New Releases From HOPS Press, LLC!
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Roadmap to Reality
Consciousness, Worldviews,
and the Blossoming of Human Spirit
Released May 2008

      What if our entire experience of reality were based on an assumption that could be proven false? In Roadmap to Reality, Thomas J. Elpel tests the assumption that we are a sentient (self-aware) species, and finds evidence suggesting otherwise. Like automatons, we copy beliefs and behaviors from generation to generation without consciously evaluating why we do what we do. We absorb a definition of reality and act on it, without ever questioning the source of that definition. In short, we don't act; we react.
      Roadmap to Reality is the quest to unravel the illusions to discover what reality really is. The journey follows the link between technology and thought, showing how hunter-gatherer, agricultural, industrial, and informational societies define reality in predictable ways. In essence, production technology dictates how we perceive cause and effect, how we solve problems, and how we approach parenting and governing. Read More...

Stone Age Living Skills
Video Classics Series on DVD
Released July 2007

      The Stone Age Living Skills Video Classic Series brings back to life on DVD some of the best primitive skills videos ever produced on VHS video. Our first three discs in this series feature seven great movies from four top instructors: Jim Riggs, Brian James, Robert Earthworm, and Melvin Beattie. Topics covered include: friction fire with the handdrill and bowdrill, plant fiber cordage, the primitive lifestyle, hide tanning with both wet-scrape and dry-scrape techniques, plus knapping arrowheads and making primitive arrows. Read More...

Canoe Camping
on a song and a paddle
Released January 2007

      With two water bottles and a flute in their canoe, Thomas J. Elpel and intern Kris Reed go survival camping at the local lake. Amidst the abundant waterfowl, wildlife, and intermittent rain showers and thunderstorms, they camp for three days and two nights and demonstrate all of the skills required to meet their basic needs, including: Read More...

See a pattern? Shanleya's Quest Patterns in Plants Card Game By Thomas J. Elpel. Illustrated by Gloria Brown Photos by Thomas J. Elpel and Mary Ellen Harte March 2006 Read the book. Play the game! The Patterns in Plants Card Game is a fun way to test your skills at identifying the family patterns described in Shanleya's Quest. Learn to see the patterns in the game. Then you will be able to recognize them in the real world! ISBN: 1-892784-23-8 March 2006. $12.50 Read More...

The Art of Nothing
Wilderness Survival Video Series
With Thomas J. Elpel and special guests
DVD Version Released January 2006

     Have you ever dreamed of being able to walk out into the woods to survive with nothing but the clothes you have on? You are not alone. In a society that is very disconnected from the natural world, many individuals find themselves wondering about what lies beyond the pavement. We know that our ancestors lived by their bare hands and wits alone, but how did they do it? How would you do it? What would it be like to be so connected with the natural world that you could just leave everything behind and walk away into the woods? It is easier than you might expect. Read More...

Shanleya's Quest
A Botany Adventure for Kids Ages to 99
By Thomas J. Elpel, author of Botany in a Day
Illustrated by Gloria Brown
March 2005

     In a mythical world where time is a liquid that falls as rain upon the land, young Shanleya paddles her canoe out to the tree islands to learn the plant traditions of her people. Each island is home to a separate family of plants and an unforgettable Guardian with lessons to teach about the identification and uses of those plants.

     Shanleya's Quest is a truly unique educational book that presents botanical concepts and plant identification skills in an easy and fun metaphorical format for children as well as for adults who are young at heart. Read More...

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A Bear's Tale of the Lewis & Clark Expedition
By Julia Faircloth and Judy Nansel. Illustrated by Judy Nansel.
March 2005

     Lewis and Clark are bear explorers who set out to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean. Follow along with them as Lewis and Clark (and fellow bears Sacajawea, Pomp, and Charbonneau) travel up rivers and over mountains along the historic Lewis and Clark route. The easy reading and expressive illustrations tell a complex story in a simple and exciting way. This delightful book is bound with real suede fringe that gives it an authentic appeal. It is a "must-have" for Lewis and Clark collectors of all ages. This fun little book was written and illustrated by Renee Elpel's mother and aunt. Read More...

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Living Homes
Integrated Design and Construction
5th Edition, January 2005

     The house of your Dreams does not have to be expensive. The key is all in the planning. How much a house costs, how it looks, how comfortable it is, how energy-efficient it is--all these things occur on paper before you pick up even one tool. A little extra time in the planning process can save you tens of thousands of dollars in construction and maintenance. That is time well spent! Read More...

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Slipform Stone Masonry Video
With Builder and Author Thomas J. Elpel
DVD Version Released August 2004

     Want to build a stone house? It's easier than you might think! Slipform Stone Masonry brings to life the nuts-and-bolts of the slipforming process featured in Tom's book Living Homes.

     Slipforming is the process of using forms on both sides of the wall as a guide for the stonework. The forms are filled with stone and concrete, then "slipped" up the walls to form the subsequent levels. Slipforming makes stone work easy even for the novice. Now Available on DVD! Read More...

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Botany in a Day
The Patterns Method of Plant Identification
5th Edition. Released January 2004

     Botany in a Day is changing the way people learn about plants! Tom's book has gained a nationwide audience almost exclusively by word-of-mouth. It is now used as a text and recommended by herbal and wilderness schools across North America. Instead of presenting individual plants, Botany in a Day unveils the patterns of identification and uses among related plants, giving readers simple tools to rapidly unlock the mysteries of the new species they encounter throughout the continent. Read More...

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More books by Thomas J. Elpel!

Participating in Nature

Botany in a Day

Direct Pointing to Real Wealth

Living Homes