# Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, 4th Edition

Edition: Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills is a broad, illustrated reference to practical homesteading and traditional crafts. Its described projects range from raising chickens and making cheese to weaving, carpentry, and building with logs or adobe, so it suits readers exploring varied self-sufficiency skills rather than seeking a single-topic manual.

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- Market: US
- Language: en-US
- Currency: USD
- Category: Books, Music & Hobbies > Books, Music & Movies > Books & Comics
- Price: 15.37 USD
- Previous price: 27.95 USD
- Discount: 45%
- Price checked: 2026-11-12T10:26:07.819Z
- Rating: 4.8 / 5
- Reviews: 5502

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## At a glance

- The listing describes hundreds of projects with step-by-step sequences, photographs, charts, and illustrations.
- Topics named in the description include gardening, animal raising, food preservation and cheese making, textile crafts, woodworking, and cabin construction.

## Pros

- The wide range of subjects can serve as a starting reference for readers interested in several traditional skills.
- The described visual aids and step-by-step material may help readers follow practical projects.

## Specifications

### Publication
- Publisher: Skyhorse
- Publication date: October 14, 2014
- Edition: 4th Edition, Fourth
- Language: English
- Print length: 528 pages
- ISBN-10: 1629143693
- ISBN-13: 978-1629143699
### Dimensions and installation
- Weight listed: 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions: 8.5 x 1.1 x 11 inches

## Before you buy

- The description presents this as a broad reference, not a focused manual for any one skill. For specialized projects, buyers may need more detailed instructions beyond this book.

## A good fit for

- Readers starting a homesteading or self-sufficiency reference shelf.
- People curious about traditional food, garden, animal-raising, craft, and building skills.

## Less suited to

- Readers looking for an in-depth specialist manual on one specific craft or project.

## Customer feedback

Customer feedback describes the book as informative and useful as a broad homesteading reference, with clear instructions and helpful illustrations. For readers choosing a cross-topic guide, that reported readability and breadth may be more useful than deep coverage of one skill. The feedback also mentions potential savings compared with buying several books, though individual needs and specialist topics will vary.
- Positive themes: Customers report clear instructions, extensive information, and helpful illustrations.
- Positive themes: Feedback characterizes it as a useful reference for homesteading and traditional skills.

## Frequently asked questions

### What subjects does the book cover?
The description names gardening, raising chickens, making cheese and jam, dyeing wool, woodworking, weaving, and log-cabin or adobe construction, among other activities.
### Is this a focused guide to one homesteading skill?
No. The listing presents it as a wide-ranging guide with hundreds of projects across different practical skills. Readers seeking detailed coverage of one subject may want a specialist book as well.
### What is the listed edition and length?
The product details identify it as the fourth edition and list 528 pages.

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## Add-ons

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## Images

![Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, 4th Edition — 1](https://best-deals.pro/i/vZajqSGNH7v1SUBfMrp4VXg5-auxj-SWXLg_x16JzG5RCnexAeQH899OXLlAHC5ozp3J9luVBYGY2Eq3Lv_CtMWY2bEoe1QBtbab0MlrgBEpLR1Q8faT.jpg)