Author Archives: literaryworkshop

What’s in a Name?

Posted on September 28, 2020

Since middle school, most of us have hesitated to let other people give us names. Name-calling is a basic tool in the toolbox of bullies and leaders of cliques. And even though our parents mostly gave us nice, socially-acceptable names, … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings, Wood and Woodwork, Woodenware | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hurricane Sally: A Woodworker’s Perspective

Posted on September 19, 2020

To employ the worst of literary cliches: “It was a dark and stormy night.” It really was. On the evening of Tuesday, 15 September 2020, Hurricane Sally slowly moved into the Alabama Gulf Coast. For the last few days, our … Continue reading →

Posted in Wood and Woodwork | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Note of Encouragement to Beginning Carvers

Posted on September 18, 2020

If you’re doing any wood carving these days, you probably belong to one or more Facebook groups for carving. Or you follow some expert carvers on Instagram. Seeing beautiful woodwork every day can be inspiring at first. But eventually it … Continue reading →

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Can You Carve Spoons from Dry Wood?

Posted on September 10, 2020

Spoons and other “treen” are traditionally carved from green wood, cut fresh from the tree. The obvious advantages are that (1) fresh-cut wood is softer and generally easier to cut than dried wood, and (2) you don’t have to spend … Continue reading →

Posted in Carving, Lumber, Woodenware | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

I Wrote a Book!

Posted on September 4, 2020

I spend a lot of time making three basic kinds of things: food, books, and woodwork. This blog was designed to showcase the last category, my woodworking. On the blog, I’ve tried to stay away from content that’s not somehow … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Literary Workshop is 10 Years Old Today!

Posted on August 29, 2020

Ten years ago today, I launched this blog with this single-paragraph post: Another Woodworking Blog? Really? Yes, another woodworking blog.  Why?  I started working wood only a few years ago, and I quickly began to chronicle my progress on WoodNet, … Continue reading →

Posted in Musings | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Why Aren’t There More Novels about Woodworkers (or about Anyone in the Trades)?

Posted on July 24, 2020

I recently got an e-mail from a reader, Chris, asking if I knew of any good fiction or even poetry about woodworkers or woodworking. I hate to admit it, but even though this blog is The Literary Workshop, I was … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Woodworking Literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Building the Marriage Bed

Posted on July 17, 2020

Barely one year ago, I shared a post entitled “One Last Bedstead,” in which I showed how I made a bedframe for my son.  I ended that post with these words: “that should be the last bed frame I have … Continue reading →

Posted in Wood and Woodwork | 1 Comment

Your Project Makes You

Posted on July 11, 2020

When you’re building a piece of furniture on a tight schedule, there comes a point where you stop fussing with a workpiece and decide that “good enough” really is good enough.  If, for example, you’re making a dresser for your … Continue reading →

Posted in Wood and Woodwork | 8 Comments

Podcast Recommendation: Hand Tool Book Review

Posted on June 21, 2020

I don’t listen to a lot of podcasts.  Yes, there are a lot of great podcasts out there, but the time I have available for listening is pretty limited, so I have to choose my podcasts with care. That said, … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Reviews, Wood and Woodwork, Woodworking Literature | Tagged , , | Leave a comment