5 comments about An Affair with a House.

1. This is an interesting book in a lot of ways. On the one hand the architecture and grounds of BW's Connecticut digs are quite beautiful (with the exception of the atrocious pool house that's a Greek temple made outta logs . . . .). On the other hand, the stuff that's crammed into her rooms makes for suffocating interiors. Too many dog pillows (yea, we know she loves her mutts, but please!). The looks presented herein are not edited, not clean - it's rather grandmotherly. The exception to this is the barn that from what I understand having read the book, was really more or less her husband's take on the situation and it's quite wonderful. Perhaps it's not fair to compare a low ceilinged Connecticut Federal house to a loft-like barn space but seeing as how the two are put in the same book, I guess it's open season. But this is a much better book than her latest called Point of View or as I call it, Pointless View.



2. Many design books only use words to describe the pictures. While reading these types of books, I find myself only paying attention to the pictures. However, "An Affair with a House" captures Williams's personal story while still vividly displaying her passion for design. If only we could all feel the connection for our houses as she has for her's.



3. Thirty years ago Bunny Williams fell in love with a run down 18th century farmhouse that was being used as a rental by college students. (That should indicate to you just how run down it had become.) She has done so much to restore the house and grounds to their glory days. The landscaping projects alone have taken decades to reach their potential. As Bunny's father pointed out, that had she not been a young woman when she bought the house, the project would have outlived her. Instead, she had the time and talent to bring this house into her vision of what a gracious old home should be.
   
   A renown decorator of others' homes, when Bunny was working on her own dream house, no corners were cut and no expense spared. This book describes how she envisioned the hedges, the entrance foyer, the living room, the kitchen, the patio - and then what she did to bring that vision to reality. There is an amazing sequence as she describes what she felt would be the ideal color of the entrance hall - a delicate peach that she had once seen in the table linen of a restaurant in Tuscany - and what she did to reproduce that color.
   
   The attention to detail that Bunny paid to every aspect of her home over thirty years has resulted in a place that is a true reflection of the owner's passions. The spaces devoted to her beloved dogs; the collections she has gathered through the years; the way she found the perfect place to work in an old wing chair that belonged to her late father.
   
   Bunny also loves to entertain. She shows us her dining areas; how she settled on certain tables; her collections of tableware and linens; and the storage areas. But she doesn't stop there - she shares her favorite methods of flower arranging, and gives us some lovely recipes. It's just another nice touch in this jewel of a book.
   
   "An Affair with a House" isn't a decorating book, per se. It's one woman's story about how she reclaimed a neglected house and brought it back to life. This a beautiful book to spend an afternoon looking through and, if you like the traditional styles, you can find plenty of inspiration from Bunny Williams' own story.
   
   Highly recommended!!!



4. I've read reviews of this book that told how people were appalled at the materialistic aspects of this book. We live fairly simply, but like to look at a home put together beautifully, because it is filled with belongings that they personally chose and collected, and more importantly--hobbies and interests that they treasure . I was impressed that they loved their home.
   
   These people enjoy "living". They garden, travel, raise chickens, cook, entertain, and love their dogs. They are interesting because they pursue learning about life. I guess I've always thought that wealthy living was portrayed in a boring way. You can enjoy your home and really live life and learning in whatever size home you have.



5. I have always loved older homes. Every room in this book tells a story. This book is a great tool in preparing you for lifes journey in restoring an older house. When you decide to make you your house a home, and your dreams a reality. The author reminders the readers that it takes time to accomplish your goals. The pictures are just amazing. I will treasure this book for years to come.

5 comments about Solar Water Heating: A Comprehensive Guide to Solar Water and Space Heating Systems (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series).

1. Great reference on solar water heating. Lots of options and details. The item is as described. Shipping was reasonable and prompt.



2. Content wise this is an excellent book. The level is just right for individuals that need to make the right choices to provide renewable Domistic Hot Water and Space Heating for their homes without having to sift through many non insightful therory and math. It has good collection of rules of thumb for a quick design. I have one criticism for this book. In my copy pages 113-144 are printed twice. The book is really only 240 pages and not 288 as stated in Amazon by the publisher. Not that the 40 extra pages would have completed the book. The book is fairly well written and complete as it is. I am just for saving paper/trees.



