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Nomad: Designing a Home for Escape and Adventure
A reclusive designer living in a custom tiny house in the middle of the Montana wilderness. A couple who traded their expensive Bay Area apartment for a slip at a nearby marina, where they live on a docked sailboat. A family of five who decided to simplify their lives by moving into a school bus, selling most of their possessions in the process. Nomad features their stories, and many more. From vanlifers to boondockers, liveaboards to tiny-house dwellers, these freedom seekers have forged a new way of life for themselves—one that values experiences over things, is environmentally conscious, and is often more budget-friendly than their “rooted” lives ever were.
The ubiquity of the internet has ushered in a new era of connectivity that makes working from an Airstream beside a roaring river or running a photography business from a mountaintop a reality. It’s now possible to do whatever you want from wherever you want and still have a foothold in the world. This book shows you how, with tours of 26 unconventional homes and the people who live in them, plus all the information you need to make your own off-the-grid dream a reality. There are chapters on bathroom and storage—two of the most challenging aspects of this lifestyle—plus a comprehensive guide to finding the right home, assessing the cost of renovation, handy products for small spaces, and indispensable resources (including sources for replacement RV parts, portable power solutions, tiny wood stoves, and much more).
The ubiquity of the internet has ushered in a new era of connectivity that makes working from an Airstream beside a roaring river or running a photography business from a mountaintop a reality. It’s now possible to do whatever you want from wherever you want and still have a foothold in the world. This book shows you how, with tours of 26 unconventional homes and the people who live in them, plus all the information you need to make your own off-the-grid dream a reality. There are chapters on bathroom and storage—two of the most challenging aspects of this lifestyle—plus a comprehensive guide to finding the right home, assessing the cost of renovation, handy products for small spaces, and indispensable resources (including sources for replacement RV parts, portable power solutions, tiny wood stoves, and much more).
- GenresTravelNonfiction
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
37 people are currently reading
205 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 8, 2019
Fun, creative, informative read that proves that not all who wander are lost but might just happen to have an adventure up their sleeves. 5/5 stars for the adventure of a lifetime.
March 21, 2020
This was a fun to read!
I enjoyed all the stories about people and the RVs, vans, skoolies, boats, and tiny houses that they live in. The whole lifestyle excites me as a minimalist of nearly fourteen years. I love the idea of living on the road or on the water like these people do. It was neat to see full families who do it and just individuals who are willing to just find freedom away from the norm of owning a lot or having mortgages and debts. This book also has some resources at the end of it in case people want to own certain materials used in the homes featured (such as compost toilets). I also checked out the IG accounts that are given with all of the people featured in the book.
I enjoyed all the stories about people and the RVs, vans, skoolies, boats, and tiny houses that they live in. The whole lifestyle excites me as a minimalist of nearly fourteen years. I love the idea of living on the road or on the water like these people do. It was neat to see full families who do it and just individuals who are willing to just find freedom away from the norm of owning a lot or having mortgages and debts. This book also has some resources at the end of it in case people want to own certain materials used in the homes featured (such as compost toilets). I also checked out the IG accounts that are given with all of the people featured in the book.
January 14, 2020
Really cool and definitely made me interested in how it would be to genuinely live in a van for a few years! this is not a comprehensive guide on living a nomadic lifestyle, however, it has nice overview of different kinds of homes and journeys that many people have -- many which are very similar. Overall, living in a van, boat, or tiny off the grid home seems to present many challenges, many which everyone seems to go through as a right of passage. The unique challenges and difficulties of this lifestyle emphasize the tenacity and strong will to be self-sustaining and non-reliant on others that aid these nomads.
It is easy to romanticize the small snapshots outsiders see of this lifestyle, and this book defiantly does, with its pretty pictures of tiny living spaces and joy that most interviewees seem to carry about their life decisions, but no-one shys away from speaking about how difficult the life has been -- but ultimately worth it.
It is easy to romanticize the small snapshots outsiders see of this lifestyle, and this book defiantly does, with its pretty pictures of tiny living spaces and joy that most interviewees seem to carry about their life decisions, but no-one shys away from speaking about how difficult the life has been -- but ultimately worth it.
April 18, 2020
Nomadic lifestyle.
Something I’ve been pondering and dreaming about for awhile.
Nomad by Emma Reddington tells stories of people living alternatively, either for a short time or weekend trips, to full time for years on end. The best thing I’ve gotten from this book is that it seems pretty attainable to me now.
