I wanted to read this book because I loved Michael Finkel's The Stranger in the Woods and, for some reason, I'm drawn to living-off-the-grid stories. Bored with sitting behind the computer at his current job and seeing all his friends getting married and having babies, Patrick Hutchinson buys a small, run-down cabin in the woods. What follow is his story of renovating the cabin, which has no running water or electricity, making memories with close friends and learning new life skills. There were a few parts of the book that were repetitive and I really would have loved pictures of the cabin, but overall I really enjoyed this book. I would not consider myself outdoorsy and reading this made my want to go camping in the mountains. But maybe not camping at this cabin, or the one Patrick and his friend build from scratch considering he makes it clear he has no formal experience and learned mainly from YouTube videos.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC!

I have never laughed out loud so often and so heartily while reading a book. Patrick Hutchison has an unexpected but delightfully comedic way of describing characters and events as mundane as a trip to the hardware store. Sharing the experiences he had with this cabin brought images to mind of my own wishful fantasies of the remote, woodsy setting. It was deeply restorative to hear the ways in which the cabin brought him to discoveries about himself, ideas of community and ideas of work with meaning.

This non-fiction book is the story of how the author bought a dilapidated cabin in the Washington Cascades and, with just about no knowledge of anything, made it habitable. I liked the book ok, it didn't have the charm of House Lessons (one of my favorite books) and the writing was fine, but I lacked a sense of place and a sense of people. I didn't get a real feel for any of his friends or any of the people who also had cabins up Wits End---I was hoping for some interesting characters but these were all basically guys who like to build things. Toward the end Hutchison gets a bit more reflective about the 'meaning' of it all which was interesting but maybe a little too late? I did like the chapter where he took mushrooms and I the mudslide stories were interesting. Three and a half stars rounded down to three.

This book will make even the least outdoorsy person want to drop everything and buy a fixer-upper cabin in the woods.

Let me begin by saying that I am not the target audience for this book. Not even close. I requested this book solely based on the cover and the tagline (and because I love nonfiction). I am not particularly outdoorsy, and I have never done much construction work. I leave all the household fixer-upper projects to my husband. I enjoyed camping and hiking as a teen and young adult, but I haven't done either in over 15 years.

That being said, I loved this book! The writing style was more like reading a long magazine article than a typical nonfiction book. The author, a novice craftsman, purchases a run-down cabin in the Pacific Northwest. As you can imagine, the chaos and stories that ensue are pretty entertaining. I didn't expect how attached I would become to the cabin and to the author's personal story of growth and journey to contentment.

It became so much more than just a cabin in the woods. It became a place to escape the distractions and demands of the modern world—a retreat for friends and family members to use whenever they needed to decompress. If you need a similar feeling, read this book and get wrapped up in the story. You won't be disappointed.

I will mention that I would have enjoyed this book even more as an audiobook.

What a lovely book to read. This story unfolds at an incredible pace that makes for exciting reading. It's a story about finding one's place in this life. It applies to my current dilemma as a newly retired Baby Boomer as it was to Patrick's journey as a newly adulting millennial.
Finding oneself in a mountain cabin completely off the grid gives us all pause to speculate about what could be. The writing is poignant. The story lets us look into Patrick's mind journey without once coming across as preachy or just figuring out a life for everyone. As you enjoy this book—and you will—take the time to reflect on where you are in life. What brings you joy? How can you make your own life ring with joy?

This is not a self-help book. It is entertaining, as you can experience it as a voyeur into Patrick's self-discovery. It is such a lovely place to spend some time discovering how tools can take on a life of their own, how leaks can become metaphors, and how working with what you've got is sometimes better than spending a ton of money.

You've got to read this book if you've got one ounce of DIY. Enjoy!

As someone who has thought of buying an offgrid cabin in the woods, this story really hit home. I also live in the PNW so I can see, hear and smell the location the author is describing in the book. Also made me realize that, along with the romantic ideal of living in the woods, it also is a lot of work.

I admit, I fell hard for the premise of this book. And Patrick Hutchison sounds so much like me at times during this story it made my heart sing, though I have never purchased anything bigger than a car; not knowing what to do after college, working the dead-end job, feeling unfulfilled, and mostly just wanting to go camping. As I got further into this story, though, I found myself distracted, over and over, and finally, I had to start skimming during the final chapters. It irks me to say, but this book had (for lack of a better phrase) overt bro overtones.

There were small details littered throughout that gave me this feeling. The first weekend, a bunch of guys who have no idea what they're doing mess up over and over, but there's beer and they're in the woods, so it's cool. He mentions going through a pile of lighters looking for one with fuel because he couldn't be bothered to throw them away. He didn't want to get advice from even a semiprofessional or return tools that he bought because he thought maybe a man in a big-box hardware store would think less of him. He did not research how to measure before wasting a whole lot of plywood. There are just so many times I can read something about how Hutchison had no idea what he was doing, messed it up big time, and then he repeats over and over how much he loves every single mistake and every single inch. I can understand loving your tiny home in the woods, but to wax poetically about how much incense and wood smoke you can smell in your weekend cabin, to bring up the footprints on the wall at least three times, to describe your futon enough times I wanted to scream every time I read the word, to explain your same weekend routine every time was overkill. It began to drag and I desperately wanted to skip to the end.

