A Place of My Own
the education of an amateur builder
by Michael Pollan · first published 1997
75% recommend25% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Narrative account of the author building a small writing shed with a handyman and an architect's plans; readers call it an enjoyable, absorbing read that doubles as an inspiring look at amateur design and building.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
At a turning point in his life, writer Michael Pollan found himself dreaming of a small wood-frame hut in the woods near his house - a place to work, but also a "shelter for daydreams." Ordinarily more at home among words than things, the author was seized by the idea of building the place himself, with his own two unhandy hands. A Place of My Own recounts his two-and-a-half-year journey of discovery in an absorbing narrative that deftly weaves the day-to-day work of design and building - from siting to blueprint, from the pouring of foundations to finish carpentry - with reflections on every
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…House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House" by Bob Vila. An older book, only the carpentry is relevant today, but a nice picture-driven exploration of sensitive home renovation. "A Place of My Own: the Architecture of Daydreams" by Michael Pollan I didn't get a lot out of this because it was a pretty simple project that was being described, but it's a good look at the challenges of design, and…
on “Ask HN: Which books are “must-read” for anyone trying to learn about your field?” ↗…the buildings inhabitants. These houses might not be "the best" (how would you even classify that?) but they are "evolved" to be comfortable and efficient in the areas in which you'd find them. Read A Place of My Own by Michael Pollan for an exploration of this very topic.
on “Jason Fried Rants about Modern Web Design” ↗The OP's description also reminded me of "A place of my own" by michael pollan. It is a really inspirational tale of another amateur coming from a similar excited and childlike fascination.
on “Ask HN: Have you built a house?” ↗You might enjoy the book (or Audiobook) of Michael Pollan’s “A Place of My Own”, wherein he builds a writing shed with the help of a handyman and some plans from an architect. It was really enjoyable — one of those stories you can sink into and not want it to end. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13838.A_Place_of_My_Own
on “Dwellito Mini Office” ↗I really liked this. It reminds me of Michael Pollan's book A Place of My Own The Architecture of Daydreams - https://michaelpollan.com/books/a-place-of-my-own/ Michael goes into great detail on building his own office space. It was really cool to read all the details. It also…
on “The Truth Is Always Made of Details” ↗…hooked. I have since moved, and the new location was a smaller half-renovated location... so I spent Summer 2024 building an "office" / shed (120sqft no-permit legal; after reading Michale Pollan's A Place of My Own), which has its own two desks, on opposite walls (12ft apart). No internet available in my shed (by design). In the main house, I split the larger bedroom in half, which created three separate work areas…
on “Teens turned their rooms into tech-free zones. This was the result” ↗Michael Pollan wrote a book about the office that he built for himself. https://michaelpollan.com/books/a-place-of-my-own/
on “I Built a Shed (2020)” ↗…on your journey. I don't recall how technical it is[^1] because I read it years ago, but Michael Pollan wrote an entire book about building himself a writing room: https://michaelpollan.com/books/a-place-of-my-own/ [^1]: Being familiar with Pollan's writing, it's likely at least as much philosophical and meditative as technical and practical.
on “Building a backyard office, the build and cost breakdown” ↗