Van life is everywhere. The once shunning practice of living out of a car is now a full blown cultural movement. Far from the butt of a Chris Farley joke, vanlife now the subject of nearly five million tagged photos on Instagram, some of our most popular articles, worldwide events, and even a series of 76 gasoline TV commercials (which are admittedly kinda funny). And, as of last week, the title and cause of new book Vanlife Diaries.
Inspired by the hugely popular IG account and blog by the same name, Vanlife Diaries is a new 240 page hardcover book documenting and celebrating the wild creatives who call the open road (and many a parking lot) home.
Spearheaded by freelance journalist and North American representative of the Australia-based Vanlife Diaries blog, Kathleen Morton (aka Tiny House Tiny Footprint), the book takes Morton’s intimate approach to vanlife coverage by focusing on insightful interviews with inspiring van dwellers from around the world. Each interview is accompanied by beautiful photography, largely by Field Mag contributor and OG vanlifer James Barkman.
Divided into themed sections of interviews and photographs (For Work, For Play, For Love, For Family, etc) the book takes a very lighthearted but genuine look at many of the movement’s movers and shakers, as well as others simply living more minimalist, purposeful lives in the face of a consumerism driven capitalist society. Regardless of the cause, the experience seems to be one of community and fulfillment.
Whether you read the features or find inspiration from the 200+ photographs of dreamy VW buses and vanagons, decked out Sprinters, and custom Toyota Tacomas, you’ll no doubt come away feeling an itch only scratched by four wheels pounding pavement towards a greater destination.
