Customer Reviews

Treehouse Chronicles: One Man's Dream of Life Aloft

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Treehouse Chronicles is about much more than building a house in the sky; it is about enjoying life, the importance of being a child no matter what your age, and about the joy of imagination.
S. Peter Lewis' captivating text and photographs, T. B. R. Walsh's elegant illustrations, and both authors' how-to (and how-not-to) advice combine to create an unforgettable narrative of the creation of a treehouse. We learn about land, life and love as well. One of the best books of this or any season.

The Tree House Chronicles is a wonderfully crafted book; full of inspiration for anyone who has ever had a dream. The author takes the reader day by day from the conception of his dream to the reality of making it happen. Readers will enjoy the authors wit and honesty, balanced by the illustrators ingenuity and pleasing watercolors. Read the stories behind the author's dream and I guarantee you will be inspired and touched by the creation of the treehouse as the story unfolds before you.

Treehouse Chronicles: One Man's Dream of Life Aloft

This is not a how-to book on treehouse building. Rather, it's a book about philosophy, friends, family, and place written by a gifted writer who uses his folly as a foil. It is eminently readable as well as very browseable. There are one-page asides on various topics throughout as well as good pictures and striking watercolors a'plenty.

While the technical details of the construction are mostly absent from the book (for instance, the roof is mentioned not at all) there are still plenty of nuggets burried within. I was particularly taken with the chessboard they created. Also, the drawbridge was a neat idea and will probably be referenced in one of my future designs.

The main flaw I see in this work is there is a sort of deus ex machina in the person of Ted. Ted is endowed with preternatural mental abilities and always shows up at the right time to help the hapless author out of his latest jam. I'm afraid this may cause those of us who lack a Ted to hesitate before undertaking a folly of this type.

Another big problem is the way they fastened their structure to the tree. In their effort to not harm the tree by drilling holes, they do potentially catastrophic damage to the future health of this stately pine. I have seen this over and over. Call an arborist before starting, he will (hopefully) set you straight. Despite their tree health faux-pas, I expect this elder giant will make it through fine.

The real reason to crack this book is to be inspired. This is an uplifting book. The little aphorism that I will take with me from this book is attributed to the author's mother: "Dreams need feet. Give feet to your dreams."

Highly recommended for the dreamer. An interesting book for the builder.

This book is a love story about a tree with a house in it.

I don't guess that I quite understand just why he would want to live aloft. But he does, and he was able to fulfill his dream. This is the story of how he made his dream come true. It is a mixture of engineering, dream, and the dedication to following through on this dream for the four years it took to design and build the house.

The book itself is a combination of writing, photographs and drawings. It isn't quite what I'd call a coffee table book, but almost. It's something you can pick up, read for a few minutes and understand how they did that. (And some of his engineering challenges were indeed a challenge.) It's title is also intriguing. If left on the coffee table, it will almost certainly be picked up.

I was really amused at the report of his discussion with the building permit people. The first rule (at least here) is that a house has to have a concrete foundation. How do you put a concrete foundation in a tree house (You don't). And finally the building guy told him, "I don't care where you build it, ten bucks."

For some years I've been thinking about an underground house built out of those ocean freight containers you see around, but buried underground. Mr. Lewis started with a pretty rough sketch and went from there. I'm stopping this review and grabbing some paper and beginning to sketch my underground house.

P.S. I'm starting with concrete footings.

As a tomboy who grew up in rural western Maine climbing trees and stonewalls and always wishing they'd had a treehouse to climb and hide in, I was envious reading this wonderful book.

The one thing I noticed as I read this book was that you really got to know the author personally. He is so creative and descriptive in describing the family and friends that helped him bring his dream alive.

What I learned from reading this wonderful book is that its not about the end result, its the journey along the way. I have heard that term so many times in the past, but this showed me exactly what that meant!

I have this book on my coffee table and it never fails, when I leave the room, someone always picks it up and thumbs through it looking at all the wonderful pictures and designs.

It is truly a wonderful family book.

We've all tried to build a treehouse at one time or another, and had visions of building a bigger, better one, then we grew up...
Apparently Peter Lewis didn't grow up yet! The treehouse looks as though it could have been built by Hobbits or Ewoks.,, definitely enchanting.
Through the book, we get to be kids again and imagine the fantasy treehouse that we would have envisioned, and then to follow along the actual process of completing the task. The book is as fun to read as it seems the treehouse was to imagine and build.
For those that need inspiration, the book will be a guide to fulfilling your treehouse dreams. For the rest of us, the book is an enjoyable journey complete with beautiful sketches and photos. All in all a fun book to read for all

What a terrific book! The author took me with him as he built his "treehouse"-I felt as though I was right there all the way. I have never built a treehouse and very likely will never build one, but I believe I could certainly build one after reading this inspiring book. Interesting from page 1 until the very last page.

What happens when adults decide to become kids again, fulfill their dreams, and have access to tools, lumber, and skills? This book answers that question for author S. Peter Lewis. More than just a story of how he built his ultimate treehouse it is the story of one man pulling together the resources he needs to create his dream. As he states in the prelude it is the story of a process more than a product. The story covers almost three years from planning to build his house in the trees to its ultimate completion. In short order the reader soon comes to feel they are a part of this grand scheme and a participant in its completion. With details of how the house was built, including joint techniques, exploded view diagrams, and short vignettes of the surrounding countryside that the author loves, it is a very interesting book and a memorial to the untamed spirit of childhood. Treehouse Chronicles is a highly recommended read.

If the beauty of the layout and photographs isn't enough to draw you in to this book the stories and humor will certainly entertain. The book is so well written that it is hard to put down. A sure fire coffee table thriller that will be sure to stimulate guest conversation.
A perfect book to crawl under a blanket with a cup of tea on rainy night with someone you love to read aloud. It portrays New England in a way that will warm your heart. Lewis is a dedicated father, son and husband whose commitment to family and friends is obvious as he embarks on this amazing project that will take the support, laughter, and dumb question asking of them all.
A must read this fall!!!

This is the story of one man's dream, a dream that he shares with us through words and phonographs. Or, as author Peter Lewis puts it, "This is the story of what happens when big people decide to be kids again and they have tools and lumber."

After returning to Maine, a state he loved, Lewis set a task for himself - he would build a large treehouse in the woods. Now, erase from your minds the childhood pictures of single platforms set among branches that were called treehouses. Lewis envisions a 5 star treehouse, "a 250 square foot, two-story, timberframe with spiral staircases, branch furniture, and a drawbridge."

"Treehouse Chronicles" is precisely what the title implies - a journal kept over three years noting his progress, setbacks, and ultimate success. He wrote daily, and took numerous photos, which are the core of this book.

Lewis and his wife, Karen, were residents of Denver, thanks to what seemed to be a job opportunity that couldn't be refused. But they had left part of their hearts in Maine and after five years decided to return there. They fell in love with and bought an old farmhouse near their former hometown, which boasted a population of almost 5,000. And then, with the assistance of good friends he began to build his treehouse. Not only photographs but illustrations follow his work from start to finish.

More than a story of the fulfillment of a dream, "Treehouse Chronicles is a paean to Maine, captured in all its autumnal glories or in the hush of night lit by the sliver of a moon. Readers will not only rejoice with Lewis, but also perhaps decide to follow a few dreams of their own.

- Gail Cooke