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THE BIG TINY
A Built-It-Myself Memoir
Dee Williams
A graceful, inspired memoir about building a home from
scratch and discovering a true sense of self—in just 84
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 threebedroom
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 home ownership 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 sustain ability 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 $8, 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 a memoir not just of that “aha” moment posttrauma,
but an utterly seductive meditation on what it means to build the good life
and the right life, every day.
✦ Williams and her tiny house have been featured in Time Magazine, The New York
Times, as well as interviews on Good Morning America, NPR, PBS, MSNBC, CNN, NBC
Nightly News; publicity interest in her story remains high.
✦ We will publish on Earth Day 2014, April 22, 2014—Williams’s story exemplifies the
“green” lifestyle and sustainable, simple living.
✦ An accomplished teacher and lecturer across the country, Williams offers practical
and philosophical tips for aspiring tiny-home owners or those just looking to have
less stuff in their lives.
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