Treehouses of the World [Hardcover]

Pete Nelson (Author), Radek Kurzaj (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2004

A leading authority on treehouse design takes readers on an around-the-world journey of treehouses, discussing how they are designed, built, and enjoyed in numerous cultures, in a volume that showcases thirty-five treehouses and discusses their role in environmentalism. 20,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A principal of the Seattle-based construction company Treehouse Workshop and the author of three previous treehouse books, Nelson can safely be said to be solidly grounded in his knowledge of the subject; he presents everything from elevated basic wooden shelters to California-style ranches to turreted abodes resembling that of Pip's friend Wemmick in Great Expectations—fanciful and Victorian. The 250 full-color photos from Kurzaj (The Abrams Guide to American Houses) show great sympathy and felicity of composition, invitingly maximizing the natural settings. While the title promises diversity, about half of the houses are in the United States (with a West Coast majority built by Nelson), a quarter or so in Europe and most of the rest in Japan. And materials and location do dictate a certain uniformity—the houses are not as different on first and second look as one would expect. But Nelson's knowledgeability about modes of design and construction come through in colloquial, first-person text that includes short bios of the various houses' part-time inhabitants, and, if he did the building, Nelson's role in making them happen. The lovely photos and thoughtful layout complete the feel of climbing up to an alternative aerial domicile as one turns the pages.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Pete Nelson is the author of three previous books on treehouses. He is also principal of Treehouse Workshop, Inc., a treehouse design and construction business in Seattle, and the president of his own residential design and construction firm based in Fall City, Washington.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams; Fourth Impression edition (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810949520
• ISBN-13: 978-0810949522
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 1 x 11.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Home Improvement & Design > Small Homes & Cottages

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous treehouses October 23, 2004

By Christopher Rasch

Format:Hardcover

A lovely book. Beautiful treehouses, beautifully photographed. A coffee table book, you should look to it for design ideas, rather than step-by-step howtos. Makes me eager to build me a treehouse of my own.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Your Private tour of the world's most interesting treehouses April 9, 2005

By H. Danilchik

Format:Hardcover

The thing that stands out in my mind after an enjoyable rainy afternoon with this book is the wide variety of treehouses featured. We are treated to a tour of every kind of treehouse from lovely professionally decorated mini-homes, to home-made flights of fancy. Refreshingly inclusive; Peter Nelson knows that wonderful ideas and inspiration can come from the humble backyard, not just the professional drafting table. Peter Nelson shows us in his other books how to safely build a treehouse; this book shows us how far dreaming can go. Is that a Spanish Galleon in the trees??? A huge nest???

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Treehouse fantasies September 6, 2005

By Dr. Ralph Armstrong

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a remarkably beautiful book on treehouses of the world. The photography is exceptional and the engaging narrative is irrestible.

Rarely does one find a book that "glows" from beginning to end as does this one. I bought several for gifts to like-minded friends who like to get high legally.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book for Dreamers August 4, 2009

By Rachelle Burk

Format:Hardcover

As a lover of tree houses, I had been considering creating a coffee table book. A search to see if it had already been done showed me it had--and in a big way. This spectacular book, with vivid photos and detailed narrative, fed the dreamer in me. The tree houses displayed vary from simplistic to extraordinary, from a child's play house to actual tree top residences.
This is strictly a coffee table book. For a how-to book, consider: Treehouses: The Art and Craft of Living Out on a Limb(Nelson); Tree Houses You Can Actually Build: A Weekend Project Book (David Stiles), or Build Your Own Treehouse: A Practical Guide (Maurice Barkley).

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Treehouses of the World September 13, 2005

By Brent

Format:Hardcover

There's a serious caveat to this review. The book I got was NOT translated from Japanese. I don't read Japanese.

With that said, I did get a lot from the photos and the brief English translations. This is a picture book, not designed for builders, more for lookers. It's high quality with great photography and many houses "discussed."

My favorite part of the book was the photos and the many many locations and settings of the treehouses covered.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars fun and inspiring December 19, 2009

By hh

Format:Hardcover

This book was borrowed from a friend on a lark. A treehouse book for adults? What could I possibly learn? Answer: LOTS. The folks involved in developing and promoting the modern treehouse have taken the art to new heights and they lay it all out for you in this terrific, picture heavy book. Or almost. I do wish there were more photos of the construction process so one could see each project in various states of completion. Nonetheless, it's a whirlwind tour and will leave you yearning for more. Dare I hope for a DVD with future versions of the book? 360 degree views, interior and exterior would be wonderful. Yes, yes, easy to ask for the moon, but once you awaken the excited kid in me, what can you expect?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Ever August 1, 2012

By rastaway

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Book arrived way early, as a reference another book i ordered from the same state, the same day is still on the way three days later and it isnt even the day amazon says is the earliest it should arrive. the book is in fantastic condition and i couldnt be happier with it. the seller even included the latest article in the new york times dealing with treehouses in the cover. would have written the review sooner but ive been admiring the book since it arrived! thanks a ton!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Once Upon a Tree ... March 15, 2012

By Dr. Bojan Tunguz HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

There is hardly any other structure that symbolizes fantasy as well as does a treehouse. It os no wonder then that kids of all ages have gravitated to building and inhabiting tree houses for generations. he "Treehouses of the World" takes you on a journey of discovery of some of the most incredible and innovative treehouses out there.

The book covers many different types of treehouses: from the more modest yet imaginative tree-platforms to some very ambitious multistory arboreal abodes. All of the tree houses seem to be made with a lot of artistry and care, and the enthusiasm of the creators for their work is almost palpable. The book is beautifully designed, and each tree house is represented with one large photograph and one or two smaller ones. For the most part the photographs speak for themselves, but there is usually a small accompanying textual explanation as well.

This book makes a great coffe-tabe book as well as a wonderful gift idea. Would warmly recommend it to anyone who has at any point enjoyed or imagined living in a tree house of their own. It is also a great source of ideas for possible tree house designs.