, and useful book. -Yoshio Komatsu, photographer, co-author of Built By Hand, author of Wonderful Houses Around the World Your new book couldn't have come at a more perfect time. -Jay Nelson, artist/builder The Half-Acre Homestead has become my mainstay. I open the book to any page and immediately feel comforted.... Thank you for introducing this book to the world. The timing couldn't have been better. -Em-J Staples You have published another valuable, inspiring and reassuring book that is especially appropriate given our anxious times. -Kim Herter A much-needed small oasis of beauty and sanity in terrible times. -Ryan Shepard I wish that I could have read something like this when I was young guy. -Jim McGowan I think you and Lesley are our modern Adam & Eve put here to set us straight!! -Irene Engstrom Kaus A customer recently brought in your new book The Half-Acre Homestead; it looks amazing. > -Jim Normandi, The Fairfax Backyard Farmer I don't need to tell you of the possibilities considering this virus and what a book like yours can mean to so many who are losing everything. -Bob Kahn (Lloyd's brother) This is a book worthy to add to anybody's library if you're interested in some level of self sufficiency. Old pros and creative people who are in tune with their surroundings. -Mike Woods (from comment on Instagram) Lloyd, my book just arrived! I LOVE IT!! So beautiful! This is your grand masterpiece! I plan to go through it very slowly and savor it. THANK YOU, THANK YOU! -Laura So inspirational! -Marianne McCann Thanks a lot for all these beautiful things you share with us. Real Inspiration. -Josep Perez, Catalonia ...a road map to help lead you back to your roots. -Abrego Design An instruction manual -DS, Northern California The Half Acre Homestead is packed with practical tips.... During lockdown I built rough copies of two of your tables, fun.... -Bill Choquette, New Zealand The Handmade Life Many folks dream of being self-sufficient on a half-acre homestead somewhere. The person I know who's come closest to that goal is Lloyd Kahn, who has evolved a do-it-yourself lifestyle near a city that really works and is not a fantasy. He's put his 46 years of building his own homes, foraging for wild foods, raising plants, traveling in a van, working from home, self-publishing, and all-around DIY into one photographic book. The Half-Acre Homestead is not how-to; it's a visual demonstration of what an integrated handmade life looks like, for real. At 85 years young, Lloyd Kahn is still doing it! He is one of my heroes. -KK -Kevin Kelly -- Recommendo, March 15, 2020
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