After seeing all the different setups and layouts of the vans, campers, and skoolies, it makes me want to take on this adventure! We have an old pickup camper that I’m now determined to renovate. I have the perfect family for this operation because:
1. we already have an old camper that needs a new life.
2. my dad knows all about carpentry and building.
3. my brother can help with solar panels and electrical.
4. my mom loves decorating and design.
5. I want to live in an alternative way and want to learn how to do all these things, too.
I loved getting to look at all the photos, and I found that I was looking most at the camper renovations. I always thought van-life, but my boyfriend is 6′4″ and that would not be ideal for his tall self, so I think a camper would be ideal.
I’m going to ask my dad if he can get the camper out and put it in our yard so I can start demo because hello quarantine and having nothing to do.
Something I’ve been pondering and dreaming about for awhile.
Nomad by Emma Reddington tells stories of people living alternatively, either for a short time or weekend trips, to full time for years on end. The best thing I’ve gotten from this book is that it seems pretty attainable to me now.
After seeing all the different setups and layouts of the vans, campers, and skoolies, it makes me want to take on this adventure! We have an old pickup camper that I’m now determined to renovate. I have the perfect family for this operation because:
1. we already have an old camper that needs a new life.
2. my dad knows all about carpentry and building.
3. my brother can help with solar panels and electrical.
4. my mom loves decorating and design.
5. I want to live in an alternative way and want to learn how to do all these things, too.
I loved getting to look at all the photos, and I found that I was looking most at the camper renovations. I always thought van-life, but my boyfriend is 6′4″ and that would not be ideal for his tall self, so I think a camper would be ideal.
I’m going to ask my dad if he can get the camper out and put it in our yard so I can start demo because hello quarantine and having nothing to do.
May 31, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
I requested this book because I have always been interested in the nomadic lifestyle. I honestly didn't read anything about it beforehand, I just really liked the cover. I requested 2 others at the same time as this one and this is the only one I gave four stars to. My complaint about the other two books was that there were no pictures to go along with what they were describing. This book was the best of the three for many reasons. First off, it was separated into sections about the different kinds of nomadic lifestyles. The van lifers, the skoolies, the tiny house, the RV and so on. Secondly, it introduced us to several people/couples that were already living this lifestyle and what drove them to do it. I loved reading their stories of how it all got started. But, most importantly, there were SO many awesome pictures that went along with the stories. If I am being honest, it totally made me want to ditch everything and head off to do my own nomadic living. If my husband and I were younger, we probably would have considered doing this and had a great time doing it. I recommend this book to anyone that is also drawn to this sort of lifestyle.
I requested this book because I have always been interested in the nomadic lifestyle. I honestly didn't read anything about it beforehand, I just really liked the cover. I requested 2 others at the same time as this one and this is the only one I gave four stars to. My complaint about the other two books was that there were no pictures to go along with what they were describing. This book was the best of the three for many reasons. First off, it was separated into sections about the different kinds of nomadic lifestyles. The van lifers, the skoolies, the tiny house, the RV and so on. Secondly, it introduced us to several people/couples that were already living this lifestyle and what drove them to do it. I loved reading their stories of how it all got started. But, most importantly, there were SO many awesome pictures that went along with the stories. If I am being honest, it totally made me want to ditch everything and head off to do my own nomadic living. If my husband and I were younger, we probably would have considered doing this and had a great time doing it. I recommend this book to anyone that is also drawn to this sort of lifestyle.
April 24, 2022
While the title gives the impression of being a "how-to" book, I picked this up for the gorgeous photography and sense of travel from home~ it's a visually beautiful book, with immersive images, and a well-rounded peek into the homes of people taking up alternative methods of life. I did find it difficult to read at parts, due solely to how the text is broken up. Sentences are spliced over 2-3 pages at points, and I learned to strategically stop where I was reading, take in the images and subtext, then start the broken sentence afterwards.
For someone looking into starting their own vanlife project, there's a small section in the back with tips and resources, but it's definitely not the defining feature of the book. This is definitely more a general inspiration read. (I also selfishly had to deduct one star for the resources siting Amazon as a preferred place to buy a few things. I personally think we may not need to escape as much if Amazon weren't so big, haha!)
All in all, a pleasant read; it felt like I was on a journey the whole time~ 💖
For someone looking into starting their own vanlife project, there's a small section in the back with tips and resources, but it's definitely not the defining feature of the book. This is definitely more a general inspiration read. (I also selfishly had to deduct one star for the resources siting Amazon as a preferred place to buy a few things. I personally think we may not need to escape as much if Amazon weren't so big, haha!)
