Your Cabin in the Woods

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.＂

Conrad E. Meinecke was a leading figure in the Boy Scouts of America, as well as director of the Boys’ Home of the Buffalo Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. He built a number of cabins and detailed his experiences, as well of love of nature, in these time-honored classics. He died in 1971 in Springville, NY.

Victor Aures was a painter and illustrator, best known for his work in the 1940s on the Handbook of the Boy Scouts of America, Your Cabin in the Woods, and Cabincraft and Outdoor Living. He died in 1974.