Yurts inspire a sacred connection between people and their environment, between living and nature, between humankind and the forces that shape the world in which we live. Yurts: Living in the Round takes you on a journey, starting with nomads in Central Asia who still use the yurt today as their ancestors did in ancient times and ending with modern-day innovators who redesigned yurts (previously only used in the backcountry and at campgrounds) for use as modern permanent homes and offices. Yurts also offers advice on every aspect of setting up modern fabric yurts-from foundations and heating to building codes, bear proofing, and interior design. Photographs throughout book rouse your imagination, and the extensive resource section gives you the information you need to take the first step toward realizing your own yurt dreams. It is possible to meet our shelter needs without draining natural and personal resources. Yurts can help you reenvision your understanding of home from that of a market commodity to a concept of sacred space in which you can nourish your soul and find your place in the world. Whether or not you actually move into a round space, the concept and philosophy of living in the round will enrich your understanding of shelter and all its possibilities. BECKY KEMERY encountered her first yurt at a retreat center in the early 1990s. Since then, she has lived in four different yurts in three states, through both harsh winters and scorching summers, in community situations and solo. When Becky gives advice through the pages of this book, it is as an insider, someone who has made mistakes and knows the potential pitfalls as well as the sheer joy of living in a beautiful round space. Having purchased yurts from different companies and then set them up, she knows the importance of clear instructions and customer service from a good company. Becky's sources of heat have ranged from propane heaters to wood stoves and radiant heat from hot springs. She has lived with a cob (adobe) floor and has built and insulated her own yurt deck. Becky currently lives on a permaculture-based homestead in the mountains of northern Idaho in a setting surrounded by herb and vegetable gardens. Moose and wild turkeys pay regular visits, and she enjoys the occasional moonlit serenade by coyote chorales through the walls of her forest green yurt. In addition to writing, Becky also works as a union tradeshow carpenter and workshop caterer. In 2002, she founded the North Idaho Public Forum on Sustainability (PFOS), which sponsors monthly forums on topics relating to sustainability, and she started the Sustainable Living Collection, which includes books, videos, and journals, at her local library. He articles on natural building can be found online at www.alternativesmagazine.com and www.hopedance.org. Her yurt Web site is www.yurtinfo.org.