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"If remote living appeals to you and the challenge of building your own log home is irresistible, Logs, Wind and Sun, will prove invaluable. It isn’t the only book you’ll need, but, as Rex says, with common sense it could be."
— Roland Sweet, editor, Log Homes Illustrated

"I’ve been reading everything I could find about log. Logs, Wind and Sun made us realize what is really possible. It opened up a whole new possibility of finding what we want in a piece of land. We thought that land with no power was out of the question. We can’t thank you and your husband enough for writing the book! Our dream has got even better and is soon to become a reality! PS: our kids think we are nuts. Wait ‘til they see what we end up with!"
— the Levacks

"I’m almost finished with the book now and had to email you to let you know that this book may be close to the Bible as it gets…self-sufficiency, that is."
— K. Crawley

"Because this book is so much fun to read, you’ll not notice how much you are learning about foundations, log settling, chinking, solar and wind power and so much more. The authors have liberally peppered the book with humorous stories about the adventures and experiences involved in building their home. I got a few odd looks from office-mates here when I laughed out loud at one of the escapades. Perhaps this book is best read first while curled up in bed or your favorite chair, and then again at a desk with a notepad and pencil beside you for taking notes."
— TRACY JOHNSTON, LOG HOME STORE

"Many people dream of getting back to nature and living self-sufficiently in a house built with their own hands. The Ewings show readers how to do just that in this account of how they built a log house and then powered it using sun and wind. The Ewings take a clear, step-by-step approach to log building - a project one obviously should not undertake without considerable building experience. Fully a third of the text is devoted to explaining how to run one's home completely off the power grid. Readers are offered a wealth of hard-to-find information about solar photovoltaic modules, wind generators, charge controllers, batteries, inverters - all fully explained in the Ewings' easygoing, pragmatic manner with an emphasis on safety (had this material been offered during the Y2K mania, the authors would have made a mint)."
— LIBRARY JOURNAL, December 2002

"There’s a wonderfully infectious ‘can-do’ attitude at work here, and the breadth of subjects covered is truly impressive...all written in a delightful, fun-loving style based on a wealth of real-life experience. Rex’s introduction to renewable energy is the best I’ve ever read. His experience-based explanations of what the hardware is, how it works, why you need it, and how it all goes together are simple, accurate, fun and well-illustrated. The energy chapters alone are worth owning this book."
— DOUG PRATT, REAL GOODS TECHNICAL EDITOR

Whether you’d like to try your hand at building your own log home, or just want to get more in-depth information on the process of constructing a home from logs, this hands-on guide takes readers through every step of the process. From selecting land and purchasing logs to wiring and roofing, the authors draw on their own experience, and the challenges faced by others, when they built their log home in the Colorado Rockies. Final chapters describe how your home can be self-sufficient and environmentally friendly when it’s powered by solar and wind energy.
— LOG HOMES ILLUSTRATED, MARCH 2003

Logs, Wind and Sun is both packed with useful information and is enjoyable to read, outlining practical topics from how to select a building site that will maximize solar and wind power, to determining the most energy-efficient ways to keep your home warm and your beer cold. Somehow, the authors manage to make you believe that you, too, can peel logs and do your own chinking and decorative stonework—even if you’ve never so much as picked up a chainsaw. Worksheets included in the back of the book help you calculate everything from your electrical needs to solar, battery and wire sizing. The book is sprinkled with personal anecdotes and insights that entertain and inspire as well as inform.
— HIGH COUNTRY NEWS, DECEMBER 2002

"Logs, Wind and Sun was a lot more engaging than the usual how-to book. There’s plenty of technical information and instruction, of course, but it’s also a journal of a couple who had a dream, and encountered many obstacles before they got there. It’s good reading, and along the way, there’s a host of technical information and guidance which should be of use if you’ve got any interest in going off the grid yourself. Logs, Wind and Sun offers anecdotes and advice from someone who’s been there and done that."
— ED QUILLEN, COLORADO CENTRAL MAGAZINE

"This is just the type of how-to book would-be owners/builders are seeking. You’ll want to hear how others have done it! Beautiful job and well-researched. This book will encourage others to consider building their own log home."
— WILLIAM LASKO, LASKO SCHOOL OF LOG BUILDING

"It’s a great book for those planning to build a log home, or to understand the process. I found it easy reading, but very informative. I definitely recommend this book for your log building library."
— GARY SCHROEDER, SCHROEDER LOG HOME SUPPLY INC.

"Logs, Wind and Sun is one of those rare books that is both packed with useful information and enjoyable to read. I only wish it had been available five years ago when my husband and I started drawing up plans for our own log home. We spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars trying to get utilities to our remote mountain building site. The authors’ personal experiences provide the framework for the book, but they have obviously done their homework, and all their recommendations are backed up by copious facts. LaVonne’s Verities and Rex’s Maxims give you personal insights and quips. And the writing is several notches above most other how-to books, offering emotional insights into the process of building your own home, as well as the more expected practical fare. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who’s ever dreamed about building a log home."
— amazon.com reviewer: L. MASTERSON

Interesting, informative and easy to read!
When I started reading Logs Wind and Sun, I imagined I would skim the more detailed parts about construction since I don't plan to build a log home. I bought the book because I was interested in solar and wind generated electricity. But in the end, I read everything. Whenever I tried to skim, I soon came across something that caught my interest and, before I realized it, I was totally entranced with the story. Logs Wind and Sun is clearly a product of team work, the story of a couple who, working together, accomplished their dream. I loved it, and also learned what I wanted to know about solar and wind power.
— amazon.com reviewer: G. WINGFIELD FROM FIFE, SCOTLAND, EUROPE