A Splintered History of Wood: Belt Sander Races, Blind Woodworkers, and Baseball Bats | 
 enlarge | Author: Spike Carlsen
Publisher: Collins
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $13.80
You Save: $11.15 (45%)
New (38) Used (7) from $13.80
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 3021
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 432
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.5
ISBN: 0061373567
Dewey Decimal Number: 620.12
EAN: 9780061373565
ASIN: 0061373567
Publication Date: September 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In a world without wood, we might not be here at all. Without wood, we wouldn't have had the fire, heat, and shelter that allowed us to expand into the colder regions of the planet. If civilization somehow did develop, our daily lives still would be vastly different: there would be no violins, baseball bats, chopsticks, or wine corks. The book you are now holding wouldn't exist. At the same time, many of us are removed from the world where wood is shaped and celebrated every day. That world is inhabited by a unique assortment of eccentric craftsmen and passionate enthusiasts who have created some of the world's most beloved musical instruments, feared weapons, dazzling architecture, sacred relics, and bizarre forms of transportation. In A Splintered History of Wood, Spike Carlsen has uncovered the most outlandish characters and examples, from world-champion chainsaw carvers to blind woodworkers, the Miraculous Staircase to the Lindbergh kidnapping case, and many more, in a passionate and personal exploration of nature's greatest gift.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
Great read! October 20, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a fabulous "fill-in" book. It fills in when you just have a few minutes to read at a time, like during the week for me. But I don't mean that negatively. You can start and finish however many little interesting stories you can cram in within the time allotted. I happen to be a carpenter and woodworker but nearly every tidbit in here was still new and interesting to me. (Well, at least with the exception of what framing lumber dimensions actually are). I'm kind of a minutiae nut and if you're the same way, you'll love this book. He does an uncanny job of painting mental pictures of arcane topics like the building of guitars, pianos or baseball bats. It's fortunate that the writing is so understandable and concise because the pictures are a bit lacking. OK so there's one negative comment!
Who knew?!? September 28, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Spike Carlsen took a topic that could have been as exciting as, well watching wood grow, carved it into a well written story, with lots of humor and tales of how us humans---our very society itself---would not, could not be the same as it is today without this precious resource. This book, and the folks in it (and their unique personalities), and the woods themselves (each exotic specimen having its own incomparable story) is written with the same reverence an author would bring to a well researched and documented historical novel. He explains in exquisite, easy to read detail why certain woods are used for specific applications and how highly skilled craftsmen produce one of a kind pieces, which because they are made from material that were once alive, have taken on a life of their own. Great book I know will enjoy as much as I have!
 chatty September 20, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a book on a huge topic, and thus not easy to review. It is sparingly illustrated, mostly with B&W photographs, which come across moderately well as they are printed at an adequate size.
It covers an admirable breadth of material, and it reads very well, moving right along, in a chatty tone (it is a very American book). Not sure about the depth, in a few cases it was very noticeable that the writer had missed out on the best half of the story he was telling.
I see no reason why this should not be very popular with the American woodworker, or person with an interest in wood.
Not just for woodworkers September 17, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Because this book is as much about people as it is about wood it's incredibly readable -- and funny. The author got out from behind the desk and got into the stories as much as possible and shares self-effacing tales along the way.
The book is set-up as individual essays so readers can pick and choose where to start. I was drawn to the one on Jimmy Carter and how wood forensics helps to solve crimes.
It's good for the Cliffy Claven in your life as well as the public radio essay listener looking for a human lesson behind the facts.
A wise informative book full of good humor September 17, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is a book about wood that will amaze you, inform you, make you wise and make you laugh. Where else, between two covers could you hope to learn about the history of the catapult, the worlds largest wooden airplane, a model city built of 2 million toothpicks, how a grand piano is made, the world championship belt sander races, and much, much more. On top of that you will get more solid, well-informed information about wood and trees than you ever thought you'd want to know. And you'll keep reading right to the end because it's beautifully and smoothly written and great fun throughout.
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