Among the various healthy housing books, The Healthy House Answer Book by John and Lynn Bower is something a little different. While the rest of the offerings in this field are thick, very comprehensive volumes, this is a smaller book in both size and depth--sort of a "pocket healthy housing guidebook." While covering the major concerns anyone would have about all aspects of construction and maintenance, all the information is presented in a very concise Q and A format. With subject chapters and a complete index, this is a great introductory book for anyone interested in the subject.
John Bower (BS Purdue University, MA Ball State University) has been involved with healthy house construction since 1984. He has written extensively on the subject in several books (
The Healthy House,
Healthy House Building, and
Understanding Ventilation) as well as in articles for such publications as
Custom Builder,
The Journal of Light Construction, and
Mother Earth News. In addition, he has been an invited speaker at builders' conferences throughout the U.S. and Canada sponsored by such organizations as the National Association of Home Builders, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the American Institute of Architects. In 1991, he was honored with a Professional Achievement Award for "healthy house advocacy" from Professional Builder magazine. He is currently serving on the Editorial Advisory Board of Indoor Environment Review.
Lynn Marie Bower has a BS in education (magna cum laude) from Western Michigan University. She has been a public school teacher, and an accomplished graphic designer and fine artist. She became personally interested in the subject of healthier houses when she acquired Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) nearly two decades ago during a home remodeling project. Since that time she has written scores of articles on creating and maintaining a healthier lifestyle, and has co-edited a statewide MCS support-group newsletter. Her previous book, The Healthy Household, continues to be a well-reviewed and is a popular classic in its field.