Customer Reviews

Reverence for Wood

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Eric Sloane was a painter of clouds and sky who built the Hall of Atmosphere in the American Museum of Natural History. He also wrote several books about weather. Later he produced manuals and three-dimensional models of weather phenomena for training military flyers during World War II.

His interest in weather drew him toward old diaries and almanacs that were filled with the weather lore of early American countrymen. And this, in turn, acquainted him with the countryman's reverence for wood.

One result was this wonderful book, whose prose is illustrated with more than 70 of Sloan's skilful pen-and-ink drawings. There's an excellent marriage between his writing and drawing. Just when you wonder exactly what some of his words might mean, along comes another drawing to make everything perfectly clear again. Many of the drawings are very detailed and packed with fascinating information about long ago wood lore.

If you like this book, you'll probably enjoy anything written by May Theilgaard Watts, a fine naturalist who knew how to draw. You may especially enjoy her "Reading the Landscape of America" at the same time as you enjoy Sloan's "Our Vanishing Landscape."

I first discovered Eric Sloane back in 1978 and immediately read everything I could find by him. All his reads are quick, entertaining, and educational. I have read this book many times and now love sharing it with others by giving it as a gift. Woodworkers, antique and Americana enthusiasts, foresters, etc will all find this a fascinating book. His pen and ink drawing are numerous and incredible. This is probably his most famous book. After this one you should consider "A Museum of Early American Tools", "Diary of an Early American Boy", and "Our Vanishing Landscape".

Sloanes book is saturated with his love for discovery. The book is a treasure trove of information with fantastic pen and ink sketches. Its style is narative, and it explores the reasons why the old timers built things the way they did. The original "This Old House" I highly recommend it. See also "Diary of an early American Boy" this book was one of only 100 books accepted into the Early American Library of the President on merrit. Presented in a thought provoking and imaginative way, Slones book comes alive. It teaches even as it entertains. You will intimately know the boy and his 1805 family.

This is Sloane's best book in my opinion, but then I've been a woodworker for many years and already have "a reverence for wood". There is much to learn here, a lot of information compressed into easily understood drawings and text and a joy to study. Highly recommended for both the woodworker and anyone interested in wood and its properties and uses.

I was drawn to this book by it's illustrations. I do not look at this book as a field guide. It is not a book to take into the wilds and identify the surronding wood, but a book that celebrates the Tree and all it's beauty. The pen drawlings give an image of strength and beauty that spark the imagination. A flavor for the majestiy that the trees posses. This book is for pleasure and celebration of trees.

This is one of my all-time favorite books. I read it in a sitting. I'm not even all that interested in wood or building anything else that may have made me a likely fan. The writing was fantastically engaging, and the tidbits and anecdotes just kept coming. I say it's Cliff Claven writes a book because that's how I've been describing it for 10 years now - Sloane's enthusiasm and honest passion are to writing what the charm of a pure young laugh is to happiness. I've given this book away I don't know how many times, and have never heard of somebody not loving it too.

This is an easy read that yet conveys quite a bit of information. An important part are the drawings, which say more than a thousand words. It is an atmosphere book, which lets the reader understand something of the relationship between the early Americans and their material (wood). It also shows that wood allows more uses than what passes for woodworking these days.

I am a little dubious about the inclusions of trees in the back. The author appears somewhat out of his depth here (he is no Peattie, not by a long way).

If you ever thought you knew all about wood, guess again.
This book has more history, knowledge and facts than any we
have ever had. We have a copy and have given copies to approx.
6 people in the wood working business.

We own a saw mill, but my husband was so delighted with little
known facts and trivia, we just had to share it with others.

A MUST buy!!!!

Using wood is an art form of itself. The other reviewers are good. This book talks about specific properties of wood, which I've never seen in print before, which were known before the Civil War, when wood was much more widely used than today. The title says it all. I love working in wood even more, now that I understand the spirit of the wood better. Any architect looking at old wood houses needs this book. Archeologists or those doing living history need this book. This is the kind of book that makes me look for everything else the author wrote, and to order accordingly.

A simple but beautiful book which is rich in the history of wood and woodworking in America. It is informative as well as rich in life lessons for all.