Classics from the New Yankee Workshop by Tim Snyder

by Norm Abram

good

Genres: Woodwork

Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 1990

About the author

Master carpenter of This Old House since the series’ 1979 premiere, and host of The New Yankee Workshop since its premiere a decade later, Norm Abram has inspired millions of homeowners to renovate and restore their homes. Seen across the country as the ultimate home improvement guru, everyone wishes Norm lived next door.

This carpenter-turned-celebrity was “discovered” by creator Russell Morash, who had commissioned him to build a barn on Russ’s suburban Boston property. Russ was so impressed with Norm’s work (he had the smallest scrap pile Russ had ever seen) that he invited the carpenter to help with the renovation of a rundown Victorian house in Boston’s historic Dorchester section—with a WGBH camera crew recording the process for a series. It was an instant success, and Norm has been master carpenter for This Old House ever since.

Admired for his easy-going manner and common-sense approach to renovation, Norm is an uncompromising old-world craftsman and a pioneer who searches out new construction products and approaches. His appearances at trade shows across the country and on Today, The Late Show With David Letterman, Oprah!, Entertainment Tonight, and Good Morning America are extremely popular. His likeness, complete with a trademark plaid shirt, has been featured on Home Improvement, Saturday Night Live, Steven Spielberg’s Freakazoid, and in nationally syndicated cartoons.

Norm has authored eight companion books, including Ask Norm, The New Yankee Workshop, Classics From The New Yankee Workshop, Mostly Shaker From The New Yankee Workshop, Outdoor Projects From The New Yankee Workshop, Norm Abram’s New House, Measure Twice, Cut Once, and, The New Yankee Workshop Kids’ Stuff, all published by Little, Brown and Company. He has also contributed to Complete Remodeling and Complete Landscaping, both published by This Old House Books in conjunction with Sunset Books in 2004. Norm serves on the editorial board of This Old House magazine, published by This Old House, LLC., also authoring the popular column, Norm’s Tricks of the Trade.

Born in Rhode Island, Norm was exposed to the carpentry trade by his carpenter father as a young child. Norm continued to refine his skills working by his father’s side remodeling and building custom homes through high school and college vacations. He attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he studied mechanical engineering and business administration. In 1976, after three years as a site supervisor for a New England-based, multimillion-dollar construction firm, he founded Integrated Structures, Inc., a general contracting company he operated until 1989. The main focus of the company was house renovations and additions, with the occasional new home or commercial project.

Norm is also on the board of trustees of Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, and had the privilege of giving the 2001 commencement speech at The North Bennet Street School in Boston, which is renowned for its commitment to teaching craftsmanship.

Norm lives with his wife in a classic Colonial home that he built in Massachusetts. They enjoy cooking and entertaining, visiting art galleries and museums, as well as boating, fishing, and kayaking.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, so I did not 'read' this one so much as 'go through it' but I did go through it.

There were many aspects of this book that I appreciated and enjoyed:
>the accessible, narrative-conversational tone of the writing
>that Abram works in a high-end shop but recognizes not everyone does so suggests 'ideally this is the technique/tool but if you don't have that these other ways/tools will work with these adjustments'
>the diagrams and details of the various aspects of the pieces and their construction
>the well-thought-out, detailed instructions of how each aspect of each piece goes together and how they come together as a whole
>the photos of the different steps showing how they go together
>the small 'stories' that go with each piece: what pieces inspired the pieces in the book, something about the wood, the place the inspiration was found, etc.
>even including the one or two pieces that did not fit my taste, I still admired the craftsmanship that went into all of the items detailed in the book
>the thoughtfulness and artistry that Abram puts into his work
>the mathematical, methodological approach the Abram puts into his work

I used to watch the New Yankee Workshop on TV when I was a kid. I am happy that I came across this book while seeking something to complete one of the last two tasks I have for a Crazy Challenge Connection challenge ('a book with Yankee in the title').

Overall, this book is a solid resource for people wishing to undertake this type of carpentry.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I once wrote in my blog, my old hobby was woodworking whereas my new hobby is reading about woodworking. Even so, I'm tempted to try the garden bench project from this book, as we're making some changes to the backyard. I've enjoyed Norm Abrams' carpentry and woodworking projects on This Old House and The New Yankee Workshop for years, and the companion books capture the simple designs and techniques well.