Studies of two dozen boats and yachts with profile drawings and photographs.

"With this book, you feel you can stop time and savor the rituals of life." --Maira Kalman An immersive journey through the culture and cuisine of one Japanese town, its forest, and its watershed--where ducks are hunted by net, saké is brewed from the purest mountain water, and charcoal is fired in stone kilns--by an American writer and food stylist who spent years working alongside artisans One night, Brooklyn-based artist and food writer Hannah Kirshner received a life-changing invitation to apprentice with a "saké evangelist" in a misty Japanese mountain village called Yamanaka. In a rapidly modernizing Japan, the region--a stronghold of the country's old-fashioned ways--was quickly becoming a destination for chefs and artisans looking to learn about the traditions that have long shaped Japanese culture. Kirshner put on a vest and tie and took her place behind the saké bar. Before long, she met a community of craftspeople, farmers, and foragers--master woodturners, hunters, a paper artist, and a man making charcoal in his nearly abandoned village on the outskirts of town. Kirshner found each craftsperson not only exhibited an extraordinary dedication to their work but their distinct expertise contributed to the fabric of the local culture. Inspired by these masters, she devoted herself to learning how they work and live. Taking readers deep into evergreen forests, terraced rice fields, and smoke-filled workshops, Kirshner captures the centuries-old traditions still alive in Yamanaka. Water, Wood, and Wild Things invites readers to see what goes into making a fine bowl, a cup of tea, or a harvest of rice and introduces the masters who dedicate their lives to this work. Part travelogue, part meditation on the meaning of work, and full of her own beautiful drawings and recipes, Kirshner's refreshing book is an ode to a place and its people, as well as a profound examination of what it means to sustain traditions and find purpose in cultivation and craft.

And as the waves take her apart, piece by piece, she watches the message of the lighthouse spelling itself out on the surface of the water. Its message is composed in the alphabet of light and dark. Flash, eclipse, flash, eclipse. If we see only the light, we are blinded; only the dark and we will never find our way. A tiny coin found inside a Cloudy Bay oyster, a postcard of a white-haired child leaning against a beached dinghy and a coconut peeled and carved once upon a time on the Batavian coast. These trinkets, found in a sea chest, and the fragmented memories of her grandfather's tall tales are all Essie Lewis has left of her family history. After her grandfather's death, Essie returns to Bruny Island, Tasmania and to the lighthouse where her great-great-grandfather kept watch for nearly 40 years. Beneath the lighthouse, she begins to write the stories of her ancestors. But the island is also home to Pete Shelverton, a sculptor who hunts feral cats to make his own peace with the past. And as Essie writes, she finds that Pete is a part of the history she can never escape. 'Absorbing, subtle, impressive writing.' Debra Adelaide 'Wood's writing is sinewy, physical and elemental.' Liam Davison riting.' Debra Adelaide 'Its lyrical probing of several dimensions of Australian/Tasmanian experience make it a fitting recipient for this award. Wood's achievement in her sustained evocation of the bleak Bruny Island landscape and the surrounding seascape is tremendously potent and effective.' Stella Clarke 'The author has that special quality which just jumps off the page. The voice is strong and the sense of place so powerful.' James Bradley 'Wood's writing is sinewy, physical and elemental. She is very good when it comes to the melding of family mythology, storytelling, and colonial history into something which serves a range of purposes. A novel about history rather than a historical novel.' Liam Davison

This New York Times bestselling book is filled with hundreds of fun, deceptively simple, budget-friendly ideas for sprucing up your home. With two home renovations under their (tool) belts and millions of hits per month on their blog YoungHouseLove.com, Sherry and John Petersik are home-improvement enthusiasts primed to pass on a slew of projects, tricks, and techniques to do-it-yourselfers of all levels. Packed with 243 tips and ideas—both classic and unexpected—and more than 400 photographs and illustrations, this is a book that readers will return to again and again for the creative projects and easy-to-follow instructions in the relatable voice the Petersiks are known for. Learn to trick out a thrift-store mirror, spice up plain old roller shades, "hack" your Ikea table to create three distinct looks, and so much more.

The degradable nature of high-performance, wood-based materials is an attractive advantage when considering environmental factors such as sustainability, recycling, and energy/resource conservation. The Handbook of Wood Chemistry and Wood Composites provides an excellent guide to the latest concepts and technologies in wood chemistry and bio-based composites. The book analyzes the chemical composition and physical properties of wood cellulose and its response to natural processes of degradation. It describes safe and effective chemical modifications to strengthen wood against biological, chemical, and mechanical degradation without using toxic, leachable, or corrosive chemicals. Expert researchers provide insightful analyses of the types of chemical modifications applied to polymer cell walls in wood, emphasizing the mechanisms of reaction involved and resulting changes in performance properties. These include modifications that increase water repellency, fire retardancy, and resistance to ultraviolet light, heat, moisture, mold, and other biological organisms. The text also explores modifications that increase mechanical strength, such as lumen fill, monomer polymer penetration, and plasticization. The Handbook of Wood Chemistry and Wood Composites concludes with the latest applications, such as adhesives, geotextiles, and sorbents, and future trends in the use of wood-based composites in terms of sustainable agriculture, biodegradability and recycling, and economics. Incorporating over 30 years of teaching experience, the esteemed editor of this handbook is well-attuned to educational demands as well as industry standards and research trends.

