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embers_of_amber's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
I loved this book.
I grew up watching Mythbusters, and reading this book was like a Mythbusters Adam Savage movie-special, but in my brain.
I love the reverence he has towards his craft of making, and how he acknowledges things like art, cooking, and writing as ALSO making. We're all makers, and this advice is all useful.
The tools and glue sections might not be that helpful to everyone, but I'll always have a reference now for when my creativity leads me down a path I'm not well-versed in. Also, the philosophy behind his choices of glues and tools can be applied to any makers of any field.
I really appreciate how conversational the book is: part pep-talk, part memoir, part instructional guide, part permission-slip.
An absolute must read for creatives.
I grew up watching Mythbusters, and reading this book was like a Mythbusters Adam Savage movie-special, but in my brain.
I love the reverence he has towards his craft of making, and how he acknowledges things like art, cooking, and writing as ALSO making. We're all makers, and this advice is all useful.
The tools and glue sections might not be that helpful to everyone, but I'll always have a reference now for when my creativity leads me down a path I'm not well-versed in. Also, the philosophy behind his choices of glues and tools can be applied to any makers of any field.
I really appreciate how conversational the book is: part pep-talk, part memoir, part instructional guide, part permission-slip.
An absolute must read for creatives.
bmpicc's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a little torn on this one. I loved it and I was not in love with it at the same time. I loved the section about lists (I felt so seen!), the little bits about his childhood and his life, the idea that we are looking at "failure" & "wrong turns" incorrectly.
Sadly, what bored me was when he would go deep into different types of glue or scissors. I can appreciate his love of these things, but it was a little much for me. I still think it is worth a listen and has some wonderful takeaways.
“The best part of making a list is, you guessed it, crossing things off.”
“When we say we need to teach kids how to “fail,” we aren’t really telling the full truth. What we mean when we say that is simply that creation is iteration and that we need to give ourselves the room to try things that might not work in the pursuit of something that will.”
“Wrong turns are part of every journey. They are, as Kurt Vonnegut was fond of saying, “dancing lessons from God,” and the last thing we want to do is give our kids two left feet.”
Sadly, what bored me was when he would go deep into different types of glue or scissors. I can appreciate his love of these things, but it was a little much for me. I still think it is worth a listen and has some wonderful takeaways.
“The best part of making a list is, you guessed it, crossing things off.”
“When we say we need to teach kids how to “fail,” we aren’t really telling the full truth. What we mean when we say that is simply that creation is iteration and that we need to give ourselves the room to try things that might not work in the pursuit of something that will.”
“Wrong turns are part of every journey. They are, as Kurt Vonnegut was fond of saying, “dancing lessons from God,” and the last thing we want to do is give our kids two left feet.”
kaora's review against another edition
5.0
From young Adam (and Jamie(and and the rest of the crew)) has been a source of inspiration for me to truly chase the knowledge that's out there. This book was a great "makers guide" for how Adam runs his shop, lessons hes learned, and piles of personal anecdotes. I absolutely recommend this for anyone that is interested in any kind of creative making.
johnbreeden's review against another edition
5.0
Every Tools a Hammer is a maker's ode to his art. It addresses the creative process and the methods by which it can be aided and expanded. Adam Savage writes from the perspective of his own craft, including the arts of sculpture, modeling, and other physical arts. He takes this perspective, however, and talks about the higher levels of making. He not only discusses the why to his actions, but how those whys apply to all types of makers. I found myself thinking back to the wondrous times I had working as a visual manager in retail, but also looking forward as I am studying computer programming and software design. There are valid points here for anyone who wants to explore their creativity: in crafting, in programming, in writing, in so many different genres of making. I appreciate how this perspective can inspire and give permission to just go out and try.
pinappbuttonup's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
hbelle01's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
mjeaton's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
jmcsprite's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
beardomancer's review against another edition
4.0
At first I thought it was a self-help, then a memoir, then self-help again, but as I got closer to the end I kind of stumbled onto the idea that it's a book that's not really about anything in particular other than thinking. Think about the processes you use to get through your day. Think about your past, present, and future and how you can align them. Think about the tools you have at your disposal, and try using them for unintended purposes.
If you've listened to his podcast, you've probably heard most of what he says in this book, but even then it's still worth reading.
If you've listened to his podcast, you've probably heard most of what he says in this book, but even then it's still worth reading.