I am currently near to finishing 'The Age of Wood' (Roland Enos, 
Scribner), a fascinating anthropological/historical account of the role 
of wood in the history of our specie and civilizations. I recommend it 
highly. One interesting bit which I gleaned concerns Joseph Moxon, 
author of the Mechanick Exercises.  Moxon was promoted as a fellow to 
the Royal Society, the first tradesman to be so honoured, by scientist 
Robert Hooke, who helped him publish his works, which Enos describes as 
'the first-ever  set of DIY manuals'.

FWIW

Don

-- 

God's away on business - Tom Waits

"...it's just a humpty dumpty world" - Ry Cooder

Gentle List,  I have just finished listening to "The Age of Wood" and want to
add my recommendation as well. It's the sort of 'why things are the way they
are' book that I so enjoy.  Enos' book is wide-ranging but with a constant
thread of Wood throughout.  I found it to be fascinating.

Cheers,
John (Who is now halfway through "Firepower--How Weapons Shaped Warfare" another
fascinating 'why things are the way they are' book)

-----Original Message-----
Don wrote:

I am currently near to finishing 'The Age of Wood' (Roland Enos, Scribner), a
fascinating anthropological/historical account of the role of wood in the
history of our specie and civilizations. I recommend it highly. One interesting
bit which I gleaned concerns Joseph Moxon, author of the Mechanick Exercises.
Moxon was promoted as a fellow to the Royal Society, the first tradesman to be
so honoured, by scientist Robert Hooke, who helped him publish his works, which
Enos describes as 'the first-ever  set of DIY manuals'.

FWIW