It turns out, though, that the end is the real kicker: Hutchison and a close friend decide they want to build cabins or some similar handcrafted large carpentry-related activity, but they don't want to join a construction crew or apprentice. They literally just want to wing it. There's something to be said for wanting to learn on your own, but there's more to be said for at least taking classes on how to use certain tools or learning about building codes from professionals so that you can actually make something that won't kill anyone or have to be torn down. They buy another plot of land nearby and build another cabin that gets sold (did this one count as a house and need to be inspected?!), and eventually Hutchison sells his beloved cabin and leaves a long loving note and more of that damned incense for the new owners.

Let me just add that every "professional" review I read for this was from a man, all of whom used words like "hilarious" and "poignant" and "warm and welcoming", which all make me feel like I missed something.

Look, I've knocked this book enough--it's decent for its genre, the writing isn't terrible, and if you want to ride the wave of back-to-the-land nonfiction with a bro flavor, go for it.

*Thank you to NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was so fun. I was carried away to Witts End myself everything the cabin was visited. Not only was the cabin a place to get away, but a place for memories, learning, and understanding what life really is. This book recounts all the trouble, fun, learning, and friendship anyone could hope for. I truly enjoyed this read.

When I read the description, I was intrigued. Patrick buys a cabin in Index, WA for $7,500 and then he spends time and money in fixing it up. Even though he had no clue about anything, he read a lot of books, watched a lot of YouTube videos, and did a lot of practice messing things up and then fixing them. He did have help in friends and everybody enjoyed spending time at the cabin as there was no electricity, water, or internet. It was a place to get away from the world, and he enjoyed that aspect.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and reading about his adventures.

Reading “Cabin” is intensely atmospheric and transportive. The story follows the author’s trials and triumphs renovating a rundown mountain cabin. Along the way, he learns carpentry, roofing, plumbing, and more, but more importantly, he learns about himself and what really matters. This book made me want to buy some tools of my own and start tinkering. I loved the vivid descriptions, the tangents about hands-on learning, and the laugh-out-loud honesty in every sentence. This was an unusual but highly entertaining read!

This was quite an interesting book about a time in the author’s life when he decided to buy a cabin in the woods. Finding that he bought something less than perfect, he recounts his adventures while slowly making the cabin his home.

I found myself laughing out loud several times in this book. The crazy situations he found himself in with the cabin were hilarious at times. Hutchison is a talented writer who was able to paint a picture of the cabin, the surrounding landscape, and the friends he met along the way, with such clarity, I felt like I was actually there.

It would have been great to have a section within the book of photographs. I would really have liked to see the neighborhood where the cabin was located. Also, the book was longer than it needed to be. Probably by 50 to 100 pages. Hutchison started to ramble and get a little repetitive and I found myself getting a little bored during parts of the book in the middle, and skimming some parts toward the end. But overall, this was a very interesting book that I thoroughly enjoyed.
***Thank you NetGalley, Patrick Hutchison, and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.***

Here’s an hilarious, down-home story for anyone who’s ever wanted a cabin, owned a cabin, or gone camping. Close enough. Millennial college grad and copywriter Patrick Hutchison decided that his life needed some direction. With friends getting married, and buying homes, and having babies, he needed a project, an answer to the question, “What have you been up to lately?”

The answer lay in a 10‘ x 12‘ cabin that he bought off of Craigslist for $7,500 from a tugboat captain. It was located in the woods along the rainy, Western side of the Cascade Mountains, about 2 hours away from his Seattle, Washington home. The cabin had no electricity, no plumbing, uneven floors, a leaky roof, patchwork walls, and an air of neglect. Season by season, author Hutchison recounts dozens of funny stories about how he and his incompetent, but well intentioned friends, set about renovating his dream getaway.

The author is not much of a carpenter, but he is an exquisite writer. He brings the reader right into the woods, with the damp earth, the wood smoke, and the colorful, outback neighbors. With few modern conveniences, no Wi-Fi, and no distractions, everyone who was invited there relaxed and enjoyed the camaraderie that comes after sharing a hard day’s work. Readers will find themselves cheering for the author while learning quite a bit about how to replace a roof, or a floor, or an aging outhouse. A very funny, delightful read, and a great escape. Highly recommended!

With thanks to NetGalley, I received an advance review e-copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. (Publication date: December 4, 2024)

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had great adventure elements to it and enjoyed the overall concept. I appreciated getting to read about these adventures and that Patrick Hutchison was able to share these overall. It had a great writing style and I wanted to read this.

