Book excerpt: Illustrated with rare and exclusive images from the official company archives, an authoritative and entertaining guide to the wildly popular, beautifully designed luxury recreational vehicle that has become a cultural icon, embodying the American spirit of freedom and adventure—and the ideal in mobile living. With its distinctive silver-bullet shaped profile, the Airstream has been an integral part of the American recreational landscape for more than eighty-five years. Since the 1930s, thousands of Americans have used it as a personal canvas to paint their own unique story as they’ve traveled the road of life, and today, these stunning, nostalgia-laden vehicles are more popular than ever. In Living the Airstream Life, Karen Flett tells the unique story of the designers who have transformed the brand into a mainstay of American life and the dreamers who have found their home, and their heart, in an Airstream. Living the Airstream Life is a tour along the diverse roads aficionados have taken in chasing their Airstream dreams. Stunning color photographs featuring new and vintage versions and compelling stories capture the allure of the Airstream and offer advice and insight on the practicalities of adopting this lifestyle. With spectacular photography and compelling stories, Living the Airstream Life offers inspiration for those actively pursing the dream of life on the road—whether for permanent living or as a temporary escape from the daily grind—and everyone who wants to live vicariously through those who dare.