3. This book is practical and written in a very easy to understand manner. The author has extensive experience in the area of solar heating of water and conveys that knowledge to the reader very effectively. This book goes beyond hot water for household use and into radiant heating with the use of a heat storage system using a large sand bed which is the GEM of the book! I am planning on building a cabin in the Colorado Mtns and wanted this retreat to be self-sustaining and not a warm cabin that was sucking power or energy while not in use. This book has inspired me to design into the cabin solar hot water for household and radiant use. Now if I could just find a decent book about radiant heating for less than $100...........



4. Very good and useful book if you want to understand/evaluate offers/tenders of companies that will construct your solar water heating system. Contains all the rules of thumbs and all the subjects really you need to know (system components, scaling of the system, types of solar water heating systems, system maintenance, system installation, cost calculations, etc.). My only real disappointment is the pervasive use of non-metric units (btu/therms, feet, gallons) throughout the book. This makes it hard to read for non-American readers. There is a unit conversion table, but it would have been better to include the second unit system between brackets or just to use the international metric system. Also a decision diagram/tree for helping to decide what type of solar heating system you would best go for depending on your climate/freezing conditions or not, etc. would have been a useful addition. This information, though, is in the text, but you just have to read it all.



5. This is a very well written book. Bob Ramlow has done a lot of work on the subject of solar heating and makes the subject fun to read. I highly recommend that if you are interested in solar heating you also read "Build Your Own Solar Heating System" by Kenneth Clive. Build Your Own Solar Heating System

5 comments about How Your House Works: A Visual Guide to Understanding & Maintaining Your Home (How Your House Works) (How Your House Works).

1. EVERY homeowner should have a copy of this invaluable resource. Particularly helpful are the "Before calling for help" sections. The book is simple and straightforward enough for anyone to understand and the diagrams are visually uncomplicated and clear. Before picking up the phone to call a professional be sure to check this wonderful resource and you just might save yourself a service call and a lot of money!



2. I have numerous reference books but this is the first one to actually describe to me how the device functions. The "Before calling the...(technician)" feature was a brilliant idea and a potential money saver for most homeowners.
   
   My son-in-law teaches middle school science and will be using this book for its wonderful schematics. My other reference books are stashed away on a bookshelf - this one stays on my desk where it is good and handy!



3. highly recommended. contains clear text and very detailed illustrations of the major systems of a house. i came upon this book while looking for explanations of the causes of excessive dust in a home (e.g., whether it's the contents--furnishings, linens, clothing, etc.--in a room or whether it's old walls, floors, and porous ceilings). this book doesn't answer my question, but it does offer a useful, step-by-step guide to systems like plumbing, wiring, heating/cooling, structure, and large appliances. for new homeowners or, better, folks who don't see themselves as diy'ers, this book will give you the information to do some things yourself. at the very least, you will be able to figure out where/why a system underperforms, and what to do about it. along with amy johnston's book on building and renovating a home, wing's book covers most issues. excellent resource or reference.



4. I'm a book geek, a connoisseur of ideas. And i'm not one of those book geeks who is also very practical or handy about the house or with home repair. This book includes a visual dictionary (label + illustration)along with its plain explanations. I'm glad I bought it.



5. I originally checked this book out of the library; I was quite impressed with the clearly labeled drawings, the How It Works section and the Before You Call For Help sections. I then checked out the ratings by reviewers on [...]. Then I purchased several as gifts; all of them were well received. I think that this book is a great resource and confidence builder for any individual who wants to know more about the plumbing, wiring, heating/cooling, ventilation, appliances, windows/doors &/or foundation of one's dwelling. It is very visual and it is presented in clear, easy-to-understand, brief language for the layman. Yet Mr. Wing also writes for professionals in these fields. A highly recommended resource!

5 comments about The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy Independence through Solar, Wind, Biomass and Hydropower (Mother Earth News Wiser Living).

1. This is an excellent book, because it has much information in general, different green ideas for your home. And that is important for you and the Planet today and future.



