Van Life: Your Home on the Road (2024)

A good idea, poorly executed. I wanted more and better photographs, and more variety in the interviews of the type of people who are van dwellers.

Inspiration: definitely. But really wishing this could of gone more in depth with more clear pictures and more in depth interviews on the how other people live their life day by day rather than focus on the broad.

Here's a review of a book, Van Life, that is totally different from my norm of mysteries, memoirs and poetry.

I've been thinking for a while that once I'm able to do so, I'd like to live in a camper van. At least for a while. I’ve always wanted to travel around the U.S. This seems like a convenient way to do that.

Interesting concept for this book: photos of various style vans and interviews with some of the owners. The author focuses on 20- and 30-somethings who have spent a short time in a van following the surfing or snow. He also highlights various types of vans and the modifications made by the owners. Most were bought second- or third-hand and are by no means upscale camper vans. This isn't about glamping. (You know—those huge campers on bus chasses that contain everything, including the kitchen sink!) I bought Van Life because, as I said, I'm interested in doing some basic camper living in the future rather than totally upscale. (Who wants to clean a huge camper? You can stay home and do that…)

Someday this may be my style of life. I'd try to do it a tiny bit more upscale, though, than some of these vans. But, all told, a great book about an amazing lifestyle that's not for everyone. Also, great pictures of the places visited by the van owners interviewed.

I wanted to like this book more. What got under my skin is what usually gets under my skin about this topic, that this is typically a male-dominated pursuit, and van dwellers' disregard for their own privilege (financial and otherwise).

Another turn-off was the general attitude that these guys are the first ones to live in vehicles: "My favorite part about owning a van is the opportunity it brings to meet new people and make memories with good friends. I've been lucky enough to meet strangers on the road that choose to live the same sort of lifestyle, strangers that I now call close friends. There's definitely a community forming around the van life culture, a bunch of dirtbags that just want to be outdoors and do rad things. Cruising around and sleeping in our vans allows us to do that." Please.

Even though this book doesn't sell itself as a manual for vehicular living, I wished the interviews had contained information about how these van-dwellers make ends meet. Only a few of them contained any practical advice (eg: learn as much as you can about your vehicle and travel with spare parts).

A better profile and more in-depth examination of van life can be found in Walden on Wheels by Ken Ilgunas, who spent three years scraping himself out of $32,000 of student debt and then bought a van out of which to live while he attended grad school.

With zero extra funds, technical expertise, time, or skills I opted to buy a 2017 T6 converted VW camper and we’ve had a blast.

When I spotted Foster’s book I knew I needed to grab a copy and drool over the retro campers and incredible scenery the contributors have seen. This book is a wonderful coffee table read. It’s packed full of beautiful images of campers across the globe. It includes chapters for T2, T3, and T4 fans, Sprinter vans, school buses, small RVs, and 4x4s. Interspersed between the chapters are real-life stories of van owners and their adventures.

I’ve followed the van life hashtag for years and continue to find inspiration for my trips from the huge community that shares their travels and their pride and joy.

If you dream of travelling through Italy, Canada, or the National Parks of America then you’ll drool over the images in this book.

Would highly recommend it.

This book is aesthetic goals af.

Just a fun book. Full of dreams of taking off and living differently.

Others have commented on the scant number of interviews, and how the photos don't do justice to the subject. I'm afraid I have to agree with the dissenters, I live most of the time in a van and my desire to read about others' lives on the road, and how they make living in a van works trumps my need, even, for pretty pictures. Pretty pictures are indeed awesome when used the right way. I wish there were more hours spent in good editing and writing. In the end, this is a great personal project, and kudos to our author for the effort.

I skimmed a few of the sections, but looked at every page and read quite a few of the interviews. I don't think van life is for me, at least not long term, but this was a very interesting look into some of the ups and downs involved! The idea of getting out of the "rent trap" is very appealing and many of these vans looked quaint and cozy. It was interesting to see a wide variety of vans and for there to be a focus on the specific types/models. Good photos and insightful interviews/writing.

Like others, I wanted more photos (especially interior photos of the layouts and a better variety of locations--the setting of Oregon's Cape Kiwanda was featured at least three times) and more practical information. But it was fun book to peruse and it is a good companion read to Jessica Bruder's NOMADLAND, an excellent view of full-time living in an RV, van, or car.

I have been toying around with the idea of embarking on a van life journey as soon as I can, preferably straight out of college. This book got under my skin though. It was all about how these guys were the first to ever do vanlife and everyone else started it because of them. There wasn't enough information on how the day to day life looks like, just an overview, and I would have liked more. I have gotten more and better information from my deep dive on youtube. So if you are considering reading this book, or if you find vanlife an inticing idea, keep reading this review for in depth facts and information that I have found online.