Inn this essential reference for woodworkers, the author explains everything from how trees grow to getting a sharp edge. Includes examples of problems and their solutions to help woodworkers through their own projects. Full-color photos and b&w illustrations.

“A surprise best-seller which, apparently, has the power to turn even the most feeble of us into axe-wielding lumberjacks.” —Independent The latest Scandinavian publishing phenomenon is not a Stieg Larsson-like thriller; it’s a book about chopping, stacking, and burning wood that has sold more than 200,000 copies in Norway and Sweden and has been a fixture on the bestseller lists there for more than a year. Norwegian Wood provides useful advice on the rustic hows and whys of taking care of your heating needs, but it’s also a thoughtful attempt to understand man’s age-old predilection for stacking wood and passion for open fires. An intriguing window into the exoticism of Scandinavian culture, the book also features enough inherently interesting facts and anecdotes and inspired prose to make it universally appealing. The U.S. edition is a fully updated version of the Norwegian original, and includes an appendix of U.S.-based resources and contacts. “A how-to guide as well as a celebration of wood—its scent, its variability, and the way it can connect modern life to simpler times . . . You don’t need to have a wood-burning stove or fireplace to be captivated by the craft and lore surrounding a Stone Age method of creating heat.” —The Boston Globe “The book has spread like wildfire.” —Daily Mail “A how-to book with poetry at its heart.” —The Times Literary Supplement

Learn How to Use Dyes and Chemicals Like a Pro If you’re a woodworker looking to take your skills–and your next project–to a higher level of craftsmanship, you might want to consider coloring your wood with chemicals and dyes instead of stains. Unlike stains that can trap light and obscure grain patterns, chemicals and dyes, when handled properly, are one of the best methods for enhancing a wood’s color or accentuating the grain pattern. A classic technique that’s been practiced for centuries, coloring wood is a sure way to infuse a “wow” into your woodworking efforts. With expert guidance by Brian Miller, a professor of Wood Technology who teaches an actual course on coloring wood, The Art of Coloring Wood removes any and all intimidation of working with chemicals and dyes and is the perfect entry point for anyone looking to move on from simple stains to learn the art of coloring wood for dramatic effect. To keep the information accessible and relevant. The Art of Coloring Wood focuses on the six most popular woods used by woodworkers–maple, quartersawn white oak, mahogany, walnut, cherry and alder–and outlines the unique characteristics with regard to coloring each. After the six woods are outlined, The Art of Coloring Wood moves onto the supplies needed, including brushes, sandpaper, and much more, before proceeding into the easy-to-follow and engaging chapters on the different chemicals and dyes that will make your woodworking shine. The beauty of The Art of Coloring Wood is Miller’s simple approach that makes the chemistry very easy to understand. Each chapter offers recipes, insights, and many “a-ha!” moments that make learning about chemicals and dyes both fascinating and within easy reach. With the helpful sidebars throughout the book offering tips, mistakes, and countless nuggets of information, The Art of Coloring Wood will have you understanding the methods and many worthwhile reasons for coloring your wood while chomping at the bit to get a project completed so you can finish it with style and flair.

After more than eight years of extensive research on the varnish used by the Italian Violin Makers from 1550 to 1750 A. D., it has not been possible to corroborate the results in the chemical laboratory. This is due entirely to the unavailability of samples of the varnish for confirmatory analysis. Violins made by the Italian masters of this period are so valuable and so scarce that a small sample of the varnish has not been procurable for experimental purposes. Therefore, synthesis must precede analysis . . . . and with no assistance from the latter. This, then, will explain the sub-title of this book as: "A Plausible Re-creation of the Varnish Used by the Italian Makers Between the Years 1550 and 1750 A. D." However, the results of this investigation are so logical and so deeply supported by a vast amount of convincing evidence, that publication of the book is in order. First, possibly the findings will be confirmed, or otherwise, by investigators who may be more fortunate in having access to material from authentic violins made by the old masters. Confirmatory chemical tests will be suggested; it should be comparatively simple, especially through modern micro-analytical methods, to determine the presence of certain constituents in the varnish. The subject matter of this book will of necessity become technical, especially when the theoretical aspects are considered. It is realized that not everyone who will be interested in the rediscovery of the old Italian varnish will also be interested in the scientific deductions and conclusions. For this reason, a chapter will be included in which the preparation of the materials from which the varnish is made, the formulation of the varnish and its application will be reduced to the simplest terms. The old masters who lived several hundred years ago and who possessed none of the advantages of modern technology also used only the simplest technique in varnishing and finishing their violins.