2. I found this book to be very informative. It provides a wealth of knowledge about being self-sufficient. I am particularly interested in solar and wind power and this book provided some very good information about each of these subjects. Would highly recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about living green.



3. I read this book cover-to-cover over the course of a couple of weeks. I'm new to the field of renewable energy, so you'll have to take my criticisms for what they are, a critique of the writing:
   
   1) The author frequently repeats himself, and sometimes goes so far to state that he is repeating himself, and that the reader should refer back to a previous section.
   
   2) Many of the references are "so and so claims such and such" or references to the Home Power magazine. It's great that the author cites his sources, but it often left me wondering if the author placed any stock in the claim being reported.
   
   3) The author frequently refers to his own house, which was designed from the ground up to use renewable energy. While this is neat, it doesn't seem applicable to readers who already own houses (with a 99% chance that they're not nearly as efficient, and that it's not possible to convert them).
   
   4) I would have enjoyed more information on solar power, since it seems to be the most applicable in urban and suburban areas. Instead, it received basically equal treatment alongside micro-hydroelectric and wind power.
   
   Still, it's a good book - 3.5 stars - and contains a number of references to other sources of information on the topic.



4. I found this book to be more satisfying that the author's more popular book, "The Solar House". Of course, they aren't functional substitutes for each other. This book goes deeper into renewable energy systems available to address the energy needs of residential buildings and related topics. I appreciate his discussion on conservation, the breakdown of the energy consumption of a 'typical' residence, etc. This book goes deeper into energy than "The Solar House" goes into passive design, providing almost enough information to evaluate and size some systems. The amount of information presented varies by system, as solar photovoltaic and wind power get a more detailed treatment than biomass. For someone wanting enough information to select, size and/or design systems -- or more realistically to evaluate the proposals generated by a systems provider -- supplemental information will probably be required.



5. Not only did I find this book useful, I enjoyed reading this book. I am not a techy science person, nor do I usually seek out nonfiction, but I found that this book was written for people like me - people who are interested in making some changes in our homes to help our planet and lower our bills. The book was set up with clear chapters outlining the pros and cons of various types of renewable energy sources (wind, water, solar, and more) and how we can retrofit our homes to use them. It contained several comparison charts for the different options described, including cost comparisons, and the author provided detailed information about the information in those charts. The book also explored small changes we could easily make, and there was a section about the future of renewable energy. Written to be thoroughly understandable and readable, this book helped me become much more aware of things I could do to make some "green" changes, which was exactly the information I was seeking. All in all I recommend this book highly!

5 comments about Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden)).

1. I am truly a dummy when it comes to green building, I've never bought a dummies book before - but wanted to remodel my kitchen and needed some expert green advice. The book is broken down into these really helpful sections like finishes, water and energy. It even includes helpful checklists to remodel your kitchen in a green way. The advice I learned from this book will probably save me thousands in construction costs and will continue to save me $$$ on my water and energy bills. The author presents the info in a very fun and logical way. Anyone building or remodeling their home should do it green - and definitely needs this book to guide them every step of the way. The reason I bought this book is that I heard the author speak at a local green conference, and the way he presented the information just made sense to me.



2. Great info. in an easy to read format. Really enjoyed learning about different products and solutions.



3. This book gives a great overview of various green building options for homes. It has a lot of practical and useful information for the beginner or even the advanced green building enthusiast. It also contains a really helpful list of resources for further research. I would have liked a little more information on solar and geothermal, but the book isn't designed to give thoroughly detailed information about every option. I would highly recommend this book.



4. Green architect Eric Corey Freed knows his stuff and it shows in Green Building and Remodeling for Dummies.
   
   Freed makes green building and remodeling approachable and very doable.
   
   I like the checklists throughout the book and the perfect green rooms, both of which make understanding the big picture easy.
   
   Freed does an excellent job in explaining the advantages of building green for the health of the occupants and the environment.
   
   If you've ever wondered what the true environmental cost of a particular product is, Freed does a great job of explaining it in "the life cycle of materials from cradle to grave." If you didn't "get" greeen before, this section will show you how important it is to look at the entire life cycle of a product to determine how green--or not--a particular product is.
   
   I also liked the handy list of green material substitutes which make purchasing very easy.
   
