Your Cabin in the Woods

by Conrad Meinecke, Victor Aures (Visual Art)

For dreamers of escaping to a cozy cabin in the great outdoors, Your Cabin in the Woods is a classic work that not only makes this a reality, but also imparts a deeper appreciation of nature and homebuilding.

Author Conrad E. Meinecke has been writing about living the simply life in the wilderness for over 70 years with Your Cabin in the Woods and Cabin Craft and Outdoor Living . For the first time, these books are combined into a deluxe two-color vintage package.

In prose both practical and inspirational, Meinecke details how to turn your cabin dream into a reality, such as choosing land, using tools, and the basics of construction. He provides hand-drawn floor plans for a variety of cabins, from a simple two-room to a more complex long house; the best way to build fireplaces, both indoors and out; and instructions for basic furniture, lighting, and other touches that make a cabin feel like home. Throughout are Meinecke's thoughts on ways to enjoy your new-found space, from hearty fireplace recipes to the types of wood for a perfect fire and the beauty found in birdsong.

Instructional as it may be, the book's enduring appeal owes in large part to its warmly engaging tone and firm belief in the restorative power of nature and the satisfaction of hard work. He writes, "Take full enjoyment in the building. Take time out to rest. Most city folks seem always to rush things through. Why? Lay off until tomorrow. Take an afternoon nap. Stop the clock for the weekend. Get off to an early start in the cool of tomorrow morning. You may be crowded in your work in town, but this should be your rest cure, your recreating."

Genres: Nonfiction, Architecture, Woodwork, Nature, Construction

288 pages, Hardcover

Published September 6, 2016

Reviews

[Kristen Freiburger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved everything about this book!

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a pleasure to hold and to read. The author's manner of writing reminds me of conversations with an old friend named John who has since passed, but could just as well have read this book as a boy at the time of its original publication in 1945. The author draws on the timeless desire to return to a simpler life. What that would have meant to Meinecke and what it means to me are very different, but the effect remains the same. I can't help but laugh at some references, like that most people can find a war sword knocking around their house or that land can be had for $5 per acre, but I also can't deny the desire to build a cabin in the woods and this book feeds that desire.

[Jessica Faught · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only been skimming the pages as I am stationed here at the Reader's Advisory Desk but this book is simply lovely and charming both in the text and the appearance. It seems to be the book equivalent of those youtube videos where the people have the very mellow, soothing voices and talk about folding clothes. While reading it, I'm hearing Bob Ross' voice and I'm thoroughly entertained even though I have no desire or need to build my own cabin in the woods.

[Silas Frandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome pictures and diagrams, cool advice, got me really wanting to build a cabin. What more could you ask for?

[Phil Greaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do like this book; it's the tone, the sense of reading someone experienced and kind and willing to help you help yourself. It's a bit like Lars Mytting's 'Norwegian Wood'; knowing this kind of stuff just seems natural and real and solid. I know a little more about cabin living now than before and a lot of the advice rings true to my nascent mind. It's inspirational, too - like 'MySelfReliance' on YouTube, who knows a thing or two about building log cabins - and I find here the sense that we, too, can build a cabin in the woods; and that Meinecke would like nothing more than to hear you've done it, just like he said we could.

[Du · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Loved it more than I expected, because I thought it would be just a reprint of the book I've already read. It was so much more. The images are well served by the larger format, and the additional material from Meinecke's second book is fun and well worth exploring. I got this from the library and might invest in a copy for myself to own.

[Jim Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book you can continue to pick up on a lazy Sunday and never tire of it. It's the philosophy behind a cabin in the woods, rather than the blue prints. It's the art of the experience and tips from a pro who has built many cabins through the years.

[Joseph Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this and keep it in your house for the rest of your life

[Joel Gray · Rating 2 out of 5]

THE ART OF USING AN AXE CANNOT BE GAINED FROM BOOKS. THE SKILL MUST BE HANDED DOWN BY ONE WHO KNOWS - IT MUST BE LEARNED IN THE DOING.

In a cabin for a brief spell, we may find in its very fullness, 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'.

To grin an axe or knife properly takes practice - a steady hand and patience.

Utilise all natural resources. Do it yourself. Take time.

It is a simple thing to talk about a glowing fireplace.

[Neil Pasricha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you feel like running away from it all? Here’s a perfect book to help. Back in the 1950s Conrad published two short, beautifully written books on how to build your own cabin. The pages are big, the writing is evocative, and you can let your mind fall into your invisible home away from home. Perfect coffee table / daydreaming book.

[Nick Woodall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! Great information, great drawings, and definitely a guide to building your own cabin in the woods! This book was first published in 1976, and then reprinted. It was a book well worth reading, studying, writing in the margins, and looking at the drawings themselves.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The usual foibles of something written 75 years ago, but remarkably fewer of them than average. *pines for the pines*

[Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delight! Poetical, moving, and deeply calming.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit too awww-shucks-folksey, even for me.

[William Carlisle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for daydreaming of living the simple life. Actually has instructions for building your cabin in the woods also.

[Samshin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of information, nostalgia, and lovely illustrations

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book holds and shares a warm spirit. Some methods are out of date (it was written in 1949), but the experience it gives is a lasting one.

[Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book might be the key to everything

[Rocky Manzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice little book. I don't think you could build a cabin utilizing solely this book but it gives some great tips and information. The real treat in this book is Mr. Meinecke's philosophy of cabin and outdoor living and I recommend this book based that only. I read the "new" reprint from Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers and it is a dandy. The hard cover editions has thick paper, nice typography, and very nice illustrations--they put a lot of thought in it.