whichcraftidk's review against another edition
5.0
My review from Woodridge Book Talk:
“This is the real secret of life–to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.” — Alan Watts
These days a lot of people are interested in DIY/Do It Yourself. Sometimes that interest turns into action and sometimes it’s a dream. Making something yourself or doing a job you’d normally pay someone else to do can be scary. Mark Frauenfelder was intrigued and fascinated by all the amazing creators he met as the editor of Make Magazine but he was afraid to tackle projects because he thought he didn’t have the right skills. But all the makers he talked to told him to just jump in. They hadn’t been experts in the areas they started tinkering in–they just learned as they went. So Mark spoke with what he calls Alpha Makers–the people forging their own paths, doing incredible things, and serving as inspiration to others–and started taking the leap himself. Eventually he had chickens, a chicken coop, bees, homemade food and drinks, and new confidence in his handy work. Along the way he learns about overcoming the fear of failure and embracing failing as an important learning experience. Mark’s job keeps him tied to a desk for most of the day and the time he spends building and making gives him much-needed time to think and a sense of accomplishment he’d been missing. He gets to spend more time with his young daughters in a more fulfilling way than just watching TV or everyone playing iPhone games. It’s not all joy and enrichment, though. Chickens get hurt, bees take over, and Mark’s wife complains that he spends too much time with projects and not enough with his family. He learns balance and compromise as much as any other skill.
Anyone interested in DIY would learn from Made By Hand. It’s all the inspiration you need to try something new–be it building a cabinet, learning to draw, or making your own kimchi. Mark makes the case for DIY being more important now than ever and his failures and victories should give any wannabe maker the courage they need to get started.
If you’ve been bitten by the DIY bug, check out Make Magazine. You can read more about Made by Hand, find an excerpt, and watch an interview with Mark on the Made by Hand site. Ready to get started? Mark’s cigar box guitar tutorial is free on the Make website.
“This is the real secret of life–to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.” — Alan Watts
These days a lot of people are interested in DIY/Do It Yourself. Sometimes that interest turns into action and sometimes it’s a dream. Making something yourself or doing a job you’d normally pay someone else to do can be scary. Mark Frauenfelder was intrigued and fascinated by all the amazing creators he met as the editor of Make Magazine but he was afraid to tackle projects because he thought he didn’t have the right skills. But all the makers he talked to told him to just jump in. They hadn’t been experts in the areas they started tinkering in–they just learned as they went. So Mark spoke with what he calls Alpha Makers–the people forging their own paths, doing incredible things, and serving as inspiration to others–and started taking the leap himself. Eventually he had chickens, a chicken coop, bees, homemade food and drinks, and new confidence in his handy work. Along the way he learns about overcoming the fear of failure and embracing failing as an important learning experience. Mark’s job keeps him tied to a desk for most of the day and the time he spends building and making gives him much-needed time to think and a sense of accomplishment he’d been missing. He gets to spend more time with his young daughters in a more fulfilling way than just watching TV or everyone playing iPhone games. It’s not all joy and enrichment, though. Chickens get hurt, bees take over, and Mark’s wife complains that he spends too much time with projects and not enough with his family. He learns balance and compromise as much as any other skill.
Anyone interested in DIY would learn from Made By Hand. It’s all the inspiration you need to try something new–be it building a cabinet, learning to draw, or making your own kimchi. Mark makes the case for DIY being more important now than ever and his failures and victories should give any wannabe maker the courage they need to get started.
If you’ve been bitten by the DIY bug, check out Make Magazine. You can read more about Made by Hand, find an excerpt, and watch an interview with Mark on the Made by Hand site. Ready to get started? Mark’s cigar box guitar tutorial is free on the Make website.
mmichellemoore's review against another edition
5.0
As with many DIY books this made me want to drop everything and start crafting something. I enjoyed Frauenfelder's admission of his mistakes and he makes the entire concept of doing a weekend/on the side DIY-selfer an attractive doable endeavor. All I need now is the space to do some of the projects he talked about and another three hours a day.
jannie_mtl's review against another edition
4.0
In the prologue, Frauenfelder documents his attempt to physically get away to a simpler life, but realizes that changes in his lifestyle might be a better path to simplicity. In this book, he documents how a DIY mentality, from making espresso to raising chicken (and children) can add meaning to life in unexpected ways. Frauenfelder is the editor in chief of Make magazine.
violetu's review against another edition
4.0
A good book with quite a bit of inspiration, delving into the world of "make it yourself / do it yourself". This isn't a how-to book, though there are a few tips included.
tomfoutz's review against another edition
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as it encapsulates so many of my interests. I love "tinkering", as Kjirsti can attest to. Kjirsti and I both have drawn so much happiness from renovating our home. I love creating electronics, and building creations with my boys. Kjirsti is starting to make homemade yogurt, and we cook almost everything from original ingredients. The book made me almost want to build a chicken coop! (Almost :)
onlymattjohnson's review against another edition
3.0
A good summary of various DIY projects and how they impact the lives of working people in the USA.
yooperann's review
4.0
Mark Frauendfelder and his colleagues at Make get lots of credit for encouraging a new generation to use their hands for something other than Angry Birds and Nintendo, though perhaps not as much credit as they take. It's the contemporary version of the Whole Earth Catalog, encouraging people to compost, raise chickens, make music, and perhaps home-school their kids.
The author's ambitions often get carried away, but that just makes for a better story, and he's humble enough to admit when he just can't pull something off. Entertaining and perhaps useful.
The author's ambitions often get carried away, but that just makes for a better story, and he's humble enough to admit when he just can't pull something off. Entertaining and perhaps useful.
sun_dog's review
3.0
I was looking forward to hearing the thoughts of one of the leaders of the DIY movement, and to a degree it was as I'd hoped--a homespun tale of his adventures in making things by hand, learning how things work, and fixing it yourself. There was a goodly dose of the philosophy and even research on the value of Doing It Yourself. The author has led an interesting life and is a down to earth and likable guy.
At times however, it ended up reading like a diary. While a larger story or section might be worth adding to the book, the writing execution can often fall into a "...and then I did this, and then this happened, and I talked to this cool guy and he said this, and then we had lunch, and I finished the chicken coop. My family and I still aren't sure if we like it." Erm, right. After fifty pages on that story, I'm not sure I liked it either...
So, double points for the topics, his unique place in the field, and a likable author. It would have been better with a conscious effort at a story arc and tending the 'story garden' better to make sure all the pieces belong and fit together. "Here's a bunch of stories about my efforts in DIY" is just ok.
At times however, it ended up reading like a diary. While a larger story or section might be worth adding to the book, the writing execution can often fall into a "...and then I did this, and then this happened, and I talked to this cool guy and he said this, and then we had lunch, and I finished the chicken coop. My family and I still aren't sure if we like it." Erm, right. After fifty pages on that story, I'm not sure I liked it either...
So, double points for the topics, his unique place in the field, and a likable author. It would have been better with a conscious effort at a story arc and tending the 'story garden' better to make sure all the pieces belong and fit together. "Here's a bunch of stories about my efforts in DIY" is just ok.
iwantamonkey's review
4.0
Good read. Chronicles Frauenfelder's attempts at connecting with himself, the land, and his family via DIY projects -- successes and failures demonstrated. Profiles of the other (professional) DIY-ers are interesting and a welcome addition to his story.