   The book was very readable and concise and even fun to read. I highly recommend it.
   
   By the author of the award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet



5. I have a number of the Dummies books on various topics, and had an interest in how one might "green" an existing home, or build a new one. One thing I learned recently is that 50% of the energy lost from a typical house is due to poor building insulation, and that's one area in which most houses, depending on where in the U.S. they're built, could be improved. Since we wanted to beef up our house's insulation, we had a type of insulation installed that was more green than the other choices, and that is equally effective. If you're building a house from scratch, this book has a lot more information on many other topics relating to green building, including materials, construction, design ideas, energy saving tips and ideas, and many more topics on the subject.
   
   Interestingly, since I was interested in insulation, I just turned up this information on insulation principles from a German website on all the details relating to that, in case this help anyone else:
   
   Occupational skills
   
   Thermal and noise insulation fitters carry out their work on the basis of technical documents and job orders, both independently and in cooperation with others. They plan and coordinate their work, consult and coordinate with others working on the site, set up construction sites and take the measures required for smooth-running operations, for health and safety at work and to protect the environment at the job site. They check their work to ensure error-free execution, document their work, carry out quality assurance measures, calculate job performance data and hand the vacated job site on.
   
   When carrying out the following activities, thermal and noise insulation fitters use plant and machinery, they erect and dismantle scaffolding for work, protection and support purposes and measure constructions and elements thereof for proper fit.
   
   Thermal and noise insulation fitters
   * process materials to protect surfaces, for example steel and non-ferrous sheeting and synthetics,
   * build and mount supporting and load-bearing constructions,
   * build models of fittings,
   * prepare elevations and developed views from templates for simple and complex fittings,
   * measure up system components and prepare isometric projections,
   * check site conditions for insulation purposes and select appropriate insulation materials,
   * build mattressing from insulating materials,
   * apply materials to insulate against heat, cold, noise and fire,
   * craft and fit parts and fittings,
   * coat insulation systems with sheet metal, foil, sheeting, wrapping and hard plastic coatings and fittings,
   * build and fit inner linings for cooling chambers,
   * build construction elements using dry construction techniques,
   * check insulation systems and assess their efficiency,
   * identify damage in connection with rehabilitation and refurbishment projects, determine the cause of the damage and carry out the corresponding rehabilitation and refurbishment measures.
   
   Additionally, thermal and noise insulation fitters carry out related tasks in the field of building construction.

5 comments about Got Sun? Go Solar: Get Free Renewable Energy to Power Your Grid-Tied Home.

1. its meant to be the first book you would read if you are considering solar power for your home or just learning more about solar energy. and thats exactly what it is, very basic, no jargon, down to earth.



2. There's a lot of books on solar out there since we're finally starting to catch a clue that this world is running out of non-renewable, polluting, energy resources in a ever increasing energy hungry planet & people. It's been shining and keeping the planet alive for 4.5 billion years, puts out tons of energy everyday, doesn't go on vacation, or take breaks, should keep shining for as long as already has and it's energy is absolutely free! We just have to be smart enough to know how to capture and store all this free energy. That's where this book becomes a valuable tool. One of the highlights of this book is the experience of the authors. Doug Pratt is one of the founding fathers of Real Goods, known as Gaiam now. Real Goods has to be one of the worlds leading retailers of natural, renewable, & Earth-friendly products. They're one of the first places to consolidate & sell solar panels to the public back in the early 80's. Both Doug & Rex Ewing have lived on & off-the-grid in passive solar houses for years. Together they have more than 30 years experience in this field. This book is a great starting place if you have been interested in solar & wind power, yet it's a great reference book for the experienced too. Very easy to read, lots of great photos & diagrams. This book also has a very extensive appendix with tons of resources and references for further exploration. I'm glad I bought this book. I've studied lots of books on solar and wind power, but this one is one of my favorites, due to it's ease of use, knowledgeable authors, great layout, excellent references & resources. The costs of these systems are not cheap initially, and you want to make sure you do the right things right, and install the system that meets your needs. This book even tells you how to recoup rebates, shop for the best prices on solar panels and apply for tax credits(important for most folks, unless you are filthy rich and throw money away) If you're thinking of going solar or wind powered, this is a must have, and you don't have to wear sunblock. (unless your installing your system) ;-}



