Inspirational books for woodworking

[tibi]

Hello,

I have started looking for some inspirational books about woodworking. I have read enough how-to books and articles, but now I am looking at the Why question of woodworking. I would like to read some life stories and advice from inspirational woodworkers. Can you recommend me some titles?

I have read about A Cabinetmaker's Notebook by James Krenov, that it might be the sort of book, I am looking for. What do you think of this book and him as a craftsman? Is his woodworking philosophy sound or the hype around him is overrated (something like Apple among computers and phones)?

Thank you.

 

[rogxwhit]

I'd say that Krenov's whole philosophy of work was very pure and totally authentic, and that he pursued craft in the highest sense, in that it embodied both intellect and emotion in a context of cultural awareness. If there's any hype attached to him it must've emanated from others with purposes of their own and not from Krenov himself - he was as far from hype as it's possible to get.

 

[Yojevol]

'WHY WE MAKE THINGS AND WHY IT MATTERS' by Peter Korn

 

[Jacob]

Hello,

I have started looking for some inspirational books about woodworking. I have read enough how-to books and articles, but now I am looking at the Why question of woodworking. I would like to read some life stories and advice from inspirational woodworkers. Can you recommend me some titles?

I have read about A Cabinetmaker's Notebook by James Krenov, that it might be the sort of book, I am looking for. What do you think of this book and him as a craftsman? Is his woodworking philosophy sound or the hype around him is overrated (something like Apple among computers and phones)?

Thank you.

Krenov hit the mark with the ever expanding wave of amateur woodwork enthusiasts from the 60s and later. OK if he inspires people but you can take him or leave him!
My fave books are The Wheelwright's Shop by G Sturt, Technique of Furniture Making by E Joyce and a few others e.g Irish Country Furniture and anything by Claudia Kinmonth.

​

 

[Jacob]

..... If there's any hype attached to him it must've emanated from others with purposes of their own and not from Krenov himself - he was as far from hype as it's possible to get.

True, he seemed embarrassed by the hero worship and kept claiming to be just an amateur and a bit of an old hippy.

 

[rogxwhit]

Maybe also odd that he finished his days in America, the land of materialistic overkill ... but we all have to earn our crust ...

 

[Jacob]

'WHY WE MAKE THINGS AND WHY IT MATTERS' by Peter Korn

Looks interesting I'll put it on my list! Why We Make Things And Why It Matters: The Education of a Craftsman by Peter Korn

 

[Jacob]

Looks interesting I'll put it on my list! Why We Make Things And Why It Matters: The Education of a Craftsman by Peter Korn

Worth having a look at the massive tomes coming from the likes of Victor Chinnery and Wallace Nutting - they cover a lot of ground and make you realise that good design can be as old as the hills

 

[Adam W.]

Snip/Hello,

I have started looking for some inspirational books about woodworking. I have read enough how-to books and articles, but now I am looking at the Why question of woodworking./snip

Why ?

Because it's a versatile medium for expression and it's also easy to build with, durable and cheap ish.

 

[Jacob]

Or why not?
Seems to be an innate human characteristic to make more of something than just the bare necessities, from polished flint axes onwards and upwards!

 

[Adam W.]

I don't think you need a book, just ask yourself why you are attracted to it. I think the answer will be the same for most people who ask the same questions.

Why wood and not panel products ?
Why hand tools and not machines ?
Why do I not get excited about sharpening threads ?

Stuff like that.

 

[Citracal]

Great question. Some thoughts on a few that I've been through.

Sam Maloof, Woodworker. Can't say I found it inspiring or particularly well written but lots of nice images and certainly made me appreciate his furniture more.

George Nakashima, The Soul of a Tree. Definitely an interesting, inspiring, well articulated and balanced book. Strong recommendation.

Soetsu Yanagi, The Unknown Craftsman. This book has fundamentally changed how I appraise handmade objects. Recommendations don't come stronger than that.

Richard Sennet, The Craftsman. If I didn't do this for a living I may have found it more inspiring. I imagine it would appeal strongly to hobbyists and those who want to really sink their teeth into the topic of craftsmanship.

James Krenov, The Impractical Cabinetmaker. I remember very little of this book, perhaps because I think it is quite short. If you want a strongly purist, and impractical, approach to cabinetry then Krenov is your man. If you intend to use a socket in your workshop you may find it less appealing.