All in all, a pleasant read; it felt like I was on a journey the whole time~ 💖
September 19, 2021
I enjoyed reading this but it seems romanticize life on the road. I've lived in teeny spaces (though knowing the situations were temporary), last time with my spouse, adult daughter, and two large dogs, and have been in camping situations from very rugged to glamp. The stories presented barely touch upon the problems both daily and catastrophic. The "Designing a Home" part of the book — what I was most interested in—was a bit abbreviated, too, but the photos were a great peek into other's lives.
April 20, 2022
Great look at tiny home, Vanlife, RV living. We are downsizing and preparing for our next journey so the 1 in 1 out philosophy is key, we are practicing 1 in 10+ out to get ready. I love the concept of going old school navigation (maps-yeah!)
December 1, 2024
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to take up roots and live unconventionally, whether it be in a airstream, bus, campter, tiny home, or even a tugboat then this book is for you. I thouroughly enjoyed the stories of the people that live this way.
March 14, 2020
awesome! love the lifestyle
August 5, 2020
Great subject matter, great pictures, but the layout was terribly done and frustrating to read.
August 25, 2020
Great photography, fair to middling textual information
January 26, 2022
Oh my gosh, I read every page, poured over every story, every picture with interest and wonder.
If you've ever wanted to down-size and hit the road, read this book. So motivating!
If you've ever wanted to down-size and hit the road, read this book. So motivating!
June 15, 2022
More for people looking for a push into the life, than for those of us already hobo-ing our way thru it.
September 4, 2019
I am marking as partial as the format I have of this book makes it difficult to read. I received an electronic advance review copy of the book through the publisher Artisan Books and NetGalley, my opinions below are my own.
The subject matter is one I feel an affinity towards. I'm curious! The photographs are gorgeous. It is the best thing about this book. We get a variety of people living a nomadic type of life, and some just scaling back and living in a small space. The book is organized well with the stories of the people showcased. There are RVs, vans, tiny houses, boats, a variety! This is where I didn't read fully, I skipped about half of these pieces. Not everyone profiled is based in the United States, although the majority is, which makes me wonder if this book is not too broad.
Each entry of the people feels like a magazine article. The book itself in the entirely feels like a large magazine. While there are some specific aspects discussed, nothing is very concrete. The last chapters provide more information on some storage solutions or how some of the nomads tackled the bathroom problem. The table for pricing of different options is nice, except the ranges are so far apart that it actually doesn't mean much.
Then we have a section where very specific information would be nice, but instead is more like a jumping off point, referrals of where to go find more details. Products that one might like, or find useful in small living is provided as well, which I found to odd in a book, but a magazine features this aspect all the time, all that was missing was the pricing. All in all it left me with the feeling of lack of substance, just surface information.
The text formatting of the book is awful! A sentence is broken with page breaks and photographs. When reading a section mid-sentence you have to turn the page, then you have images to look at with captions and it's very disorientating. You loose the sentence. This aspect does not make the book fell well designed.
Despite all of this I feel like the book is a good place to start if you're curious about downsizing or nomadic living. It isn't anything new, people have lived on their sail boats, or house boats, tiny spaces for a very long time. Yet here you find how some people have made it work.
This would make a good coffee-table book. One to browse through and read one or two stories and put down, glance through at another time.
The subject matter is one I feel an affinity towards. I'm curious! The photographs are gorgeous. It is the best thing about this book. We get a variety of people living a nomadic type of life, and some just scaling back and living in a small space. The book is organized well with the stories of the people showcased. There are RVs, vans, tiny houses, boats, a variety! This is where I didn't read fully, I skipped about half of these pieces. Not everyone profiled is based in the United States, although the majority is, which makes me wonder if this book is not too broad.
Each entry of the people feels like a magazine article. The book itself in the entirely feels like a large magazine. While there are some specific aspects discussed, nothing is very concrete. The last chapters provide more information on some storage solutions or how some of the nomads tackled the bathroom problem. The table for pricing of different options is nice, except the ranges are so far apart that it actually doesn't mean much.
Then we have a section where very specific information would be nice, but instead is more like a jumping off point, referrals of where to go find more details. Products that one might like, or find useful in small living is provided as well, which I found to odd in a book, but a magazine features this aspect all the time, all that was missing was the pricing. All in all it left me with the feeling of lack of substance, just surface information.