3. To be fair, I have not read this book. Why 5 stars? The book is a for-profit venture by the author, so recovery of time, effort, & energy is important for revenue reasons. So why write this review? After spending nearly 12-18 hours perusing AMAZON's book list on solar energy and photovoltaic systems, I was frustrated! None of the reviews on any single book seemed to be convincing enough to make me want to buy. For instance, none of the reviews mention how the books address the National Electric Code, specific wiring and disconnect installation information, electrical and other safety hazards, inspection issues, etc. For a DIY'er, these books seemed a waste of time, never mind the fact that some reviewers insisted they actually DIY'ed just from the book. It then occurred to me that dozens of resources that I had used over the past 10 years - with the exception of 2007 due to extenuating circumstances - many resources are available for free from our fantastic .GOV, .ORG, and .EDU sites like Sandia Nat'l Labs, NREL, NMSU, and CA.GOV. Folks, before you start buying books on PV left & right, be smart and leverage what your fine tax dollars paid for! I have to admit - I believe it's just stupid searching for good PV technical, installation, and detailed literature on a For-Profit Bookstore when so much is already available online for Free. Folks, use your head - our government and academic labs pioneered this from federal tax dollars. Hence, much of it is public domain! (REPLACE all "?" with "." in the following website links.) nabcep?org nmsu?edu/~tdi/index?html photovoltaics?sandia?gov and energy?ca?gov - just to name a few! Of course, if you're just not Internet savvy, not an engineer/analytical A-type personality, and highly resourceful, plus you'd rather prefer to kill trees buying a book instead of leveraging online resources that are 100 times more than what's on AMAZON, and most likely don't have the wherewithal to DIY, go ahead. It will be amazing to see how many are simply duped by the thousands of new "get rich quick" companies and businessmen entering the renewable energy markets.



4. Well written, a good first-step book on home solar power. Recommended for those who are curious. The real work will begin later.



5. I was thinking about making the move to solar so I decided to purchase this book and do some online research. This book does a great job explaining how solar works and what you can expect with respect to wattage from a solar array based on the size of the array, where you live, time of year, etc. It explains the different types of solar installations and helps you decide which one is best for you. It also shows how to pursue local, state and federal tax incentives to help offset the costs of purchase and installation.

5 comments about Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home.

1. This book has everything and every home should have one. Its a great reference guide and also teaching tool for young brides. Would make an excellent shower gift.



2. Being that I now own my own home, after apartment living for so long, when it comes to home care I'm a little clueless in many areas. I've got the basics down like doing laundry, washing dishes etc. but there's always this nagging feeling that there are tricks I'm missing that would make taking care of my home so much easier. This book answered many questions, especially in the laundry chapter, and brought forward many things I never thought of like how to better organize my crazy sock drawer. Some of the ideas in this book bother me a bit in that I can't believe I'm really reading sections titled "How to clean a sink" or "How to fold a sweater". BUT after I read those sections I find that I've found some new ways to do things and I think "Why didn't I think of that?". Great book for anyone who wants to care for their home in a more organized and simpler way. Also this is, in my opinion, a great book for new home owners and young newlyweds.



3. Martha's simplistic and realistic approach to caring for your home, shines through in this wonderful book. It is stuffed with useful and informative solutions to homekeeping. This book would make the perfect house warming or newly wed gift or tell-all reference guide for the bachelor too!
   
   I purchased this book for recently married friends who are renovated a historic home in upstate New York. Along with this book, I also purchased Your Home A Living Canvas: Create Stunning Faux Finishes & Murals with Paint, by Curtis Heuser, which follows the author/artist's entire 1890's historic home creative re-birth. Where Martha's book guides the reader to keeping up the household, Heuser's shares the secrets to reinventing the interior of your home with breathtaking faux finishes and mural detailing. My friends loved the combination of these two books, as they offer "inspiring" home care and designing solutions, that are easily adaptable to any household! If you are looking for a gift to be remembered (Heuser's YOUR HOME...is hardback and filled with beautiful photography worthy of being displayed on your coffe table ) and referred back to again and again (as Martha's HOMEKEEPING...is the only home reference volume you will ever need) - these books are highly reccommended! In my opinion, the diverse domestic value in both can't be beat!



