As someone with virtually no building background, I found this book easy to follow and Reynold's principles accessible. It provides a step-by-step approach to building one of his earthships, which, despite it's dirty hippy connotation, is a remarkable idea that has been applied with success as regular and luxury housing in the US, as well as across the world. Most of all I liked his philosophy behind his writings: using resources "natural" to our current environment (tires and cans, both common items in almost any location today) to build a house that can operate off the grid. It eliminates garbage that would otherwise be taking up space in landfills by turning it into something useful and creates a self-sustaining system. It's inspiring to read his ideas. It's literally a building manual so if that doesn't strike your fancy but you're still interested, you should watch the documentary about Michael Reynolds called "Garbage Warrior."
The other way of thinking in building, is very attractive. Allthough most locations in the Netherlands wouldn't be suitable to be builded on in Reynolds way, ground water overhere is too high. A self-sufficient home would, or better should be the standard in building from now on. This is one way to succeed in such a new direction.
This is a type of home that is completely off the grid. It provides temperature control, electricity, water, and food etc.. you can actually figure out how to build your own from the books alone- the building style is very organic.
A great introduction into all the possibilities of what a home could (or rather should) be like. Plus the very detailed instructions on how to build one.