REBUILDING A LIFE


“I was worried I was someone who just let life happen to them.”

Patrick Hutchinson


At the center of Patrick Hutchinson’s Cabin, are his hunger to live meaningfully and his need to exchange a dreary, soul-killing job in the city for physically and intellectually satisfying work. This he found the process of rehabbing a decrepit cabin in the heart of a forest. At the time, Hutchinson worked as a copywriter in the city. That changed when he came across an ad for a cabin in Snomish, near Seattle, Washington. One day after seeing it, he bought it with money borrowed money from his mom. Subsequently, he set out to solve a long list of problems that ranged from procuring firewood for of wood stove of unconventional size, to plugging chimney pipe leaks, to dealing with the effects of a mudslide. In the process of fixing the worst of these problems--the tilted floor will remain tilted--he rebuilt his life.

His struggle to upgrade his cabin while resisting the urge to turn it into a duplicate of a city apartment is the stuff of Early American tales. This is a tale that never ceases to be new, particularly when the teller has an engaging style, a keen sense of humor, and sufficient humility to admit that as a construction worker, he is but a novice. His story includes elements of a Quixotic disposition, a large pinch of Thoreauvian idealism, and the derring-do of American pioneers. The result is not unlike a snow globe that isolates the reader from troublesome issues such as national politics, pandemics, economic inequality, and other pesky bits of reality. There are no serious conflicts. The bubble is an invitingly warm and fuzzy space that is all the more charming because the reader knows that it keeps out everyday reality.
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Inside the bubble, there is warmth, friendship, humor, good meals, some drinking, and one disposable chapter about drug use. There is gratuitous profanity, and there are way too many sentences in the passive voice, but there is also the endearing quality of a writer who knows his limitations and goes working, nevertheless. Much like the final version of his cabin, Hutchinson's book is not all of one piece. It ambles, it digresses, but it eventually returns to its source—the quest for simplicity, for green spaces, for a time when it was brave, wise, and virtuous to rebuild, heal, mend, reuse, and make do. Part chronicle of a shambolic adventure, part a reconciliation of what is imagined and what is real, this is a book one would have to be heartless to dismiss.

One senses that Hutchinson is the kind of writer who will only get better. He is a determined learner who taught himself the skills he needed to become a builder. He is also a writer whose voice is fresh and compelling. One might say that in his adventure, Don Quijote grew up, flourished, and moved out of the bubble. His readers are richer for that.

CABIN is a St. Martin's title

Cabin is a memoir highlighting the author’s restoration of an off-the-grid cabin in the Pacific Northwest. This immediately drew my interest as I admit to dreams of having a tiny home in a remote location. The book speaks to much more than learning to fix up a dilapidated cabin. It is about having an idea and making it a reality and appreciating the journey. He clearly has very solid, but equally inept friends, who jumped in to help which also made this a story about connection—to others and to a place. The chapters on the impacts of abandonement, drugs, weather and mud were both interesting and filled with a tension that only exists with something that is cared for. There was a chapter or two that I did not find helpful for my enjoyment of the book, but perhaps others will (I am looking at you, mushrooms). Overall, this felt honest and hopeful which is sorely needed today. The humility and gratitude the author spoke with is so powerful. The very end of the acknowledgments made me laugh. Definitely worth checking out.

Many thanks St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. This was such a fun read. This was EXACTLY what I'd hoped for when I read the book description. Patrick Hutchinson's style will make you smile and likely chuckle out loud several times. Highly recommended. Take the journey. Who hasn't wanted to do just this same thing?

This is the story of a boy who bought a fort in the woods, brought all of his friends over to play, and then left as a man. Funny, relatable, and a pleasure to read as we learn along with Patrick. Readers with decent home repair skills will enjoy the repair antics. That being said, it does get a bit redundant with mentions of needed to get a away from his desk job and to go play in the woods (but who hasn't said those same things?).

This memoir had me immediately planning a day trip to the Washington mountains and if I hadn't known the roads were almost definitely frozen, I would've been trying to talk the family into it. The author's descriptions make you feel like you're in the woods and at the same time make you want to head for the woods. (Granted, I'm practically in the woods already and a fifteen or twenty minute drive would get me into actual national forest...) As he's describing his impulsive purchase of the cabin as a fort or clubhouse, it just sounds so appealing. He's in over his head and knows it, but he learns from his mistakes and builds his skills. The enthusiasm that fills ever page of this memoir is contagious.