4. I would rate description, value and customer service as excellent. I wish this book had been available to me many years ago. I bought two, one for a bride and groom who were registered with Amazon for it and one for myself. The transaction went as I hoped it would and as a wedding gift it was a success. I've purchased from Amazon in the past and will again.



5. A very helpful book to have for the house. I use the cleaning mixtures in my home. They work great. The book has taught me organization. Everyone should have this book.

5 comments about The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-sufficient Living in the Heart of the City (Process Self-reliance Series).

1. I was so excited to receive this book-- as someone who has had some experience farming and who hopes to continue in the future BUT who will be living in a city for the foreseeable future, I couldn't wait to get my hands on my guide to sustainable homesteading in the city.
   
   While this book is full of great concepts, it fails to deliver on the instruction side of things. This is not a Guide Book as the cover proclaims-- it is an Ideas book. The authors suggest planting fruit trees in your yard, and to save space, prune them into "an espalier". How do you do that? The authors kindly refer you to another book.
   
   I understand that covering all the skills involved in Urban Homesteading in-depth would require a tome many times the length of this paperback. But an Urban Wild Edibles section with no pictures? Seriously?
   
   This is a great tool for people who haven't gardened before and who have the motivation to seek out the actual technique elsewhere. But this is nowhere close to a guidebook, and most of the sections were wildly uninspiring, under-explained, and uninformative. If you had the foresight to seek out this book, you can probably figure out on your own that you can bake bread even in the city (!), red lettuce and green lettuce look pretty together in your garden, and composting may help reduce some of your soil woes.
   
   To be fair, the cooking section and home cleaning supplies section, while not very enlightening in terms of ideas, has a slightly more complete informative style. But really, this is a basic, basic book, and while some of the book caters to those of us in tiny apartments with no yard space, the majority deals with ideas best tackled with large kitchens, some sort of yard/roof, and owners (or at least tenants of some very permissive landlords) of their own place. There was nothing particularly urban about most of these instructions, and this book doesn't even go near anything I would call homesteading.
   
   In the end? If you won't do any growing of your own food if you don't buy this book then BUY IT. But, if you're like me and you are hoping for something to really make your apartment more sustainable, you may be better off reading Gaia's Garden and making the necessary adjustments yourself.



2. Like the first reviewer, I too have been long looking forward to this title's release. Unlike the first reviewer I am not at all disappointed with "The Urban Homestead." It's a well-written and engaging resource and I don't find fault in it as a book of ideas and initiatives rather than as all-encompassing encyclopedic volume. In fact I like that I don't have to be entirely dependent on something trying to show me how to be independently sufficient.
   
   The authors are obviously well-informed and hands-on involved and thanks to them I'm already planning my first project involving gray-water capture, storage and re-use.



3. I've been reading the authors' blog, HomegrownEvolution.com for more than a year, so I had a pretty good idea what to expect from this book, and I was not in the least disappointed. I think perhaps even more than all of the practical advice and specific directions in The Urban Homestead, Coyne and Knutzen's perspective and approach are what I value most. There's an overriding attitude--almost philosophy, really--that the authors convey so well. It's positive yet somehow never sappy. They recommend doing what you can and doing what you like.
   
   They also warn: "Work makes work" in the gardening section, and to me that perspective is more valuable than knowing how frequently to water my sweet peppers once they've flowered. (Which brings up another thing I've enjoyed so much about reading this book and the H.E. blog: The blog pointed me to Pat Welsh's Southern California Gardening for more specific and advanced gardening advice.)
   
   The Urban Homestead is laid out in a way that makes it easy to pick up and read a little bit here and there. And I've been picking up my copy every chance I get, rereading sections, too, both for knowledge and enjoyment. It's really oriented toward people with a new or recent interest in living more like their great-grandparents did, more engaged in the world around them, even if that world is a major metropolis. It's less about preparing for disaster than thwarting it.
   
   If you want to ditch your TV, buy less crap at the supermarket, learn how to use a bicycle to transport your self and your stuff, conserve, reuse, bake, make and otherwise reject so many things that until recently our society believed were progress, this book will get you going on the right path.



