The Big Tiny: A Built-It-Myself Memoir

I laughed out loud and cried so many times while reading this really wonderful book. The sense of connection with others is so genuine. Dee Williams knows how to tell such a good story that you feel as if you are right there.She has helped me to re-evaluate what’s truly important in life. As I pare down my belongings, I truly understand what she went through as she gave away her things. The part where she goes through her books was especially prescient. You can feel the excitement of a new beginning and the grief of letting go of not only physical belongings, but, more importantly, loved ones.One of the main things I really appreciated were her observations of the world around her and her wonderings about life and her inquisitiveness about seemingly small things that make up our world.I just really love this book and everything it represents. It was such a welcome respite from this crazy time in this world. Thank you, Dee Williams.

"The Big Tiny" gives a great idea about the experience of what it's like to build a home, reduce your possessions, and live in a small home. This perspective is needed; a lot of popular Tiny House books focus on designs or building techniques rather than the experience of going small. However, a lot of the book focused on the health and personal experiences of the author that were unrelated to the Tiny home and was a bit tedious to read. Still, an overall enjoyable book.

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. When I was done with it, I wanted to pick it up and read it again! This is my new favorite Tiny House book. I own two Tiny Houses and will buy more in the future. This book now sits on the cedar bookshelf in my 144 square foot Tiny House on wheels. It is honest, helpful, entertaining, and well written. It also serves as an inspiration to all women. Yes, we can learn how to build. I now have my own table saw and installed the floating floor in my Tiny cabin all by myself. I no longer wait on workers to do it for me. I research what I want to build, take notes, measurements and drawings then get to work! This book is an inspiration to all women builders out there. But, I only have one question, when is the second book coming out? After the reading the first one, it feels like a sequel should follow. I hope the author reads this. I also believe this book would make a great movie.

As someone who's been following the tiny house movement for many years, and who shares a common bond with Ms. Williams in that I also am afflicted with congestive heart failure, when I heard she had written a memoir, I wanted to support the effort and read it. It's a personal journey, told in a personal way, so it's tough to be critical, but some criticism is warranted.I felt that her editors let her down somewhat, in that the prose was stilted in places - some of the similes and metaphors felt forced or awkward - and yet a few were well selected and effective. Several times I felt like we were taken down literary cul-de-sacs for non-germane excursions, and yet at other times I wanted more time to soak in the details along the primary route, such as during the building phase, and in the book's final denouement.At turns witty, profane, touching, rambling, buoyant, and quirky, Ms. Williams' book is much like the house (and life) that she's built - a one-off, imperfect, but honestly crafted artifact which will not appeal to everyone in terms of its form, but which ultimately is redeeming if it causes us to question the "first world's" consumer-oriented culture, where too much is never enough.

Ok after reading this book,I admire Dee very much for just clearing away the Extra's we all have all over our house that we dont use ,things we pay for that we don't really need etc.! Sometimes it takes an unexpected event,to really bring about a very beneficial change in the way we think and how we live and also to show others what life can be like without all the baggage we carry around.I am now clearing away all my extras in my house and hope to find some property and set up my own small little house.!! Thanks Dee for showing the reader a way to actually build a little house ,and of what a person really needs to have to have an enjoyable life..I think we are all guilty of too many toys,too many bills and expenses,and then wonder why we are under so much stress.!!.I wish Dee the best and this book was an eye opener. Buy It!

I actually got the book because I am interested in tiny houses. This book provided me the information I was looking for which is one person's experience with building and living in a tiny house.It also fulfilled what my belief is about memoirs. A person introduces themselves and you get to know the somewhat uniqueness that every person has. It is a rare individual that can share well the less attractive and failing elements which we all have. We tend to want to paint the portrait and leave off the mole. The author has a talent for offering tone and flavor along with reporting the facts. It was nice to meet you Dee and get to know a bit about you.

She caught me off guard so many times with how big her story really is. I couldn't put it down. Yeah, there were a couple thin spots, but so many places where she reached in my chest and grabbed my heart.At least, for me, it was a very wonderful book, working on many levels, from practical problem solving to some very funny nuances and asides.and well, some places that brought me unexpectedly to some tears...I wanted to write her immediately when I'd finished it, to tell her that it was life changing even for a 60 year old guy like me. I love her spirit and courage andthat she shared it with us. And I loved her friends and community and especially the chapter title--"Hobo a Go Go"THANK YOU DEE WILLIAMS Thank you so much

I really loved this book, I enjoyed reading about the emotional and practical journey that Dee takes from her 'normal' life working hard and paying a mortgage on a home and all the upkeep this requires, to building and living in her tiny home on wheels. I loved her style of writing and found it engaging. I'm not going to downsize my housing at the moment and don't envisage myself ever living in such a tiny space but i still found it thought provoking. It made me think about how i use my time and money and what i actually want to be doing with these limited resources. It also made me think about the work i do and the work i want to do, how i might be living more closely to my ideals and looking at downsizing by belongings.

If you are interested in the tiny house movement, minimalism and simplicity, you'll very likely enjoy this read. I am very fond of the deep human connection element in the book and the simple storytelling aspect. There is nothing miraculous here if not for a story that touches your heart and makes you want to stop a minute and smile. The hardback version is a very nice object too if you choose it as a gift!

Entertaining

I wish there were more pages!! A wonderful intro to the tiny house movement with real life experiences from a woman with great insight and gumption by the shed load. Buy this book!

Its exactly as the subtitle describes, a Tony House Memoir. (You don't always get what you pay for these days.) Very well written and addictive.It would have good to have building plans and how to tips included, but hey its a memoir; one woman's experiences of building a THOW, moving from a traditional dwelling, and living the dream. Lots of sharing of thoughts (often quirky), feelings and some of life's "adventures" along the way. The greater sense of community that emerged when the THOW is allowed to settle on place is a lovely sub plot.Probably nt a "must read", but a great for anyone considering a THOWs.