Description:
In the world of building and how-to books, an occasional and rare thing happens: a book appears that goes beyond the hardware and advice and offers a deeper insight into what really motivates people to build, fix, and create things, and begins a conversation about what such endeavors mean to ordinary people who are drawn to and realize "do-it-yourself" lives. George Ehrenhaft has written what could only be called an affectionate book about a group of owner-builders around the country and their true tales, often in their own words, about not only what they have done and how, but also why they did it in the first place. There are stories of serious builders and weekend hobbyists--connected on an almost spiritual level by the desire to make or keep a roof over their heads--and their willingness to jump, inexperienced, into projects and learn by doing, learn by making mistakes, learn from friends, professionals, and books, from blood, sweat, toil, and tears, and finally by success itself. You'll meet, among others, the Connecticut architect and his "city-girl" wife who lived in a tent for a year while building their dream home, a flutist for the Boston Symphony who renovates commercial real estate in his spare time, and a divorced mother of three who rebuilt her life as she built her home. Their experiences, insights, observations, and perspectives are revealing and moving. Ehrenhaft's exploration is inspirational, laugh-out-loud funny in places, touching, and simply a great read as a study of a fascinating group of dedicated "weekend builders." This book is a rare gem, written in a warm, articulate, and absorbing style, a great gift for any do-it-yourselfer who also loves to read; also, for that matter, for anyone at all who enjoys a good story about human inspiration and the creative urge. --Mark A. Hetts
|
