This is an exuberant storytelling book - a collection of entertaining and thought-provoking tales shared by Jim Carpenter, gleaned from his experiences working with wood. A lifelong interest in woodworking, carpentry, and its history eventually led Jim to share his background and wisdom of working in his shop. You are sure to chuckle at the wry wit stories in this informative book. One story he often shares is titled Really? One evening while my neighbor was out on a bike ride, he stopped by to check out what I was working on in my shop. After a bit he asked me why I was using a hand saw when I had a perfectly good table saw sitting right there. It didn't make any sense to him. I asked him why he was riding a bicycle when he had a perfectly good car sitting right there in his garage. He told me that his evening bike rides were a way he could relax and it made him feel better. No comment.