Featuring 'The Beast', an expedition truck, as seen on TV*
THE COMIC MEMOIR OF A CRAZY IDEA
A Vintage Truck: An Amateur Team: An Immovable Deadline
WINNER: The Wishing Shelf Book Awards Adult Non-Fiction BRONZE 2024
WINNER: Readers' Favorite 5* Seal!
FINALIST: Page Turner Book Aeards 2024
In this captivating true story, join an intrepid married couple as they take another wild leap into the world of nomadic living.
Four years previously, Jackie and Mark gave up work to embark on a permanent road trip with four dogs. However, one Friday the 13th, forces beyond their control cause them to throw caution to the wind and buy a 30-year-old army truck sight unseen from the internet.
Their goal: to create an expedition truck fit to drive overland to Mongolia.
Follow them as they dive headfirst into the daunting but thrilling task of converting this rugged vehicle into a perfect off-grid tiny house on wheels.
Yet their first ever DIY van conversion proves to be a rollercoaster ride, when they sell their house to fund the build, and Friday the 13th comes back to haunt them.
Is their confidence that, 'there's always a solution, ' misplaced?
With their relationship, sanity, and finances on the line, can they navigate the pitfalls of their first-ever build and avoid becoming homeless?
Filled with quirky van life friends and unexpected twists, this is an inspiring tale of perseverance, friendship, and finding the courage to conquer the challenges that face those who dare to chase their dreams.
* The Beast made a guest appearance on Ben Fogle's New Lives In The Wild
Reviews:
Wishing Shelf: Book Award:
"Inspiring, funny, and insightful... highly recommended."
Readers' Favorite 5*:
"Although hilarious, at times their patience was stretche to the limit." https: //readersfavorite.com/book-review/building-the-beast
Reedsy Discovery:
"Delightful, humorous, and filled with vivid imagery. This book is a gem."
"An honest and often funny account of the realities of when people actually begin to live their dream." Anna Rashbrook, Author
"A page-turner!...You never know what will happen next!" Carrie Riseley, Author
"The trials and tribulations of building a home on six wheels, told with laughter and insight... a must read - even if it's just to stop you making the same mistakes!" Maximilian Sam, Award-Winning Author
"This book is a fantastic look at designing a unique project and going for it with humor and perseverance. If one is tired of another 'chucking it all and renovating an old house' story, this is a quixotic twist that will keep you entertained." Kari Iverson Lane
"Hugely inspirational, because I think many would have just given up trying, with all the things they had to put in place to get their dream of owning and converting The Beast off the ground. What a story - and a fabulously entertaining book/read." Julie Haigh, Goodreads Librarian and Top 1,000 Amazon reviewer.
Lambert, Jacqueline: - Jacqueline (Jackie) Lambert is an award-winning travel writer, adventure traveller, blogger and dogmother, who loves history and curious facts. B.C. (Before Canines) she hurtled, slid, submerged and threw herself off bits of every continent except Antarctica. With husband Mark, A.D. (After Dog), she became an Adventure Caravanner. Her aim: To Boldly Go Where No Van Has Gone Before.Jackie has published six light-hearted memoirs about her travels since quitting work: Fur Babies in France, Dog on the Rhine, Dogs 'n' Dracula, It Never Rains But It Paws, To Hel In A Hound Cart, and Pups on Piste. Her new Wayward Truck series chronicles her Brexit-busting plan to convert The Beast, a 24.5-tonne army truck into an off grid tiny home on wheels fit to drive to Mongolia.
