Living the Airstream Life

As motorists cruise down the highway, they catch their breath, perhaps a little envious, when a silver Airstream streaks past on the opposite side of the median. Back in the 1920s, Wally Byam designed his “perfect trailer for personal use” and after advertised the plans in Modern Mechanics, offering them to interested customers for $5.00. “We don’t sell trailers,” he claimed, “we sell a way of life.” Generously and colorfully illustrated, Living the Airstream Life chronicles the history of the trailer from its inception until today, revealing a series of models still distinctly alike but with modifications to size and modernizing innovations. Karen Flett draws readers interested in buying the trailer for travel, vacations, or even as a primary home.

Her pages pose questions: how much can you expect to pay for an Airstream? Where will kids and guests sleep? Will you hook up or be self-contained at the campsites? Is the bathroom best situated in the center or end of the trailer? Flett answers these and many other queries, interviewing people whose lifestyle and décor, from funky to glamorous and impressive, belie the exterior similarity. The book is packed with everything you ever wondered about the gleaming trailers – and lots more.