Such an unexpected delight. Mr. Hutchinson, aware of the fact that the world seems to be moving forward without him, if measured by the ticking off of the post college checklist; significant other, marriage, hoe, baby. But he does not feel like he is ready nor wanting any of this. But, in an effort to attempt grown up, he buys a 'cabin', by borrowing $7500 from his mom. No water, no electricity, nothing of the creature comforts of his life in the Pacific Northwest. But no worries, he will just tackle the jobs necessary to make the cabit habitable. However, he has absolutely no experience in construction. But again, no worries, he will just YouTube it. And so he does, to hilarious results. What the cabin did not have in amenities, it made up for it in views, peace and serenity. Just with Mr. Hutchinson needed. Great read.

This has been one of the most relatable books of my life. Not just cause I'm a millennial but because of my childhood love of the woods and an adult need for a reconnection. To find my joy in building has been a parallel it seems to his journey. The trial of manuals and moving parts, vague YouTube videos, trial and error, and "just do it" attitudes. Rediscovering an old joy, an escape and a new skill all in one.

This a delightful book, filled with honesty and humor. I laughed out loud, cheered the projects on, called friends and shared snippets.

Anyone who has found themselves staring at a home improvement project and not knowing where to start will appreciate the humor and the charm that Patrick Hutchison has infused in Cabin. Excellent Job!

I lost sleep over this book. Not because it was bad, but because I couldn’t put it down! I stayed up too late, skirted household chores, and took extra time in my day to read Cabin.

First of all, it’s hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud as I read the tales of the misadventures of the cabin. Primarily because it was genuinely funny, but also because I could picture myself and my husband in these exact same scenarios.

It was well-written and I loved the narrative! My family has a cabin (and not the kind that doesn’t count as a cabin) and I can’t wait for this book to get printed so I can buy a copy to keep there!

One question for the author: Did you write this all on your typewriter? 😉🤣

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was very pleasantly surprised at this book. Not at all what I was expecting. Whereas I thought it was going to be about a guy building a cabin in the woods, it turned out to be much, much more. It turned into a young man's search for himself and for the meaning of his life.
The author was a somewhat "lost" soul, plugging through life with no aims or dreams, not wanting any responsibility. On a whim, he decides to buy a decrepit, one room shed in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains in rural Washington. And the journey was begun!
I felt like I was riding along with the author, as he haphazardly struggled through learning how to rebuild the shed into something he was proud of. As the cabin developed, so did the author.
The book is full of escapades with his friends, of finding his way to quitting an unfulfilling job, to finding love. All couched in the projects he took on to build his cabin.
Honestly, I can't think of anyone who had less aptitude to take on a project like this than the author. Things he took on, he really shouldn't have. But with hard work and perseverance, somehow he did it. It was really enjoyable to watch him grow.
The book flows along very well. It's laid out in a very logical manner, and is written to be easily understood.
This book should leave you with a good feeling deep down in your soul. I found it to be very enjoyable.

Patrick Hutchison's Cabin (St. Martin's Press 2024) was not at all what I expected. I thought it would be something about outdoorsman living, maybe the life of a nomad or hermit. This wasn't that at all. Not even a little. This is the story of a fairly domesticated guy with a full-time job, family and friends, who sees his friends settling down with families and mortgages--grown-up stuff. While he wants to adult, he doesn't have the drive to work hard, save money, invest...

"Years after leaving college with an intent to roam the earth telling the stories of beautiful lunatics, I was in an office creating email templates to sell advertising to plumbers and wondering how I’d ended up here."

"People all around me, people I thought were my friends, were going off and doing ridiculous things..."

He decides to buy a run-down cabin in desolate Wit's End in the Cascade Mountains and fix it up. One huge reason why he picks this particular cabin--less than 800 sf, home to hundreds of spiders and their webs, without electricity, plumbing or an indoor bathroom, is he can afford it. The process of finding and buying  the cabin then making it habitable is almost comical as he knows nothing about outdoors living or DIY stuff. Interestingly enough, none of that phases him. He ticks off each problem and starts on the next.

"At times, it felt like the cabin and I were partners in a sort of joint self-improvement project. When the cabin was all fixed up, maybe I would be too."

The story is part memoir, part how to for the beginner, and a lot about funding himself through the windows of a run down cabin. Hutchison's writing voice is fun, positive, and always with a sense of humor no matter if the cabin's roof is collapsing or the outhouse is taken over by spiders or he's not sure about his neighbors.

The book is a lot better than I gave it credit for on page one. It's the kind of book I am really happy to have read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC. I was interested in this book, primarily as a story about a fixer upper, but it really is about much more than that. There is a lot of detail regarding how the author came to own and restore this cabin but the journey is really more about his own personal restoration. I enjoyed the humor and reading about the transformation, both the cabin and his own. The only suggestion to make this better is to provide photos or illustrations, I had a hard time trying to envision what he described in the cabin. Otherwise, it's a great read!