Playing It By Ear: Adam's upcycled builds on a budget

by Mima Biddulph, George Clarke (foreword)

When impulsive Sussex carpenter Adam Collier-Woods discovered old double-deckers were cheap, he bought one to convert into a camper for surfing holidays, unaware of the series of adventures he would set in motion.

With his daughter Devon and his dog Salbo, he makes life up as he goes along, playing life by ear with a disregard for convention and a flair for style. Any number of obstacles threaten his progress, including deafness and the other symptoms of Ménière's Disease, but he perseveres, and the holiday homes he's created have featured in print and TV media internationally.

This entertaining biography relates a decade of off-grid builds, from a boat to a Big Green Bus, a van and a pile of shipping containers. Read it to find the answer to Adam’s frequent, optimistic question, ‘What could possibly go wrong?’

193 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 8, 2024

Reviews

[Mind the Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mima* skriver varmt och kärleksfullt om en udda och briljant person. Känner igen mig i det kortsiktigt visionära - vilket är ett produktivt M.O. - och att behöva förhålla sig till Ménières. Det smarta språket och den humoristiska tonen med utvikningar och tokiga anekdoter påminner om John Cooper Clarke.

*Författaren var min skrivbordsgranne på jobbet förra året och jag minns att hon berättade om Adam, därför var det extra kul att läsa boken nu.

[Anthony Evangelista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read and to be honest I couldn’t put it down, probably the first book I’ve finished in a while!
The whole book was written very well and kept me engaged throughout. Very inspirational and I’m going to take onboard to try and not over think too much which often can hold me back doing things. This book is a
true compliment to the episode on George Clarkes Amazing spaces, so pleased I bought it.

[Vivien Boast · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just finished reading Playing It By Ear by Mima Biddulph. What a roller coaster ride of emotions! Happy, Funny, sad, inspiring too! I thoroughly recommend it.