The text formatting of the book is awful! A sentence is broken with page breaks and photographs. When reading a section mid-sentence you have to turn the page, then you have images to look at with captions and it's very disorientating. You loose the sentence. This aspect does not make the book fell well designed.
Despite all of this I feel like the book is a good place to start if you're curious about downsizing or nomadic living. It isn't anything new, people have lived on their sail boats, or house boats, tiny spaces for a very long time. Yet here you find how some people have made it work.
This would make a good coffee-table book. One to browse through and read one or two stories and put down, glance through at another time.
September 8, 2019
This was an intriguing book, and the accompanying photos were gorgeous. The title- Nomad- refers to people who have rejected the traditional "3 bed, 2bath, 2800 sq foot" homes of western society in search of a different type of life-style. The nomads featured in this book are making their homes in vans, boats, RVs, skoolies, airstreams, and other tiny homes. Some are primarily stationary, most are more transitory. Many were from North America, though others were from Australia or Europe.
I had just finished reading and reviewing a different book about skoolies, and that book was more of a step by step guide to building and creating a home out of a school bus. This book, by contrast, was short on instruction and long on inspiration- which is perfectly necessary as well, of course.
The first 80% of the book features short overviews (8 or so pages each) of each of the "nomads"- the stories of their lives, their relationships, what lead them to choose this life, the evolution of their homes and journeys, etc. Their stories were varied, and held my interest to differing degrees. The embedded photos added significantly to the presentation (side note: in my opinion, the photos were the most compelling feature in this book).
The final 20% of the book moved in a sharply different from the first portion. There was a section on bathrooms, a section on storage solutions, and then small segments on useful little gadgets, small details you should know before adopting this lifestyle, etc. This last fifth of the book felt a bit disjointed, in my opinion, and seemed to have a purpose that was not in keeping with the purpose of the larger part of the book. I wonder if it would have made more sense to include some of these details in the individual chapters- perhaps one page of specs and advice from each nomad? In any case, if you are curious about the tiny lifestyle, this book would be a great way to gather information.
I received an ARC of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. My thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity. #Nomad
I had just finished reading and reviewing a different book about skoolies, and that book was more of a step by step guide to building and creating a home out of a school bus. This book, by contrast, was short on instruction and long on inspiration- which is perfectly necessary as well, of course.
The first 80% of the book features short overviews (8 or so pages each) of each of the "nomads"- the stories of their lives, their relationships, what lead them to choose this life, the evolution of their homes and journeys, etc. Their stories were varied, and held my interest to differing degrees. The embedded photos added significantly to the presentation (side note: in my opinion, the photos were the most compelling feature in this book).
The final 20% of the book moved in a sharply different from the first portion. There was a section on bathrooms, a section on storage solutions, and then small segments on useful little gadgets, small details you should know before adopting this lifestyle, etc. This last fifth of the book felt a bit disjointed, in my opinion, and seemed to have a purpose that was not in keeping with the purpose of the larger part of the book. I wonder if it would have made more sense to include some of these details in the individual chapters- perhaps one page of specs and advice from each nomad? In any case, if you are curious about the tiny lifestyle, this book would be a great way to gather information.
I received an ARC of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. My thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity. #Nomad
July 14, 2019
I love that this book was mostly about the people and their chosen pared down lifestyles, how they came to live in tiny dwellings and some of the choices made in choosing or designing their small spaces. People come to living tiny for a variety of reasons and Emma Reddington has done a wonderful job of curating the stories and homes of a wide range of people from different parts of the world on these pages.
The dwellings range from what many think of when they hear tiny house (a tiny house on wheels) to converted buses and vans, boats, RVs and travel trailers and yes, tiny homes on (and off) wheels. Tiny home dwellers are grouped into categories that best suit their reasons for going tiny - adventure seekers, dreamers, minimalists and escapists - though as expected, there's a lot of crossover. After the stories comes a detail section on types of bathrooms and storage systems and the pros and cons of each.
This is followed by a section on things to ponder. Why do you want to go small? Where do you start looking for a tiny space to make your own? How much should you expect to pay? Realities of living in such small spaces are discussed - is not all rainbows and sunshine! References are given for some handy products, fixtures, textiles, heating and cooling methods and more. There's even a list of sites to check out for rentals so you can give this lifestyle a try before jumping in with both feet.
