Non-Fiction Books by Rex Ewing
“By 2004, utility companies had begun waking up to the reality of solar energy. Some had even grudgingly started to allow net metering. At about the same time, new residential-scale technologies were being developed for grid-tied solar and wind applications. Clearly, the market was shifting and a book was sorely needed to explain what grid-tied solar is and how homeowners can best go about getting it installed on their houses. Fortunately, my friend Doug Pratt, grid-tied solar pioneer and former editor of the Solar Living Sourcebook, was game for a new writing project and quickly jumped on board to add his considerable expertise to the book, now in its fifth printing and its second edition.”
— Rex A. Ewing
“This is the best book ever published for the lay person about residential solar energy. As the solar home power business explodes in America, this well-illustrated, easy-to-read book is essential.”
— Neville Williams, Founder – Standard Solar Inc., Solar Electric Light Company
“A book that’s on topic, to the point, and well-written! Without burdening the reader with off-on-a-tangent distractions or too little information, Rex and Doug have done an excellent job in addressing the more important bits of knowledge and information sought after by those wanting to get involved with solar energy.”
—Richard Carter, GreenEnergyCafe.com
“Learn a new vocabulary! Take a refresher course on the electrical power of the sun and the wind! … Ewing and Pratt [have] developed a nontechnical reference and guide for home owners thinking about pulling the plug on their utility connections.”
— BOOKLIST (American Library Association)
Take a step toward self-reliance by harnessing free energy from the sun, wind, water, and the earth to power your home. Power with Nature will get you started on the right path, whether you are connected to the grid or far from the nearest power pole.
“Plenty of energy guides for homeowners advocate getting off the grid, but few do such a good job of explaining just how to go about it. Power With Nature is essential for rural homeowners. An outstanding, highly recommended guide.”
— California Bookwatch
“I have read virtually every book that has been written about using solar and wind to power your home and this book is one of the best I have ever read on the subject. I guess I can put my plans to write a book for people who know nothing about PV on hold because this, with a few minor changes, is the book that I would have written.
— Larry Cooper, Kyocera Solar
“Readers who want to be completely self-reliant, who are looking for cost-effective solutions, or who are somewhere in the middle—all will find something useful here …. Ewing writes in a folksy, informal manner, and readers will find his hands-on primer worthwhile.”
— Library Journal
“Of all the technologies that have recently emerged on the world energy scene, hydrogen energy was and is the most misunderstood by the general public. I wanted to alleviate that pandemic of confusion by illuminating the subject in an entirely new light. To do so I employed the services of a hip, if somewhat irascible, wizard named Zed, who holds me hostage for several days within the towering walls of a unique and fanciful place called the Wasserstoff Farm. There Zed uses both magic and highly improbable ‘technologies’ to demonstrate the multifaceted science of hydrogen energy. Hot Stuff was not an easy book to write, but it was the most fun I’ve ever had at a keyboard. Although I wrote it for adult non-scientists, it has found a much broader audience, including science teachers and science students of all ages.”
— Rex A. Ewing
“This book is amazing. It has helped me explain the complex science of hydrogen to Wallstreet investors. Kudos to Rex for writing this articulate piece of literature.”
— Brion Tanous
“The world needs more writing like this, a merging of art and science that puts the concepts within reach of everyone. Phenomenal!”
— Dr. Cortney Martin, Virginia Tech
“Whether it’s read for content, for pleasure, or as a source of great read-aloud anecdotes, this book provides the most current information on hydrogen and other energy technologies in an enjoyable way.”
— Richard Smith for National Science Teachers Association
“Every high school chemistry student should have it as required reading. Well done!”
— Reviewer for the Benjamin Franklin 2005 Awards
“It will appeal to readers of any age who have not lost their imagination or spirit of adventure. I also recommend it to the journalists, economists and political leaders of our age in hopes that they will get the science correct when they speak of the most serious technical problem of our time.”
