The Big Tiny

A Built-It-Myself Memoir

By: Dee Williams

Narrated by: Heather Henderson

A graceful, inspired memoir about building a home from scratch and discovering a true sense of self - in just eighty-four square feet - by Dee Williams, a pioneer in sustainable living and the proud owner of a very tiny house.

After a heart condition felled Dee Williams in the grocery store ten years ago, she initially threw herself headfirst back into her old life, which included a pricey three-bedroom house, overtime hours to cover homeowner bills, and a general lack of free time. In the midst of contemplating her future, a new sense of clarity took hold. What was all this stuff for? Mortgage payments and the time-suck of homeownership felt like a waste, and no one has the money or desire to pack it in and live on an island without family, friends, or health insurance.

Discovering the sustainability movement and building her own house was just the beginning of building a new life. Williams can now list everything she owns on one sheet of paper, her monthly bills amount to about eight dollars, and it takes her ten minutes to clean the entire house. It's allowed her to slow down, scale back, spend more time with family and friends - and given her the freedom to head out for adventure, or watch the clouds and sunset while drinking a beer on her (yes, tiny) front porch. Without escaping to the wilds or going off the grid, Williams achieved a happy balance of the normal and the radical and created a new model for simple, practical living. Part how-to and part why-to, The Big Tiny is not just a memoir of that "aha" moment post-trauma but an utterly seductive meditation on what it means to build the good life and the right life, every day.

©2014 Dee Williams (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Inspiration for the rest of us

Where does The Big Tiny rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

IN the category of personal development of living life according to your own rules this ranks quite high.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The main character.

Let's do it

I found this book to be very inspirational, probably because tiny houses have been on my mind for a while now! The book makes a good case for just going a head and buying a tiny house... Even if you can't build your own. I loved being reminded of another way to live.

A Nice Story

My Only PERSONAL Problem (hahaha) Where would begin to list my personal problems? Nope, not gonna go upstairs to bed. Carry my personal 50# dog? umm no. We are both up & down all night. I do worry what Dee would do if her defib went off while going up or down the ladder to her loft.

For me, I personally couldn't do it, not with a bed in a loft, I would need a single story. My biggest goal of the day is to clean & declutter my home, but I am so lost. Marie Kondo needs to make a personal visit.! As to building a home, my Grandfather built a 2 bedroom home in Miami that is still standing nearly 90 yrs later.

Dee is a Happy Camper, & I am HAPPY for her. Sad for her loss (friend & dog), I think to myself as I pat my 50# 14yr old dog.

There are so many variables to consider when making something from scratch! It's a really cool idea, and I would love to see tiny house neighborhoods. I think we would all want to move in for that. But again, I would be sleeping on the ground floor ;), & someone else would need to build my home for me.

Curious about the "Tiny House" lifestyle?

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Big Tiny?

Having wondered what it would be like to live in a tiny house, I found the author's story fascinating!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Reading this book left me with the desire to scale down, declutter, and live a less fettered existence.

Loved this book

This book was not only inspiring it made me laugh out loud and cry a few times. I was sad when it ended. Really would love to be one of Dee's friends.

Humorous perspective from another pair of shoes

I am almost surprised I enjoyed the book as much as I did. The narration was great and story, one of a time of self discovery, was written warm and casual sense that made it quite inviting and relatable. It was easy to get sucked into the excitement of the little project and I found myself laughing audibly more often than I should have. Must be that Midwestern farm humor that I share a part in.

Really enjoyed the book

I really enjoyed the story of this book. It was very well written and I enjoyed the words used to describe actions and her emotions. I could feel her feelings.
I get disconnected with the narrator, I felt her voice didn't fit the author; but that is my opinion.

A full life story, not just about 'The Big Tiny'

Excellent narration, excellent engaging story, even as each chapter changed topics completely, yet kept a good sequential theme in the story. Excellent visual descriptions and vignette scenarios. Author's tone of story is always one of finding solutions and overcoming adversity of the moment. I have lived "tiny" for a while, and greatly enjoyed listening to the accurate descriptions of what ot is really like living tiny. I listened to this while story off-grid while camping with spouse and kitty in my 115 square foot converted-to-tiny shuttle bus in the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. We are upgrading to a mansion-sized 280-square foot tiny home in early 2022 (currently under construction). Maybe I am biased because I am already living this life, but there was nothing about this story I did not enjoy and could relate to everything presented in the stories as the Big Tiny story is extremely plausible in every detail.

Fantastic

If Carrie Fisher had quit showbiz, built a tiny house, and then wrote about it, it would be this book. So fun. Loved it.

Inspiring and beautifully vulnerable.

The courage of the author is inspiring. The book is well organized and the tone is both vulnerable and humorous. I enjoyed this short tale.