I really enjoyed this book and daydreamed about escaping to the woods with the author. Really great descriptive writing combined with many laugh out loud moments.

Why did this book make me think that I, too, could fix up an off-grid cabin in the middle of nowhere and then spend magical times there with all my friends who would absolutely be willing to drive and give up the comforts of electricity, flush toilets, and WIFI?

When Patrick Hutchison purchases a run-down cabin in the woods of the Cascade Mountains, he does so with zero construction skills, only a wish to find some fulfillment missing in his life. With some help from his friends, he figures things out as he goes; he creates a retreat that nurtures his spirit and changes his outlook.

This memoir was so inspiring and entertaining. I was also basically terrified that he was going to severely injure himself as he started winging it with power tools and roof repairs. There was a valuable message in here about not waiting until circumstances and skills are perfect. You absolutely can learn as you try, and end up with something imperfectly wonderful.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

Patrick ends up buying a "cabin" in the Cascade mtns for "something to do" when life seems to be passing him by. It was an easy read, funny at times, stressful at others! He has zero carpentry skills, friends with more, some with less, and they all put it together for a guys hang out place, a place to get away from it all. A filler book, a good read.
Thanks to NetGalley, Mr Hutchinson, and St Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I chose this on a whim based upon it’s title and description. It was a blast! Charming, soothing, and hilarious. It absorbed me, and I found myself right there at the cabin.

This book came at a great time for me. I’ve felt restless and unrested. I’m missing nature, and the “old-fashioned” way of experiencing life in 3D rather than through a screen. Hutchison is a vivid writer, and it was a vacation to live vicariously through his cabin experience. I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with this book.

Of note, I listened to the audio version about a month after reading the digital ARC. I enjoyed both experiences. It was voiced by its author, Patrick Hutchison, and I think that was a wise choice. He brought well-earned character to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for granting access to a digital ARC in response to my request.

I live in seattle now but i It was raised in new york and then went on to boston. This book was truly inspiration for me because we had an old farm up in lebanon new hampshire. You did an amazing job building this place and it gave you a sense of home.That's really important. I like how you solved all these problems on your own even if you were a writer in seattle you Set time alone to be happy in the woods.I guess you were growing up in the seattle area. This is a great memories of childhood.And isn't it adult doing things you really love. It's not all about making money and living in the city but just going out and exploring the wilderness and being who you really are you get a sense of who you can become. I think your friends are amazing.How everybody pitched in to help you.I But a great feeling. I love how you solved The stove problem and how you went about it to make a chimney for it. That takes real genius. I love how you wrote this book about something you really were passionate about. I love how you made time for all this. Because it's so precious for it even if it takes time away from other things. This is what you really wanted to do.
The title says it all about a cabin.In the woods and index you did it.

I found myself unable to put down this amazing memoir of the author's journey from an office job to restoring a cabin in the Pacific Northwest, based on his wildly popular Outside Magazine piece.
I enjoyed how well written this memoir was and found it to be very interesting.

Loved, loved this book. Reminded me so much of the cabin we bought years ago, and of so much hard work and laughs we had back when getting started with it. Hutchison is a great story-teller, can make his Cabin stories fun all the way through. You will be glad you started with book, Cabin.

i generally really liked it, with the exception of the incredibly random chapter that was an ode to bb guns for no apparent reason. the author had a strong narrative voice. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

I've never attempted to contrive a living space from a ramshackle hut in the woods, but the experiences related by Patrick Hutchison so resonated for an overly ambitious gardener, indifferent but enthusiastic house renovator, and dreamer of a life in the wilderness. His way of describing how he faced unfathomable challenges and figured his way through kept me reading far too late into the night, enjoying the funny, self-deprecating voice of a storyteller who wanted to live his life consciously and with purpose while having no idea what he was doing. Inspiring and cautionary tale at the same time, CABIN was refreshingly honest and a true pleasure. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Patrick Hutchison’s Cabin is a witty and heartwarming memoir about stepping outside your comfort zone—way outside. With a mix of humor, humility, and heartfelt moments, Hutchison chronicles his six-year journey of transforming a dilapidated 120-square-foot off-grid cabin in Washington’s Cascade Mountains into something livable, and along the way, transforming himself.