4. For those of us city-dwellers contemplating the fundamental lifestyle adjustments demanded by the looming global socio-economic reorganization, this book provides a detailed, lucid, step-by-step, blueprint that takes what seems to be an overwhelming task of historical reversal and transforms it into an open-ended series of tangible, human-scaled projects. The writing and design make it easy to browse, read straight through, or use for reference, and it brims with an infectious curiosity and enthusiasm for the exploration and reclamation of our culture and species' relationship to the land. The longest journey begins with a single compost heap.



5. My wife and I were delighted to get our hands on The Urban Homestead. We have been following the Urban Homestead journey via the authors' blog and we have enjoyed the projects, the experiments, the successes and the failures. Most of all, we have enjoyed a shift in our consciousness as we began to evaluate our relationship to our home, our community and our environment.
   
   And so, with book in hand, we can now leave the computer, go for a walk, sit and read and contemplate the future and the route we'd like to take in getting there.
   
   This book is a great value, even if you never set out to garden or raise chickens. The conservation and home ec projects alone have given us great pleasure.
   
   The authors challenge the reader to live less as a consumer and more as a producer. The Urban Homestead is an effective and inspirational guide to making that journey a successful reality.

3 comments about Solar Power Your Home For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden)).

1. As an electronic engineer, I originally looked at home solar energy as a chance to buy some cool gear to play with, while saving money in the bargain. As I delved into the book, my outlook changed. I was surprised to find how complex a home's energy use situation can be, and that some money can be saved before connecting a single wire. Even as I later relished the chapters covering solar electricity generation, I still noted the frequent reminders and references to non-electrical aspects of a "solar" home, as well as practical financial and regulatory realities to consider in choosing a system. In short, I came away from my first reading with a much more balanced perspective on solar energy, and I'll continue to re-read as a reference. Of course, I'm still hankerin' after that gear, yet, at least, now I have a better picture of what's really useful. Plus, I'm off to a good start in being knowledgable enough to deal effectively with those installation contractors. Well done!



2. My husband and I have become increasingly consciencious about saving our natural resources. It has been our goal to add solar panels to our house but most of the books out there were not written for the average person. This book answered all our questions in a language we could easily understand. We learned how to make solar power an investment throughout our entire house! How cool is that?
   
   The awesome thing about this book is it goes way beyond explaining the money we can save but includes vital tips on what not to do. I love when a book keeps me from making mistakes. I could go on and on about this book because I'm thrilled I finally have a great reference tool. I am eagerly anticipating creating a home that will actually not take so many of our precious resources from the earth.



3. This is a good introduction to how the energy from the sun can be put to practical everyday use. If you don't like to read a lot of technical stuff, this book is for you. Quick, easy reading the non-technical average person. with references for more information. This book has practical projects for the person who already has some knowledge of solar energy as well. If you're looking for a really detailed technical book of how to design and install your own solar collector (electrical or water), better get a different book. My 5-star rating is for those who are beginners or those that have a little knowledge of solar energy.

5 comments about The Renewable Energy Handbook: A Guide to Rural Energy Independence, Off-Grid and Sustainable Living.

1. This book is worthless, It's best use would be to use the pages to start the fire in your wood stove. The writer wastes more then half the book to expound his religion. The information that is provided is out dated and just a reprint of manufacturers information. Don't waste your money or your time.



2. William Kemp does an excellent job of explaining and organizing your options for renewable energy sources. Even for the beginner, this is an easy to read and understand, and can be used as a reference guide. I bought this book to understand my options for my new build.



3. I would have given this book a four-star rating if not for the preaching that permeated each chapter. I didn't buy this book to learn how to save the planet from evil, wasteful humans. Having written that, the author does a good job explaining varied methods to exist without relying on the commercial power grid. Descriptions on different methods/technologies to accommodate the want to be self-sufficient when it comes to electrical power are comprehensive.



4. Lots of useful info. Gives you a new way to look at the world.



5. Helpful and informative. Easy to understand diagrams and explanations in plain English (i.e. you don't have to be ultra-tech-savvy to understand it).