Obviously, Vanlife will not look like aesthetic pinterest pictures. There is always a hard side to everything, and the most heard of thing is that vans get messy FAST! In such a small space, everything has a place and they can get out of place easily.

Toilet situations:

Many people use gyms, such as planet fitness, as their shower source, and most people have compostable or cassette toilets. How would you go about showering off grid?

Many people say that they just shower in rivers. Christian Schaffer, a YouTuber and adventure photographer, says that you get used to not showering as often or in actual clean water.

If you do want to be able to take an actual shower off grid, DO NOT PUT A SHOWER IN YOUR VAN!
Almost everyone who has one in their van says they regret it. If you are thinking about converting a skoolie, that is a different thing and you could fit one in that case. In a van, there is limited space and having a shower takes up a lot of that space. Space that you could use for other things.

So how do I shower? Solar showers are popular, as are portable showers that you put a pump into a bucket of water, ect. This is a space-efficient idea, and many people hang a shower curtain on their open van doors with a magnet clip.

Winter van life is something that I think would be so magical. To be out alone in the mountains and the snow. Anyone who has a car, however, knows that this is a risk. Driving in the snow/ice is a dangerous thing. You could also have issues with your water tank, or sink freezing.

You would also need a lot of fuel to power a heater if you have a diesel heater.

These are only a few topics that you need to consider. If you read this entire review, good job.

Some channels to watch for better information:

Christian Schaffer
Ame In A Van
Mariah Alice
Linnea and Akela
Eamon and Bec
Kara and Nate
ECT.

There are so many people online that you can find inspiration from!

I've been following Van Lifers on YouTube and Instagram for about six months now, and am ENTHRALLED by the concept of traveling in a home on wheels. When I spotted this book at the Maryland Amazon Bookstore, I immediately grabbed it and knew it had to be mine.

My favorite aspect of this book and mainly why I decided to purchase it was the fact that it was split into categories based on van type (Volkswagon, Sprinter, American, Japanese, etc.). I mostly see Sprinter Vans online, with the occasional VW, but since I don't know much about cars it's nice to have a resource on all the different possibilities. I like that this book can give me and others more ideas about what vehicles are good for living in. It acts as an encyclopedia for the various types of vans out there.

This book is so aesthetically pleasing, with gorgeous photos all throughout and beautiful layout (I'm a sucker for book design). I really enjoyed the interviews, and I really wish there were a lot more. There were a lot of beautiful and interesting pictures, but there were so many where I thought, "I'd like to hear from that person" or get more information about the picture. I wish more of the pictures included short snippets from the people who contributed them, and social media links so that I can find out more.

I'm glad I stumbled across this great find, and I'm glad to see that Van Life is popular enough to make the cut to be in the Amazon Bookstores.

When I was a kid, my friend's parents would take us camping every summer. They had this ancient (to me) Winnebago Indian from the late 60s/early 70s that was so basic it was only a few steps above a tent. A very nice tent, but still a tent. And I LOVED that camper! It holds a special, golden place in my memory and my heart that today's ultra-modern home on wheels behemoths could hope to match.

And I admit freely that I have days when I would love to chuck it all, buy a vintage Winnie or Airstream or even VW Camper-Van, pimp it out, pack up some essentials (books, cats, coffee maker, a few favorite pieces of clothing), grab the Hubby, and have an adventure. Maybe a forever adventure. I could earn a living selling beaded jewelry and watercolor paintings (while working on my book), he could bring in extra $$ by playing guitar. We would be explorers. It would be awesome. And of course our mobile home would be totally Green, because I would rig it to be a electric hybrid that ran on vegetable oil when the battery charge was too low and we couldn't get to a place to plug it in right away.

(Of course I know I'm full of crap. I am a TOTAL homebody whose idea of a Dream Vacation is a Staycation, and I would likely tire of Life on the Road after a week. Likely less.)

So this is why this book was so awesome. It indulged my secret Wanderlust without my having to actually give up my cozy Bungalow by the lake.

This book was beautiful and I think it served it’s purpose well. There wasn’t a ton of information throughout the book actually talking about van life, but there were a lot of beautiful photos that really inspired me to want to take the leap towards van life.

If you saw my last review (Zero Waste) I mentioned there that I have been getting more and more interested in the idea of minimalism and zero waste. Included in that short list is also van conversions. This has been a more recent obsession, but I love the idea of using this vehicle as a home for traveling.

I’m so fortunate to be living in the middle of the US, so it’s fairly easy to go any direction, so I think van life would be a wonderful option for me. I love traveling, and I think this would be an interesting way to travel, even if it’s just for a few weeks or months at a time.

Overall, I do wish this book had more information about what van life is actually like, but there are also other resources out there specifically for that. I’ve been watching tons of van conversion videos on YouTube, and just recently watched the documentary “Expedition Happiness.” *highly recommend, by the way. beautiful movie*

I’m just inspired even more to travel, but alas. I’m stuck in one city because of college for the time being. Soon, though. Maybe this summer will consist of at least one road trip.

https://pointextaken.com/2018/11/26/r...

