Making Things Work, Nancy R. Hiller

As cautionary woodworking tales go, Nancy R. Hiller's might just be the funniest – and the most sincere. In contrast to James Krenov's "The Impractical Cabinetmaker" from 1979, "Making Things Work: Tales from a Cabinetmaker's Life" is not about waiting for a particular plank to tell you its true purpose, nor an exhortation to fuss over each detail no matter the personal cost.

Instead, Hiller's funny and occasionally ribald story is about a cabinetmaker trained to work at the highest level, and how she has dealt with the anxiety that occurs when the drive for excellence collides with paying the monthly bills.

The backdrop is a cast of characters who could populate a Coen brothers film: a Missouri furniture maker who masquerades as a Brit to impress his customers, a 30-something client and her older husband who seem hell-bent on cheating every trades worker in the Midwest, and Hiller's British trainers, who through teasing, criticism and mockery finally let her know what "navy cake" really is.

At the centre is Hiller, who seeks to run an honest business, make beautiful things and be fairly paid. Doing all three at once is an immense challenge, and she tells her odyssey in a series of vignettes that read like modern-day fables. Each chapter holds a lesson about the craft, business or personal relationships, but it is up to you to decode it. Her indirect approach is one of the great charms of the book.

If you are considering leaving a cozy corporate job to make furniture, this book is required reading, as it shows how difficult the profession can be. For amateur woodworkers it is a great read; Hiller is a fine and precise writer who knows exactly when to land a punch line.

Facts:
Author Nancy R. Hiller
Hardbound with sewn binding and dust jacket
Second edition with new dust jacket and one additional tale at the end
Made in the USA
Language English