Rob Penn, The man who made things out of Trees. The man who also wasted good paper printing that book.

Matthew B Crawford, Shop Class as Soulcraft. This was dangerously inspiring, caused me to switch careers so handle with caution.

I would recommend grabbing several books, I'm sure you'll learn something about the craft and yourself by reading any of these and a lot of them can be gotten very cheap second hand from AbeBooks | Shop for Books, Art & Collectibles

Why we make things, and why it matters by Peter Korn also sounds like a great read. Definitely adding it to the pile.

 

[Sideways]

I enjoyed Krenov's books and would recommend them to you. They were all available in A4 size paperpacks.
I also rate Toshio Odate's book on Japanese Woodworking Tools. He was craftsman turned teacher trying to explain the hows and whys to us westerners long before youtube was around to give a platform to wannabe's who weren't raised in that tradition.

 

[tibi]

Great question. Some thoughts on a few that I've been through.

Sam Maloof, Woodworker. Can't say I found it inspiring or particularly well written but lots of nice images and certainly made me appreciate his furniture more.

George Nakashima, The Soul of a Tree. Definitely an interesting, inspiring, well articulated and balanced book. Strong recommendation.

Soetsu Yanagi, The Unknown Craftsman. This book has fundamentally changed how I appraise handmade objects. Recommendations don't come stronger than that.

Richard Sennet, The Craftsman. If I didn't do this for a living I may have found it more inspiring. I imagine it would appeal strongly to hobbyists and those who want to really sink their teeth into the topic of craftsmanship.

James Krenov, The Impractical Cabinetmaker. I remember very little of this book, perhaps because I think it is quite short. If you want a strongly purist, and impractical, approach to cabinetry then Krenov is your man. If you intend to use a socket in your workshop you may find it less appealing.

Rob Penn, The man who made things out of Trees. The man who also wasted good paper printing that book.

Matthew B Crawford, Shop Class as Soulcraft. This was dangerously inspiring, caused me to switch careers so handle with caution.

I would recommend grabbing several books, I'm sure you'll learn something about the craft and yourself by reading any of these and a lot of them can be gotten very cheap second hand from AbeBooks | Shop for Books, Art & Collectibles

Why we make things, and why it matters by Peter Korn also sounds like a great read. Definitely adding it to the pile.

Thank you very much for a good list. I will go over the books and order some of them. I have bought from AbeBooks in the past, but as I am not from the UK, shipping 25 GBP per book is rather expensive. I have another site, where they have free worldwide shipping.

 

[foxbat]

The soul of tree - George Nakashima - being lead by the medium to create design

Not wood working exactly but Hand to earth - Andy Goldsworthy - understanding form in and from nature, sort of what woodworking reflects in what we create

 

[rogxwhit]

Some books are more seminal than others. There are coffee table tomes, all gloss and surface, and others that cut through the manure. Here are some that unlike most mentioned above are not about furniture making, but do involve wood as a material -

The Nature and Art of Workmanship - David Pye
Craftsmen of Necessity - Christopher & Charlotte Williams
English Historic Carpentry - Cecil Hewett
Wood and Wood Joints - Klaus Zwerger

Hewett was a dogged and inspired grass roots pioneer who studied joints in medieval wooden buildings and proposed a chronology of those buildings that was rubbished by the academic establishment of the day - because it contradicted stuff that they kept faihfully repeating but had made up! But as radiocarbon dating became affordable, he was validated and his authority had to be allowed. The book mentioned is full of illuminating dissections of medieval wooden structures including roofs, spires and doors ... marvellous drawings!

 

[treeturner123]

It's always worth looking in Charity Shops. Oxfam and some others often have book only stores which is where I bought 'The International Book of Wood'. It gives a thumbnail on how many ways wood has been used in so many areas of human usage, plus a basic biology of wood, how it has been harvested etc.

Most fascinating is the section on roofs especially those of Eastern European Churches.

Bargain at £3.50!!!

Phil

 

[recipio]

I get inspiration from looking at great design - and then wondering if I can make it. I tend to spend weeks working out the construction process which is a pleasure in itself. Everybody should have a copy of 'Bespoke' by Betty Norbury which is a snapshot of the best of British design. Its fetching silly money online however.