What’s on my bookshelf
I’ve quite a pile of books on my shelf at the moment, I thought I’d share some of them.
The Manual of Direct Metal Sculpture is a book that was sitting on my wish list for a long time. The reason is that it was written in 1978 by Trevor Faulkner and has become quite rare. However, once in a while a copy comes up that’s a decent price and I picked on up last year for just a few pounds.
Although industrial processes and technology have changed metal working radically over the last 40 years, manual metal forming as not changed that much. So this is why Faulkner’s handbook is still relevant today. The style of the book is slightly academic compared to modern books but that does not detract from its readability. There some good tips and techniques and I was just about finished reading it when Christmas came along with some new things to read.
The first was the third installment of Guy Martin’s autobiography Worms to catch which has temporarily replaced Faulkner for current reading. I’d already read Guy’s second book When you are dead you are dead and had really enjoyed it so it was a no brainer to get this one. Guy is passionate about motorbikes, cars, vans and bikes and this really comes out in his writing. He’s also passionate about what he does from fitting truck engines to cycling the length of the USA. I like that he’s not afraid to write about times he’s not been happy or when mistakes have been made. It also gives some of the back story to the Speed series with the human powered boats and planes. I can definitely confirm that Guy does not come across as a “TV Wanker” that he seems so keen to avoid becoming.
Another old book that I’m dipping into is Technical Illustration by A Edward Harvey, published in 1960 this is providing some ideas and inspiration for the Saw Book I’m writing.
Good Clean Fun is another present and I’ve not got started on this one yet. It looks to be a light hearted but practical book and I’m looking forward to it.
Posted in: Books and Magazine Reviews
Metal sculpture in brass, mounted on an 1800s French Coin
