B2R by the fire (or if you live in Missouri, A.C.) The Log Cabin, an Illustrated History.

If you want to read a book that makes you feel warm and fuzzy about Log Cabins and that will inspire you to find or build your own,  this would not be a good book to start with.

And, I think the title is a little misleading.

The book isn't so much a history of the log cabin as much as a shattering of myth and romance built around our cultures love of the log cabin.

The book is very full of interesting facts, and does cover a little about the introduction of log cabin to the
American landscape.

But it covers much more about what the log cabin is not and how, it the authors opinion, the log cabin is become part of the American Dream and cultural landscape. And how much of that is misleading.

While the illustration do not usually reflect something that is being discussed on the page they are plentiful and interesting.

Andrew also covers many of the myths that surround many of the famous log cabins of our leading politicians. Debunking much of what was believed by the public for many years.

The book is as much a study of society as it is a study of the log cabin.

While I really enjoyed the book (and do recommend it) I think in some off-handed way it neglects a bit about all that is good about the buildings.

The log cabin represents much that is good about our society, as well as much that was bad.

The author at one point almost equates the log cabin to the rape of our American Wilderness.

If you have worked around old log buildings for a while you will have realized much of what is discussed in the book, but you will get some validation for what you have learned.

I don't get the feeling the book was written by someone who loves log buildings (I hope I am wrong).

But if you are going to study the history of log buildings this book should be on your bookshelf.