Homesteading book review

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Recently, I was in the library and saw a book entitled "Travel-Trailer Homesteading Under $5000". It is by Brian Kelling. I am not interested in the whole idea of a trailer (of any sort), but I checked it out on the premise that I could at least read it and see if it was any good and then maybe reccommend it (or not) to those of a different mindset.

It is a small book, somewhere between booklet and "handy guidebook" size. Although spare, it is full of very useful info for someone who has not lived al fresco in a while, if ever. He pretty much gives his own story from move to upgrade (to a mobile home) and how he provided for his basic neccessities. I found it to be reasonable complete, with info from a do it yourself septic system to solar system installation to a list of tools you'll need to start and continue homesteading. All of the items he writes about come from his own experience (and his mistakes, so you don't make all over again), except for the chapter on putting in a solar heated hot tub, which his freind Bob has done and which the author intends to do asap. All of the instructions are clear, and there are plenty of useful and easy to figure out diagrams and photos. Except for the introduction, there's little or no extraneous prose, just how-to and here's-why.

I also found that the authors stance on life (very pro-Western USA, pro-hunting, anti-spotted owl) is very appearent and may be offensive to very sensitive liberals (I'll live).

Over all, I think it is a useful book for the beginner, a good brush up for the "done that, fixin' to go back to it soon" set, and a good, quick read. An excellent gift, also, as it listed for only $10.00 on the cover (soft).

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), December 22, 2000

Answers

Thanks. I know a couple from Huntsville that are interested in just that approach.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 22, 2000.

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