Hutchison’s writing is refreshingly candid as he shares his rookie mistakes and triumphs in learning carpentry on the fly. His misadventures will resonate with anyone who has ever dived into a project they were wildly unqualified for—think of it as Wild meets HGTV. The memoir balances laugh-out-loud moments (like figuring out the hard way what “level” really means) with poignant reflections on resilience, self-discovery, and the joy of seeing potential where others see ruins.

The descriptions of the mossy woods and quiet solitude of the Pacific Northwest are as vivid as they are soothing, making Cabin a love letter to nature and simple living. While some sections linger too long on the technicalities of renovation, Hutchison’s personable tone keeps the narrative engaging.

Ultimately, Cabin is an inspiring tale of embracing imperfection, finding fulfillment in hard work, and reconnecting with the natural world. A must-read for DIY enthusiasts, nature lovers, or anyone dreaming of their own off-grid adventure.

*CABIN* is a charming, laugh-out-loud memoir about jumping headfirst into a wild dream and figuring it out along the way. Patrick Hutchison takes us from his office desk to a tiny, crumbling cabin deep in the Cascade Mountains, where his carpentry skills are as nonexistent as his plan. Over six years of renovation, missteps, and victories, he not only rebuilds a home but also finds a love for the process and the place. If you’ve ever daydreamed about starting fresh—or bitten off more than you can chew—you’ll love this heartfelt ode to possibility and perseverance.

One of my husband's favorite authors is Patrick McManus. Patrick Hutchinson could be his brother or cousin or distant relative but they both approach life in the same manner. In CABIN, after the "world" becomes too much for him to stand, Hutchinson decides to leave that world behind and move into a small cabin in the woods that is in desperate need of renovation. As he under estimates the work required and over estimates his skills, his view of the world changes at the same pace as his skills increase. Hutchinson succeeds because he has a sense of humor as well as a stubborn streak that won't let him quit and we get a much needed lift in spirit from his adventure. Again, if you've read McManus, you'll love Hutchinson.

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Melki's review
Dec 02, 2024 · edit

really liked it
bookshelves: back-to-nature

"In reality, it was a dark, musty, disgusting hole. There were spiders everywhere, skittering around the floor like extras in a Godzilla movie. It was the sort of place where you wish your shoes had shoes. There was no electricity, no water, no plumbing, no wires, no bathroom, no lights, no Wi-Fi, no cell service. If you counted gravity and rain, the total number of utilities would have been two. It was a wooden box with a roof and a door. It was perfect."

"I saw only potential, and I saw a version of myself that was capable of making it better."

Hutchison had a dream - a cabin in the woods where he could get away from it all, and test out his practically nonexistent carpentry skills. What he got was that, and much, much more.

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

Sometimes these tales of novices who take to the woods can drive you crazy as the "adventurers" make one unbearably insipid move after another, relying on others to rescue them from their own stupidity. This author is honestly not that clueless when it comes to home cabin improvement, seeming to realize when it's time to call in the "experts" . . . or at least the friends who have a little more experience, and will work for beer.

"Whoever had come before me had approached carpentry more like a bird building a nest than a carpenter set upon a job.".

There's an awful lot of tool talk, which may or may not interest you, and some passages tend to drag on, but on the whole, this was a fun and breezy read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC opportunity.

3/5

Cabin was a neat read. I enjoyed the author sharing his experience fixing up his cabin. The writing was witty. Several times I caught myself laughing out loud and intriguing those around me. I felt the story was relatable and any outdoor enthusiast would find this entertaining. I wish there were photos included in the back to get a feel for how the cabin started and how it ended up.

Great read!

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

In the full swing of his mid-life crisis, author Patrick Hutchison takes the plunge and purchases a run down and poorly built cabin in the middle-of-nowhere Washington. Suddenly a homeowner, and finally given an excuse to purchase power tools, Hutchison and his band of yuppie friends embark in the wilderness for an adventure fueled by beer and the possibility of becoming a handyman.

Hutchison has a gift for narration and engaging storytelling, he does a wonderful job of taking the reader back to the very beginning-- when he wasn't quite sure how to correctly wield a hammer-- to the end of his craftsman's journey on Witt's End. Lessons are learned, mistakes are made, and a foundation is laid (both literally and figuratively) as Hutchison tries to figure out the direction he wants his life to take.

While I wasn't the target audience (which most likely leans towards millennial, non-handy men) I still enjoyed the journey and learned a thing or two about how to take care of a leaky roof.