Scan barcode
tophat8855's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
2.0
I think I’m at my limit for “well-off people doing something so they can write a book about it” books. See: The Year of No Sugar.
It’s cool he did some stuff and I definitely want to do more making (I have shelves to build) but this book is very much of its time. I live in the Bay Area and know scores of people just like him and I can only handle so much of that middle-aged maker/burner energy.
It’s cool he did some stuff and I definitely want to do more making (I have shelves to build) but this book is very much of its time. I live in the Bay Area and know scores of people just like him and I can only handle so much of that middle-aged maker/burner energy.
whichthreewords's review against another edition
4.0
Nice. He's very free about sharing -- and positive about the value of -- his mistakes, which keeps the book from being too boosterish. But still: OMG California.
solitarysoul's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. I enjoyed the amount and variety of Do-It-Yourself areas that were touched upon. This is not a how to manual but a motivator.
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 :)