Monday, July 18, 2011

"My Side Of The Mountain" Review (before I try to post some NEW workshop photos, and more, soon)

File under: A no stress, highly entertaining read, in which a boy runs away from civilization and fashions a cabin/home out of a HUGE hollowed out tree (in the Catskills).
      Also, for those who don't dig the book recommendations (sorry!)- I've just been gearing up for another filmed edition of "Man with the Ugly Hat"- my tiny housing/small living side-jaunt episodes about literature. 



     'Been feelin' lousy- prob. workin' too hard, AND have to hit a recording studio for a VERY late session tonight, but before I gear-up to head out....while feelin' cruddy, last night I finished the young adult novel "My Side Of The Mountain". Now I picked this book up for about $2.00, while staying out in Lincoln, VT (at that blog-aforementioned tiny used book shop (love those places)), and while gazing at the cover of the book, which I thought I had never heard of, somewhere deep in my memory, I completely remembered the cover-art from middle school books fairs. I also recall assuming the book was about wizardry, or had a medieval slant, as judged by the cover art- but no....

This little "easy-reader" was penned by Jean Craighead George- who was a Newberry Medal recipient (for "Julie Of The Wolves"), and "My Side Of The Mountain" was a runner-up to the very same award (a different year). The book was originally written in 1959, and has been a HUGE worldwide seller, so most of you might already know of it. It somewhat reminds me of the Gary Paulson HUGE-selling young-adult novel "Hatchet"- another one I never read until now- in my 30s. Both are quick, yet pretty phenomenal reads if you're looking for some outdoor adventure, and a "Get away from it all" motif. 

Anyway, I'm not going to give too many book write-ups afterall, but I HAVE been compiling my list of top ten or fifteen all-time tiny house/alternative shelter buildings, and if any of your readers have any input/suggestions- feel free to add them in the comments section, or on our "Tiny Yellow House" small housing club/group.


AND...



AND (yeah, I gotta mention it, because I killed myself creating it, AND would love for it to do well enough for the LYONS PRESS to sign me to a follow-up design book......only $11.53 right now- damn cheap....


-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen