Hoffman and Bailey have compiled a couple hundred brief descriptions of fads from the United States. The focus is on fads from the last 50 years. There isn't any analysis of what fads really are, or what makes them happen, but it's interesting reading. It's enjoyable for anyone interested in fads, but I particularly recommend it for younger readers.

This is a typical Dover clip art book, with lots of illustrations haphazardly placed throughout the volume. There is a brief explanation at the beginning, and then you wonder what these pictures are all about. Most of them derive from Wm. Henry Pyne's "British Costume" of 1805, which was beautifully reproduced in full color seven or eight years ago for a very cheap price. The Dover book is OK, but if you want to know more about the subject matter then you should look for the other book.

This book adds to the proliferation of publications on turning. That is its sole contribution. The text is dull, naive, uninformative and repetitive. Many illustrations appear twice and some three times. I could find nothing new in it at all. Timbers are called "exotics" simply because they come from outside the USA, and then the names are misspelt - is that indicative of the global village, or is it simply parochial? Perhaps the author should stick to turning, although I find the results he shows of that activity not particularly inspiring either.

The Fine Art of small-scale Wooodturning is a pleasant journey both visually and intellectually. Many fine "small" turned works are illustrated with superb photography. I found it difficult to learn very much about "small-turning" because the author discussed turning in great breadth with little depth. A nice coffee table book with minimal value as a serious reference.

What sets this book apart from others I have seen is the excellent work, every item in projects or example pictures is a work of art. Not that the pieces are complex, but that they are all well done. I was inspired to spend the time to make my turning "art" not "craft". Part I: 70 pages on small turning, tools, shop, wood, finishing. Part II: 60 pages on projects. Gallery: 10 pages. Full color pictures on every page. Part I was interesting reading, with a focus on small turning, but not much new over other books, but very well done, and kept my attention the whole time (I often skip this part and go straight to projects, not this time). Part II: Projects (and pictures in Part I) included some unique items I had never seen before (and I have >20 wood turning books). Projects include: Tool handles, cribbage counters, lace bobbins, needle cases, costers, spinning tops, bowls, toothpick holders, candleholders, ring boxes, closed vessels, chessmen. This list may not sound unique, but one ring box shown includes a center post that the ring fits around, the spinning top is the traditional but with a solid base and contrasting handle, in the gallery a Bonnie Klein top with a screw-on lid. The Gallery consists of recent work from famous small scale turners: Kip Christensen, David Ellsworth, AW Jones, Bonnie Klein (my hero), Michael Lee, Craig Lossing, Michael D. Mode, David Sengel, Hans J. Weissflog, Mohamed Zakariya (all one per page).

What's wrong with this book?

1. Most of the projects in the book are for the very experienced craftsman. The projects seemed complicated just to be complicated. I'm not saying they should be super simple either but I think Taunton missed the mark on these.

2. These projects are for the woodworker who has a full set of power tools in their workshop. I also purchased Tauton's "Tables" book and loved the fact that many of the projects where done with minimal power tools. In this book the concept of "hand cut dovetails" are dovetails done with a jigsaw and a router. Way too many expensive jigs, routers, biscuits and pocket joints.

Since my next project is a chest of drawers for my son, I was really hoping to find inspiration in this book based on my other purchases of Taunton's books. Unfortunately I found none in this book. The ultimate test for me is to show my wife projects from books to see which one(s) she likes. She also found nothing in this book that we would want to build. Hopefully further book's released by Taunton can avoid these mistakes and make a book which most woodworkers can enjoy.

I consider myself an "advanced beginner" as a woodworker. I own Desks, Bookcases, and Beds in this series (and have completed projects from the latter two). Chests of Drawers does not live up to the high standards of these titles for two reasons:

1. Intentional difficulty-It almost seems as though the author tried to come up with the most complex solution to any joinery problem. For example, is there not an easier way to do the joinery for the Contemporary Chest (a beautiful piece, by the way) besides making 180 loose tenons and 8 dozen mortises? The triple dresser is gorgeous but I am not sure that could be made to the same quality outside of the Thomasville factory.

2. Lack of variety-I am sure that many of these projects can be modified but if I wanted to substantially modify them, I would just design something myself (something I don't feel comfortable doing yet on a project of this magnitude) and wouldn't need the book. The Pennsylvania Dutch chest, though nice (I mean, I am Pennsylvania Dutch) probably isn't something that needs to take up space in a book called Chests of Drawers. Something in the Arts and Crafts style would have been nice as well as a true Shaker project. Beyond that, one or two variations of a simple, but well constructed chest would have been helpful.

I was disappointed in this book and cannot recommend it. I probably would have given it one star, but most of the projects are truly beautiful. I am sure someone can make 'em!

I'm new to amazon, but do a column of book reviews on Wood Central.com for woodworkers. My reviews are a little different, because I take time to really read the volumes I select to write about. Reading Bill Hylton is like having him in the room beside you while you are learning. He has a down home, friendly writing style that anticipates the beginner's deficiencies and guards against errors that might become costly. I bought this book instead of waiting for a review copy to come my way, because I know Hylton's work from his router and cabinetry books.

'Chests of Drawers' is one of a series of 'Projects from America's Best Craftsmen' by Taunton Press. It includes seven projects, which doesn't sound like much, but in those seven projects, Hylton succeeds in getting across the basics of a variety of chest constructions, including bowfronts, triple dressers, blanket chests, tall chests, a Queen Anne chest on cabriole legs, and sheet-goods casework. It would be easy to take any of the seven projects presented, and adapt their construction to a wide variety of chests of drawers.

The discussions of built-up moldings and how they are made is a lesson in woodworking in general. These ideas would be usable on other types of furniture pieces, as would the instruction in bent laminations, string inlay and shop-made pulls. Hylton is an authority with the router, and in this book he gives many hints and tips on using it to complete drawer construction, mortises, base moldings, and dovetails.

Not all the projects are centered around expensive solid hardwoods. One double dresser, which could be adapted to a single chest, uses veneered sheet goods with biscuits, pocket-hole joinery and commercial drawer runners to keep down the cost, but you wouldn't know it to look at it. Simple, clean lines in an understated style lend it a spare elegance akin to Shaker furniture.

At the opposite end of the scale is the Qeen Anne chest on stand, with dovetailed case sides, dovetailed drawers resting on web frame infrastructure, and molding attached with sliding dovetails cut to allow for wood movement. The stand is an ogee profile, spline-mitered frame with pinnned tenons attaching rails to the bandsawn legs. When I'm ready to attempt that project, I'll be glad Bill Hylton is within reach. His step by step guidance through the complicated procedures is easily understandable, and well illustrated with clear color photos.

Of the many, many books I am offered to review, this one is definitely a 'keeper.' It is clear enough in its procedures to encourage a beginning woodworker, and has enough advanced pieces in it to serve as a skill-building exercise for the more experienced woodworker. I give it five stars. Written for the serious woodworker wanting to improve his or her skills, this book deserves every one of them.

Although the QUANTITY is high, I thought the QUALITY of the reproductions was low. This might be a better resource for art historians than artists.

Although the author claims this book is for beginners, only an expert could benefit from it. The author simply had someone photograph while he carved and burned a single duck, then labeled the pictures. No background, explanation, or discussions were given. A more desciptive title, emphasizing an expert interested only in ducks, would be very helpful to the reader.

The reader of this book will learn at least one thing from it; the author is a very good carver! It's pages are full of fine (but black & white) pictures of various aspects and stages of carving a decorative decoy.
Unfortunately that's basically it -- pictures. There is little commentary to go with them. A detailed, step-by-step explanation of how to achieve what one sees in the pictures would've made this book very valuable, but no such explanations are there.
To sum it up, if you think you can figure out how to woodburn a carving by looking at pictures, this book may be for you.

This book was a big disappointment! I always wanted to learn how to draw and paint clouds, so when I saw this book I was really excited. I am a novice in the field of Art and this book was no help whatsoever. It instructs you to perform certain drawing and painting techniques, but it doesn't tell you HOW to do them. This book may be good for someone who has previous experiences in Art, but for a beginner, like me, it's a big waste of time and money. :-(

ARE YOU KIDDING ME! This book is unquestionably the WORST book I've ever had the misfortune of owning. The drawings of duck and goose heads are simply gross, looking like they were done by a child and useful only to children with crayons.
And yes -- I COULD do better! Much better. Rather than "...in intricate detail..." as the Editorial Review says, the head drawings lack detail and are inconsistent from one size to the next. One wonders why the author didn't just reduce his full-size drawings on a copy machine.
The Review also promises "...exact specifications regarding head thickness...", but the book simply lists a "head thickness" for each species without stating how this measurement was taken. Was it from cheek to cheek, bill to back of head, eye to eye -- who knows what "head thickness" means here?
All this adds up to a book masquerading as a valuable waterfowl reference that is, in reality, virtually useless for anyone over the age of five.

This book is a republication of what appears to be "modern" methods of the 1950s. By the data, illustrations, tools and materials described in this book I conclude that the republication was not updated to the methods of the 1990s. For example, data quoted is from 1957 through 1960, the term "vinyl" is not used and the material is not described, and all tacking is literally done with tacks and not staples. If you are looking for a book to understand the methods of the past, then this is it. But don't expect to learn about truly modern methods and materials.