The Indian Tipi: Its History, Construction, and Use, 2nd Edition

The plans from this book were in the first issue of The Mother Earth News in 1970 - I followed them to the letter, including the liner. The canvas was purchased from a sail-maker in San Francisco and I rented an industrial sewing machine to handle the thick flat-fell seams. It was pitched in Sandpoint Idaho off Bald Mt. Road, where I was lucky to find some wonderful long, light poles for the tipi. They follow the Crow "hour-glass" look described in the book. I was in my early 20's then and have great memories of my tipi adventure.

The Laubins play a unique role with the Tipi. While they are unquestionably very important in the preservation of the Tipi, the documentation of its uses and varieties, its transportation and setup, role in Native American life, etc., they DO introduce certain distortions and biases. Many of these will not be apparent to the casual reader and are only discovered on reading other Tipi works and histories. It also comes off as somewhat dated and a bit starry-eyed. The Laubins have a tendency to be self-congratulatory and frankly, look a little silly in costume and face-paint. But it sort of fits the age in which it was written.That said, the book is AMAZING in its scope. NO-ONE interested in the Tipi should go without a copy. It simply covers too much ground. Granted, you might walk away from the Laubins thinking the Sioux tipi is the single best and highest achievement of any migratory peoples' shelters, but you can put that down to enthusiasm ... and real-world experience, too, because they lived for extended periods in their tipis over many years.Pick up a few other books for a more up-to-date and balanced view. I like Linda Holley's book, too. Among other things, she stresses Native American's practicality, pointing out the very lightweight materials in current use. She also covers the long tradition (if that's the right word) of tipi use overseas that started with the Wild West traveling shows of the 1800's. You'll also get a modern view on water-resistant fabrics and waterproofing treatments beyond the Laubin's lead-based formula of many decades earlier!

This book, The Indian Tipi, has been my husband's bible for many years. As a matter of fact, he used his first copy so often that I decided to buy him a new replacement. He now owns 3 tipis. He belongs to a group of people who go on a yearly rendezvous where they reenact the pre-1840 era. They all set up camp and it looks like a tipi village. This happens to be his favorite book because it is the MOST informational and accurate resource. He has shared his knowledge gained with others over the years, and has referenced this book. I wholeheartedly recommend!

When I was in Boy Scout our troop had a tipi for the adults to stay in and I remember being fascinated by it when I was a child. Now in my adulthood I became nostalgic for those days and decided I was going to get myself a tipi of my own. In my research I was seeking out a book to fill in the gaps of my knowledge (or faulty memory). Every where I looked and everyone I talked to pointed back to this book. So I bought it.And I've not been disappointed. There is so much of value in this book, it's impossible to write a relatively short and coherent review.Construction of a tipi? CheckHistory and heritage? CheckPersonal stories? CheckTroubleshooting? CheckTips and areas to experiment? CheckTrust me, quit looking around and just buy the book. You won't be disappointed.Actually I've since bought two, one to take with me for reference when I'm camping with my tipi, and another I keep at home, since I know the "field version" will get beat up and dog earred beyond repair.

Great book! The information on setting a tipi up is easy to follow. The pictures depict the lodges exactly the way we have seen them set up on the reservation & at rendezvous. All the information on how to make things is good also. We have slept in a lodge made by R K Lodges & it looked just like the ones in The Indian Tipi book. Very nice to find someone that took the time to write a factual book on the living in a real lodge. We got a 18' tipi from R K Lodge & the book helped us set up the tipi correctly the first time. Great book! It also has great things to help furnishings your tipi!

This book was purchased for my brother due to the fact that I have referred to my own copy time and again for over forty years. To me, this is the most informative book on construction, history, and etiquette of the tipi that I have ever read. The construction, setting up, and furnishing of tipis are all covered in a thorough manner and the diagrams are clear and easy to follow, the photos are wonderful, the history is fun to read. The Laubins include how-tos on tanning buckskin, Sioux cradles, sweat lodges, cooking over a fire, and so on which makes this book a great resource for Native American culture enthusiasts. I highly recommend this great book.

My son and I are building a Tipi as a fun project. Turns out a tipi is much more than a tripod covered with cloth. This book goes into great detail and is easy to read. It has a lot of great historical information. You do get the impression from the author that Native Americans could do no wrong and if you don't do it their way it is somehow of lesser value. However, the information seems accurate, and has been helpful in providing good ideas for a comfortable, functioning (meaning you can burn a small fire in it without burning it down or smoking yourself out) tipi. A good addition to anyone's library.

I used this book in the past for information to construct my own tipi. It was from a local library. I decided to get one to keep for my own. It is full of information and very good for those who are inclined to make one and then be able to tell other people"yes, I sewed it my self"! Basically, it has info that the average joe doesn't know, and not to be rude or offensive, most Native Americans living today, don't know either.All I can say is Laubin did a great job, considering this book was published before 1960. He truly admired the way of life and culture of the American Indian, and included details of it in this book!

This book has been billed as the be all of books on the American Indian Tipi - A little far fetched in some parts I believe, the section on the actual constuction of a tipi is barely adequate! However this is made up for in other parts of the book with a comprehensive review of all matters "injun" as regards tipi living! If I had to pick one book to tell me how to live, and live comfortably at that, within a tipi this would be that book - with no heistation at all!

I want to liv in a tipi, and this seems like, not just to me, but it seems like is known as THE book to have on tipis. I more flicked through and read certain chapters than studied it at this point. Seems to hav all you could hope for contained within. Highly rcommend

Purchased as a present for my son. This was a book on his Gift request list and so was always going to be appreciated. Therefore, difficult for me to review on a personal basis other than to say I know he loved it.J.Fallon

A super book. No stone left unturned in respect to every thing one needs to know about the plains tipi. This book leaves the reader thinking he is listening to an old plains Indian who has lived his entire life in one of these wonderful dwellings.

i found this book very easy to follow and it helped me make a tipi with the grandkids