ISBN: 9780802115034 - A Good House: Building a Life on the Land (20 results)

Hardback. Condition: Fair. It is a measure of the confusion of our times that the simplest words tease out the most complicated questions. Words like 'good' and 'house.' What do we mean by these? A year of my life turned on this question, a year in which I built my own house. These thoughts launch us into Richard Manning's powerful and compelling account of his building an environmentally conscious house on a thirty-eight acre piece of land in the wilds of western Montana. Concerned about our culture's disregard for the environment, and facing his own mid-life crisis, Richard Manning decided to rebuild what he could. First he remarried, and then, determined to adopt fully the values of conservation, he decided to build a life on the land. We follow as Richard and his wife, Tracy, with the aid of some fascinating characters - Bruce the water dowser; Banker McKee; Trusty Dave the digger; Skinny Jim and his partner Big Jim of the concrete crew; the lumbermen, the Finlays; the carpenters Bruce and Mike; Karl the mason; Gallacher as gofer; the rockers Larry, Rick, and Steve; and numerous others - conceive, finance, and build their house. Combining lessons from the history of house construction with contemporary technologies, the Mannings immerse themselves, body and soul, into the project: from devising the exact layout of the timber-framed structure and determining the minimum amount of water they will have to draw from the arid region, to calculating the superinsulation needed for successful passive-solar heating and installing a composting toilet, they strive to match beauty with efficiency, integration with practicality. Painfully aware that his earth-sheltered dwelling requires him to cut down trees and digup the earth, among other destructive acts, Manning compromises when necessary but holds on to an idea that seems antithetical to modern ways: Less is better. With the first warnings of winter, the months of working around the clock begin to take their toll, and the couple near physical and emotional exhaustion. But it is in these most trying of times that they come to understand the real meaning of their work and the purpose of their house. Combining the best qualities of Edward Abbey and Tracy Kidder, Manning entertains and informs in this affirmative book that not only points toward a new aesthetic in house-building but also shows how we can build a better life and help protect our endangered world.…

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. With dust jacket. It's a well-cared-for item that has seen limited use. The item may show minor signs of wear. All the text is legible, with all pages included. It may have slight markings and/or highlighting.

Condition: Good. Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.

Condition: Very Good. Very Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp.

Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

Condition: Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good.

Hardback. Condition: Fair. It is a measure of the confusion of our times that the simplest words tease out the most complicated questions. Words like 'good' and 'house.' What do we mean by these? A year of my life turned on this question, a year in which I built my own house. These thoughts launch us into Richard Manning's powerful and compelling account of his building an environmentally conscious house on a thirty-eight acre piece of land in the wilds of western Montana. Concerned about our culture's disregard for the environment, and facing his own mid-life crisis, Richard Manning decided to rebuild what he could. First he remarried, and then, determined to adopt fully the values of conservation, he decided to build a life on the land. We follow as Richard and his wife, Tracy, with the aid of some fascinating characters - Bruce the water dowser; Banker McKee; Trusty Dave the digger; Skinny Jim and his partner Big Jim of the concrete crew; the lumbermen, the Finlays; the carpenters Bruce and Mike; Karl the mason; Gallacher as gofer; the rockers Larry, Rick, and Steve; and numerous others - conceive, finance, and build their house. Combining lessons from the history of house construction with contemporary technologies, the Mannings immerse themselves, body and soul, into the project: from devising the exact layout of the timber-framed structure and determining the minimum amount of water they will have to draw from the arid region, to calculating the superinsulation needed for successful passive-solar heating and installing a composting toilet, they strive to match beauty with efficiency, integration with practicality. Painfully aware that his earth-sheltered dwelling requires him to cut down trees and digup the earth, among other destructive acts, Manning compromises when necessary but holds on to an idea that seems antithetical to modern ways: Less is better. With the first warnings of winter, the months of working around the clock begin to take their toll, and the couple near physical and emotional exhaustion. But it is in these most trying of times that they come to understand the real meaning of their work and the purpose of their house. Combining the best qualities of Edward Abbey and Tracy Kidder, Manning entertains and informs in this affirmative book that not only points toward a new aesthetic in house-building but also shows how we can build a better life and help protect our endangered world.…

Condition: Good. DUST JACKET HAS SOME MINOR SHELF WEAR BUT BOOK REMAINS IN GOOD READABLE CONDITION. hardcover 100% of proceeds go to charity! Good condition with all pages in tact. Item shows signs of use and may have cosmetic defects.

Hard cover. Sewn binding. Paper over boards. 238 p. Audience: General/trade. No previous owner's name clean, tight pages one bent corner HC 132 Very good in very good dust jacket.

Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Solid binding. Moderate edgewear on the boards. Moderate shelf wear. Please note the image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item. Book.

hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Condition Notes: Clean, unmarked copy with some edge wear. Good binding. Dust jacket included if issued with one. We ship in recyclable American-made mailers. 100% money-back guarantee on all orders.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition, First Printing. The binding is tight, corners sharp. Minor wear to ends of spine. Text and images unmarked. Illustrated dust jacket in a mylar cover. 8vo. 238pp.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Minor shelf wear to binding. Light foxing on edges of text block, pastedowns & endpapers. Text and images unmarked. The dust jacket shows some light handling, in a mylar cover.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st. First Edition, First Printing; dj w/unclipped price; owner's insc; 238 clean, unmarked pages. Color & b&w (illustrator).

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Clean Stated First Edition (and full printing with complete number line) in clean unclipped dust jacket. Clean green boards with amber cloth spine, green metallic lettering on spine. No fading, fraying or bumping. Binding is tight and square, hinges are sound. Pages and edges are clean. No names, writing or marks. Illustrated with color photographs, drawings. 238 pages. Clean bright jacket is unchipped, not price clipped, very slight edgewear aspine ends; enclosed in new archival quality removable mylar cover. "Richard Manning set out to build an aesthetically pleasing and environmentally responsible house in which to center his life with his new wife. A Good House is his story of the work, thick with information, splendidly told, solid and good like his house, ad a fine read." - William Kittredge. …

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. 1st Edition. Green clothbound with dustjacket is very clean, square along the edges, and tightly bound. Author's signature on title page; prior owner gift inscription on inside cover. Dustjacket has bumps n nicks along edges with an intact clear body. Stated first edition; complete number line. Signed by Author(s).…

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Near Fine. First Printing. New book, unmarked and unread in new dj with the slightest bump to head of spine.

Soft cover. Condition: As New. Very large, sturdy softcover, glossy wrappers with a color-illustration of house among forest trees on front wrapper, blue spine and back wrapper with photo of author and house at top back, praise from Louise Erdich, Rick Bass, Paul G. Hawken., 239 pages including a glossy photo section with some color. Mint.…

hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Condition Notes: Clean, unmarked copy with some edge wear. Good binding. Dust jacket included if issued with one. We ship in recyclable American-made mailers. 100% money-back guarantee on all orders.

Condition: New. Satisfaction Guaranteed or your money back.