Aubrey Joy

I've always been fascinated by tales of young people who abandon their expensive apartments to live in old Volkswagen vans. These young people, much like Thoreau before them, are searching both for freedom, and for a better way to live. This book features short interviews with experienced van dwellers and plenty of pictures of old vans slowly crawling through beautiful scenery. There's some discussion about how these old vans were modified to support the lifestyle, but this is not a very technical book. Still, I was particularly impressed with the young man who somehow added a wood-burning marine stove to his old van.

I read this book in 20 minutes; don't get me wrong. Do I desperately want a campervan/motorhome and go on long trips round Europe beyond? Absolutely I do.
Did this book make me want to do that any faster? No.
The photography is stunning - and as I had the digitial version the photos were still beautiful. But my god, were the interviews with some of the participants insufferable. These people (or should I say men, as I don't recall a single women being interviewed) were very superficial in their love for van life. Honestly, at this point youtube is a better resource, and this book felt like a cash grab for the #vanlife trend.

I picked this book up before Christmas for a bargain and have been meaning to get around to reading through it.

Since getting our caravan I've been drawing from as many sources as I can for both renovating our caravan but also for outdoor living and road trips.

This book is amazing and is filled with incredible jealousy inducing photography as well as inspirational stories and interviews detailing a life on the road.

It'll look great on any travellers coffee table for those moments when you just want to daydream a little because you can't get away right that moment ...

I picked this book up on a whim at the library after my husband mentioned seeing it there. The pictures and scenery in this book are very pretty. I can appreciate the author's passion for this lifestyle, even though it's not where I am in my life at the moment, especially if I had to constantly worry about my van / home on the road breaking down all the time! I wouldn't mind taking a road trip across our beautiful country sometime, but only in a reliable vehicle! :-)

I like that it gives a bit of technical information about each van. If you were choosing, it could be very helpful. It was a little discouraging that a lot of them mentioned mechanical issues and needing to know how to fix them themselves but I do understand it is partly the type they sought out. I thought the variety was good. I wish there were even more types. Stunning pictures! Great information!

I was expecting a little bit more from this book--for example, more photographs, more interviews from all walks of life (young, old, female) not just males, and a bit more information of how people cope living in these vans day by day--for example, what works, what doesn't. It just wasn't very inspirational!

What I did like was the sneak peaks inside many of these vans & the travel photographs.

I really enjoyed this book. Our family is considering a van build of our own and it was nice seeing all the different types of vehicles people use for their adventures. It tells a story of someone at the beginning of each chapter and has an interview with them, then shows photos of other vans in that category. I liked seeing all of the beautiful locations folks have been. The only thing I would change is more info on their builds specifically, and to see families living this lifestyle.

He shared interviews with a variety of people living from vans and campers. I say variety because they are from different countries in different types of vans for different reasons. Some are romantic about their living situation others are technical and I appreciate that he shared both sides. The pictures were beautiful.

I loved this book, but I’m not really serious about moving into a van. This is definitely good for those who find it appealing, but might not be looking for a lot of how-to information. It did inspire me to more strongly consider some van road trips! I loved the pictures and interviews. Mostly interviewed surfer people on the West Coast of the USA, but that was interesting.

There are some incredibly beautiful photographs in this book. Personally, I would like if there was a little more detail around interiors and space solutions, as well as interviews with a greater diversity of people engaged in this kind of living and travelling. Nevertheless, it's definitely a source of inspiration and worth a look for the contributor photographs alone.

while the text is interesting (various interviews with van lifers) the real draw here is the photographs. Everything from tiny vans in vast landscapes, to closeup of interiors and exteriors. Definitely a good book to inspire wanderlust, or vanderlust in this case.

This book doesn’t do much more than scrolling through #vanlife on Instagram. I am fascinated by van life, but I prefer the videos rather than still photos. There are a handful of interviews and personal accounts, but the book is mostly photos.

I love this book! I love the photos! There are pictures of cool vintage vehicles and wonderful pictures of scenic landscapes (Yosemite, Utah, Alaska, etc). Also people sharing their experiences. Thank you Goodreads Giveaway for a wonderful book.

Good into to Van life

Liked several stories and how the book is well organized, I wish the pictures were properly set for reading books. In general, this is a good introduction to Van life for someone that’s seriously considering it.

Lovely images of vans and small older model RVs in locals you'd all want to visit. Plus some insight to how the insides have been fitted so that a person (or people) can live full time or for extended trips. Mostly the photography was beautiful and for a bit you can dream.

Well, this is definitely for a niche audience - mid-twenties upper-class males who love instagram and having unique and "authentic" vehicles to bum around in. I was really drawn to the layout and the cover at first, but was very disappointed by the interviews and reflections.