Wood: Craft, Culture, HistoryA rich, authoritative look at a material that plays an essential role in human culture Wood has been a central part of human life throughout the world for thousands of years. In an intoxicating mix of science, history, and practical information, historian and woodworker Harvey Green considers this vital material's place on the planet. What makes one wood hard and one soft? How did we find it, tame it? Where does it fit into the histories of technology, architecture, and industrialization, of empire, exploration, and settlement? Spanning the surprising histories of the log cabin and Windsor chair, the deep truth about veneer, the role of wood in the American Revolution, the disappearance of the rain forests, the botany behind the baseball bat, and much more, Wood is a deep and satisfying look at one of our most treasured resources. |
Contents
Shelter | |
The Rub of the Grain | |
The Empire of Wood | |
Furniture Faith and Music | |
Thinking Inside the | |
Little Things with a Point | |
Bat and Battle | |
Fire Smoke and the Costs of Comfort | |
Epilogue | |
Acknowledgments | |
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American ancient appearance areas ball barrels became began blade boards Book building built called carved chairs Chinese common complex construction consumers continued craft cultural curved decorative demand designs developed early edge effective England English especially Europe European example expensive feet fences figure finished fire floor forests frame furniture grain ground hand human important industry iron Italy joints land latter least length less living lumber machines makers manufacturers maple material metal Native nature nineteenth century North once original pattern pieces pine planes possible practical Press probably produce relatively resistance shape ships side smoke smooth space sticks stone structure surface things timber trade traditional trees turned United University usually western wood wooden woodworking York