Revealing a world beyond the stereotype, My Cool Campervan celebrates the new wave of interest in modern-retro campervans. When people think of campervans, they almost always recall the iconic VW T2, that familiar, happy-faced van that embodies the virtues of enjoying the journey and taking your time. However, there is a world of forgotten campervans out there and an idiosyncratic world of individual conversions to campers. Join Jane Field-Lewis and Chris Haddon as they set off on a 3,500-mile trip to locate campervans and their proud owners, who share their memories of family holidays and long road trips. Delve into the world of road-tripping as they reveal a succession of delightful campervans, memorable locations, and classic models, at times beautifully restored, and at others well-loved and well-used. My Cool Campervan reveals a world beyond the stereotype and is a celebration of campervans' evolving styles and designs.

Discover over 40 different caravans of all vintages, from across the world Celebrating the wave of interest in modern-retro caravanning, this is a visual voyage into this stylish world and an idiosyncratic sourcebook for the design-conscious. Featured caravans include retro classics as well as mass-produced models from the 1960s onwards. "A beautifully shot celebration of classic vans from around the world...complete with style notes on how to achieve that period look." --Drive magazine

"A camper is not just a camper. It's whatever you want it to be." Introduced in the 1950s, the campervan has captured the hearts of people all over the world and become a much-loved symbol of travel and fun. Owners are extraordinarily passionate about their campers; some treat them as an extension of their home, others undertake epic journeys in them, across desert and sea, through Europe, Asia, and Africa. Some strap surfboards to the roof and head for the nearest beach, while others soup up the engines and take them drag racing. Many will spend hours restoring and customizing them, and even more talking about them with fellow bus owners. Campervan Crazy is a tribute to this passion, to the owners who have lavished time, effort, and inspiration on their vans, and, of course, to the campervan itself. It traces the cult of the campervan, from family runabouts, to holiday home and design icon. Above all else, the campervan is living history and you will find chapters dedicated to "births, marriages and deaths," "wide-eyed wanderers," as well as some "buses behaving badly."

So, you want to buy a campervan – or maybe you are still just dreaming about it: I totally understand. Owning your own campervan is beyond brilliant but, what sort of van do you buy? Or maybe you are going to take the brave step of converting your own van and are not sure where to start. You are probably going to spend a fair amount of your savings on this purchase, so you want to get it right. And you want to find a campervan that you will love and who loves you back. If this is a new world to you, it can be hard to even know what the options are. If you are an experienced camper there are still so many questions you need to ask yourself before you even begin looking at actual vehicles. Questions like: What is my camping style?, What is the best base vehicle for me?, What sort of interior suits my style of camping?, How will I power my van?, plus lots of other questions that will help you find the perfect van for you. “I Want a Campervan” talks you through all these questions and is your friend and guide on this amazing new journey that you are starting. So, take a big breath, find a great campervan and go live the dream! Summer Bourne writes a blog and books on the campervan life including cookbooks for camping meals. With her partner, Glyn, she has owned a Toyota micro camper and they have now converted a Vauxhall Vivaro panel van into a campervan called ‘Big Red’.

It was invented immediately after the war, in the factory a far-sighted English military man had set up to turn the German economy from making machines of warfare to more pacific products. By the seventies that dream had been amply fulfilled, as the VW Campervan became the conveyance of choice for West Coast hippies, Australian surf bums and Europeans taking the overland route to find enlightenment and good karma in India. It had also become – indeed, still is – the first choice for any couple, or family, seeking a cheap camping holiday with wheels attached. So never mind the oddly off-centre driving wheel, the vagaries of the aircooled rear engine – the VW Campervan had become more than a vehicle – it had truly become a way of life. Mike Harding’s first ride in a Volkswagen Camper Van was back in 1961, when it was the carrying around the gear and bandmembers of his rock band the Manchester Rainmakers. Finally, in 2009, he could wait no longer, and bought his own, a 2001 Type 2 bay window Brazilian import Danbury conversion in hot orange and off white. Add in the endless curiosity of the author of eight monographs on church architecture, and the hilarious sense of humour of one of Britain’s best stand-up comics, and you have a wonderful social history of the postwar years through the prism of a single transport icon.

'The Camper Cookie: Easy Recipes and Cool Tips for Your Campervan Life' is a friendly cookbook full of easy, delicious recipes that you can make in a campervan kitchen. The book also has some really helpful tips for cooking in a campervan like: how to create a capsule larder that uses the same ingredients for many meals or kitchen kit, like silicone lids, that help to make your cooking life easier. The recipes are also really good for weekday meals when you get in from work and want proper food but want something quick and simple. Summer is a passionate campervanner who also loves good food and she now blogs and writes books about the easy, home-style recipes that she creates for the campervan life. Summer and her partner, Glyn, had been camping for many years but got fed up with putting up a tent in the half-light on a Friday night or taking it down in the rain at the end of a wet weekend so decided to buy themselves a small campervan. They went to the campervan shows but realised that their very small budget would buy them barely more than a wheel there! But then they found a company that sold converted Toyota Previas for a reasonable price and their new campervan, 'Trev-the-Prev' came in to their life. Summer had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for many years but healed herself by researching, like a maniac, everything to do with mind-body health. She realised that nutritious food is very important to staying well and happy but found that it was not so easy to cook good food in the limited kitchen that you get in a small campervan. So she started to search for and develop easy real-food recipes that they could cook when they were out having adventures. She loves to share her recipes so she started up a blog (www.thecampercookie.com) and also writes recipe books for campervan cooking. She also demonstrates her recipes on YouTube and at shows.

Anyone who has ever driven a Volkswagen camper will appreciate the appeal of this unique vehicle with its styling and versatility. Over the years it has given joy to millions of people and is now synonymous with the surfing culture that has become so popular today. The origin of this legend dates back to a darker time in history when the determination of Adolf Hitler saw the birth of the equally iconic Beetle. By the end of the Second World War, stripped down Beetles were being used as trucks to ferry parts around the Wolfsberg factory, but Ben Pon - the first to sell Volkswagens outside Germany - saw its true potential and was instrumental in the arrival of the Type 2 T1 camper van (or bus as it was affectionately known) in 1950. The VW camper has seen many changes over the years but is still going strong today and, if anything, has seen a resurgence in popularity over the last few years. The Big Book of Camper Van takes you from the beginnings through to camper vanning in the 21st century. It is a 'must have' for anyone already in love with them, as well as for those who are new to the wonders of the VW camper van world and the joy it undoubtedly brings.