The photography throughout is well done, showing not only the details of the various tiny dwellings, but also the picturesque parking spots many have chosen either permanently, semi-permanently or be it ever so briefly. This book would be great for anyone dreaming of ditching a more traditional lifestyle and going tiny. Lots of great food for thought here along with practical advice.
Thank you to Artisan Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
The dwellings range from what many think of when they hear tiny house (a tiny house on wheels) to converted buses and vans, boats, RVs and travel trailers and yes, tiny homes on (and off) wheels. Tiny home dwellers are grouped into categories that best suit their reasons for going tiny - adventure seekers, dreamers, minimalists and escapists - though as expected, there's a lot of crossover. After the stories comes a detail section on types of bathrooms and storage systems and the pros and cons of each.
This is followed by a section on things to ponder. Why do you want to go small? Where do you start looking for a tiny space to make your own? How much should you expect to pay? Realities of living in such small spaces are discussed - is not all rainbows and sunshine! References are given for some handy products, fixtures, textiles, heating and cooling methods and more. There's even a list of sites to check out for rentals so you can give this lifestyle a try before jumping in with both feet.
The photography throughout is well done, showing not only the details of the various tiny dwellings, but also the picturesque parking spots many have chosen either permanently, semi-permanently or be it ever so briefly. This book would be great for anyone dreaming of ditching a more traditional lifestyle and going tiny. Lots of great food for thought here along with practical advice.
Thank you to Artisan Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 23, 2019
As someone who really likes to daydream about like, fixing up a van and living out of it for months at a time while I travel wherever my heart desires, but who in reality would probably totally hate that, this kind of book is really appealing. I get to live vicariously though the people who actually go through with it without having to do all the fixing up and driving. I'm fascinated by the concept and I admire those who can do it, and it's so interesting to see what a huge range of experiences the subjects have, from the surfers who live out of a super basic cargo van for half the year to the couple who builds a tiny house that mostly stays in one place, and the different ways they go about making money - working on a farm, doing web design and photography, fabrication that can be done in their tiny home. Beautiful photography too.
August 8, 2019
Thanks to Artisan Publishers and Netgalley for an early copy of this book.
4 1/2 stars -
What a fun and interesting book! I'm fascinated by this type of lifestyle, and seeing all the clever and creative ways these people use to accomplish their dreams is a real inspiration. This is a lush, lovely book, with beautiful photographs throughout. I particularly enjoyed reading about the lives of the nomads in this book, and how they managed to go from more typical lifestyles to one that would better align with their desires. The practical advise was also excellent, providing a nice road map for others who want to pursue their own nomadic ambitions. Great read!
4 1/2 stars -
What a fun and interesting book! I'm fascinated by this type of lifestyle, and seeing all the clever and creative ways these people use to accomplish their dreams is a real inspiration. This is a lush, lovely book, with beautiful photographs throughout. I particularly enjoyed reading about the lives of the nomads in this book, and how they managed to go from more typical lifestyles to one that would better align with their desires. The practical advise was also excellent, providing a nice road map for others who want to pursue their own nomadic ambitions. Great read!
January 30, 2020
If you have ever been curious about living in an alternative home, this is the book for you. Visually attractive and informative, it contains stories of how people came to renovate and live in buses, RVs, boats, tiny homes, etc. Glossy pages show many beautiful pictures of these homes. The author, out of Toronto, is the editor of Canadian House and Home magazine. This book is not just a pretty face, but also a manual filled with all kinds of information to get one started on this lifestyle.
January 1, 2020
If I can ever figure out my feelings about porta-potty(s) (no matter what the incarnation), I would go van-life. Between this book and a few others, it seems like an adventure to have at least once in a life.
January 14, 2023
Definitely a glossy & romantic look into the different configurations and options for this lifestyle.
The photographs are beautifully done and the interviews were intriguing but didn't really tackle the big challenges (isolation, mental health) that can also be a big challenge for travelers.
The photographs are beautifully done and the interviews were intriguing but didn't really tackle the big challenges (isolation, mental health) that can also be a big challenge for travelers.
July 25, 2020
Makes you swoon, makes you dream, makes you want to build a tiny house.
October 12, 2020
fairly aspirational
small bit of detail on practicalities and preparation for off grid life, but more on lifestyle and instagram-worthy photographs
small bit of detail on practicalities and preparation for off grid life, but more on lifestyle and instagram-worthy photographs
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June 15, 2021Coffee table book.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews