# Recommend a furniture-making/woodworking book **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 18, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-furniture-making-woodworking-book/477813 "2008-12-18T21:47:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-furniture-making-woodworking-book/477813/1 "2008-12-18T21:47:32Z")
My husband is going to build me some bookshelves and believes he knows how to go about it, but admits that having a reference book might be nice. (He says “might be nice”, I hear “get me this for Christmas.”) If you were going to have just one book on this subject, which would you choose? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-furniture-making-woodworking-book/477813/2 "2008-12-19T00:43:26Z")
What’s his skill level? Some books are nothing more than collections of concepts and ideas, highlighting construction details of well, details, but not providing the overall sense of “OK, so where do I start?” Other books can be almost painfully task-oriented, spelling out exactly what dimensions to cut the lumber, and exactly what sequence of steps to work in, as if it was a cookbook. If he’s just starting out, a Sunset or Time-Life book might be appropriate. If he’s been at woodworking for a while, books from Taunton or Woodworkers’ Journal are generally quite good, but will tend to be more conceptual. There don’t seem to be a whole lot of books focused on bookshelves, so you may want to open your search to media centers, entertainment centers and possibly even built-ins. Another option would be a [New Yankee Workshop](http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17848)video, especially if the plan is for built-in shelving, or at least shelving that looks like a built-in. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-furniture-making-woodworking-book/477813/3 "2008-12-19T12:54:37Z")
I’d say he’s at a pretty basic level, although he did build a nice shelf for the cats to eat on, out of the dog’s reach. This will be a big project for him. Thank you for the advice. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-furniture-making-woodworking-book/477813/4 "2008-12-19T13:53:39Z")
Your spouse will be very pleased you are going to this length for him. My wife did a similar thing with me for [Treehouses](http://www.blueforest.com/). She’s a love. I’m going to link to a [website](http://www.woodcentral.com/books/books1.shtml)that has a very good collection of books, varied woodworking books, but I own a couple of them in this list and they are truly fascinating and cherished my many a woodsmith. Soul of a Tree is splendid! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-furniture-making-woodworking-book/477813/5 "2008-12-19T16:38:03Z")
**gotpasswords** , that picture in your link looks like exactly what we’re going for. It tempts me to get that video, but I want to get more of a general reference. **Phlosphr** , your link is very useful. My husband doesn’t read for pleasure, so I think Soul of a Tree would be a bit much for him, but I’m looking at these Tage Frid books. He seems highly thought of.