—Richard S. Treptow, PhD, retired Professor of Chemistry – Chicago State University; textbook editor for several publishers
“It was only after LaVonne and I finished building our off-grid log home that we had time to reflect on just what a colossal adventure we’d just experienced. It was only natural that we would want to write the book we wished we’d had at the time, but didn’t, because no one had yet written it. So we wrote Logs, Wind & Sun (retitled Crafting Log Homes Solar Style for the second updated edition) as simply and truthfully as we knew how, in hopes that it might encourage and motivate those who found themselves at the beginning of the journey we’d just completed. The many letters we’ve received from like-minded souls who found the book instructive and inspiring has been the greatest reward LaVonne and I could ever have hoped for.”
— Rex A. Ewing
“The Ewings seem to have discovered that sweet spot in crafting log homes where self-reliance, comfort and economy coincide, living in harmony with nature without sacrificing any of the modern amenities we all require. Read Crafting Log Homes Solar Style with caution. You may find yourself unable to live without a log home. And you will certainly never regard your energy use the same again.”
— Brian Gabriel, www.log-cabin-connection.com
“A great resource! There aren’t a lot of books that focus on the nuts and bolts of log home construction. Fewer still that focus on the energy efficiency possibilities. Rex and LaVonne’s book tackles them both and does it well. It’s broad enough to give you an accurate perspective on the entire process and detailed enough to serve as a manual during construction. This book should be at the top of your list for any log construction project.”
— Jim Cooper, author of Log Homes Made Easy
“This eagerly anticipated edition explains the realities of handcrafting a log home and living off grid. It is loaded with tips so you can avoid common construction pitfalls, and you’ll be encouraged by spotlights of a dozen very different log homes using solar and wind power. I highly recommend it!”
— Tracy Johnston, Log Home Store
“The yin/yang aspect of a couple working together to build their dream home transports this from being a mere how-to-book, to something like an adventure, or at least a darn good story. If you’re in the market for a log home or alternative energy system, this book will provide you with plenty of inspiration, as well as practical know-how.”
— J. D. Belanger, Countryside Editor Emeritus
“Hay Days was originally conceived as a mere booklet, a short tome to share the fundamentals of horse nutrition that I had picked up over my many years of feeding and developing rations and nutritional products for horses. My final contribution to the equine industry, in other words. But like so many other writing projects it quickly took on a life of its own and grew into a book-length manuscript. Which, as it turned out, was exactly what it needed to be.”
— Rex A. Ewing
“Ewing doesn’t strike me as a man who’s in love with calculators and analytical chemistry. He’s a horse lover. He speaks our language and he’s a practical man. On matters of equine nutrition, he cuts to the chase….Ewing hands it to you on a silver platter and makes it downright palatable. I particularly liked the chapter on minerals, which, in my opinion, is the biggest black hole in the average horseman’s nutritional knowledge…. Buy this book, and read it.”
— Horse & Rider
“This gem of a paperback is a treasure trove of facts about what every horse-keeper needs to know about feeding horses. Years as CEO of an equine feed company gave him the fodder to write this handy little reference book, suitable for greenhorns and weathered trail hands alike–healthy doses of common sense interspersed with science make it very palatable and easy to digest.”
— In & Around Horse Country
“Simple is the operative word. What could’ve been a scientific treatise is instead a user-friendly, easy-to-read equine nutrition guide. In addition to traditional rations, such as grain and hay, Ewing also discusses vitamins, mineral, nutraceuticals and supplements.”
— Western Horseman
“Practical and easy to understand, this helpful book has a new edition with more information and the latest details on equine nutrition. Supplementation has become an art, and Ewing brings you up-to-date with the latest on glucosamine, fatty acids and many other natural supplements. If your feed room looks like a health food store, this book might help you make better use of some of that inventory. The new edition lives up to my opinion of the original version: ‘This fascinating and folksy book takes a very dry subject and makes it interesting. For those not seeking a doctorate in equine nutrition, this book pretty well covers what we need to know.’ The book has a tremendous amount information to offer.”
— Horse Illustrated