Mongolian Cloud Houses: How to Make a Yurt and Live Comfortably [Paperback]

Dan Frank Kuehn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2006

Written for those interested in alternative lifestyles, outdoor living, camping, and do-it-yourself projects, this lively book recounts the author's experiences building his first yurt. Dan Frank Kuehn carefully guides readers through every step of the creation of a 13' diameter, 10' tall model. He covers everything from the poles and lattice that form the basic structure to the pluses and minuses of various materials to the "luxuries like solar windows and lofts. The book highlights new building techniques and contains detailed lists of commercial yurt manufacturers, tools, and materials.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Shelter Publications (April 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0936070390
• ISBN-13: 978-0936070391
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #552,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mongolian Cloud Houses by Dan Frank Kuehn, October 30, 2007

By 

R. Jahn "Back-To-The-Future-Woodsman" (Catskill Mountains, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mongolian Cloud Houses: How to Make a Yurt and Live Comfortably (Paperback)

Mongolian Cloud Houses: How to Make a Yurt and Live Comfortably If you're into simplicity in dwelling and have a piece of land (your own, or unhindered use of some other property) then Mongolian Cloud Houses by Dan Frank Kuehn may be for you. But please note, if you wish to build a yurt similar to Kuehn's specifications, you will also need to glean a fair amount of natural raw materials from that land, as well as have ample time if you intend to build according to the author's specifications. Although not terribly labor intensive in sheer physical construction, building yurts as Kuehn does requires a fair amount of determined patience (a notion of building that is almost heretical in today's culture of "instant gratification" but was widely accepted practice for centuries and firmly reconstituted by many a counter-cultural self-builder of the 1960's and 70's.) In short, this is not the book for you, if you're seeking to get a yurt erected overnight. (If that's the case, pony-up some hard earned dough and go buy a commercially manufactured yurt. Then also hire/recruit a bunch of warm bodies to assist you. Maybe you'll get the thing up in a week, maybe you won't. This IS the book for you, if 1). You are basically building alone or maybe with some help from a friend. 2). You are short of, or very economical with money. 3). You have abundant free time. 4). You want to live simply in the round and wish to work mostly with materials you can gather or scrounge. And finally, 5) You need to have something warm and comfortable yet nomadic (Because a nylon camping tent as your base camp/wilderness home/extra dwelling space just won't cut it.) As a micro building enthusiast, I admire anyone who creates useful organic dwellings and then shares what they know with others. Especially when that knowledge is shared at a most affordable price. As with all Shelter Publications, this book is chockful of useful information. Kuehn's own hand drawn ilustrations are fabulous. The pics of his yurts and his self-evolution from 1976-2006 are delightful. And Jim Macey's b&w photos of Mongolia are a nice addition. It is a valued addition to my homestead and architectural bookshelf.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars limited scope, August 23, 2009

By 

Andrew Schwerin (Eureka Springs, AR) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mongolian Cloud Houses: How to Make a Yurt and Live Comfortably (Paperback)

Well this is one of the more disappointing books I've bought. I expected ideas (what to use for insulation), tested implementations (fitting a door, sewing the roof covers), and design specifics (what size roof ring, how many rafters). I found more of that info on the web in 5 minutes than in this book. IF you want to build a 13' yurt out of bamboo or johnson grass with cut up inner tubes and other scrounged materials this is the book for you. If that's not what you want to build, get a different book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book on building yurts., January 4, 2007

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mongolian Cloud Houses: How to Make a Yurt and Live Comfortably (Paperback)

The author provides excellent resources and instruction on building Mongolian style yurts. Though the text is somewhat dated many of the principles are still applicable today. I recommend this book to any beginner interested in constructing this type of nomadic dwelling.