The universal appeal of The Vanishing American Outhouse hardly needs stating. Privately published, its single-copy sales through word of mouth have reached 50,000 and garnered rave reviews in periodicals ranging from The Old-House Journal to The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post.This history of this "necessary house," an endangered species, addresses every aspect of its development and nature as a fundamental of folk architecture. Rich in technical detail (including blueprints for building your own outhouse, should the need arise), it ranges from the most rudimentary wooden structure to a turreted wonder with multiple doors. Brimming with amusing anecdotes, traditional verses, and rare postcards, a superlative gift or coffee-table item, The Vanishing American Outhouse is destined for pride of place on the bathroom bookshelf.