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 The pages of Gideon's notebook are given to us to read, complete with some pictures of his various projects. Really well done, this book is a great read not only for anyone who likes a good family story, but for those who could use a little inspiration in their lives as well. If it doesn't touch you in some way, I would be surprised.
Reviewed by Donna Denn
The Carpenter's Notebook
by Mark Clement
Hardcover: 312 pages
Centerline Media (November, 2004)
ISBN: 0975421247
Brendan Herlihy is fulfilling a promise to his father: to redo his father's shop to make an art studio for his mother. Gideon Herlihy left behind his "carpenter's notebook," a rather battered aluminium contractor's clipboard. In the notebook, Gideon has left behind notes on projects and a kind of journal of his thoughts and feelings. I think Gideon is an amazing and very wise man.
Through the notebook, Brendan is given a rare insight into his father that most sons would never have seen. He's also able to revisit his own childhood through his father's eyes. As you can well imagine, that gives him some perspective that he didn't have previously. The whole project will change Brendan in some rather profound ways and will touch your heart as you experience this story.
One of the things I really liked about The Carpenter's Notebook is how it was set up. The pages of Gideon's notebook are given to us to read, complete with some pictures of his various projects. Really well done, this book is a great read not only for anyone who likes a good family story, but for those who could use a little inspiration in their lives as well. If it doesn't touch you in some way, I would be surprised.
The characters are well drawn and it's easy to imagine them as being modeled after real people. It's easy to see that Mark Clement has a firm grasp on what he's writing about and pulls us into Brendan's world effortlessly.
From Gideon's notebook:
Failure and my beautiful wife Kay were my two great teachers: the taskmaster and the gentle sage, who showed me how to change and who taught me that so many of life's hurdles don't need to be so high--if you measure your work space carefully before you start installing tiles, they taught me that these measurements raise questions and will force me to look ahead at their implications, while I can't use a tape measure to predict the future of my life like I can predict where tiles will land, the logic works. Here's what I mean: measuring your life means asking--then answering--hard questions. Am I truly happy? Am I constantly frustrated? Is there something wrong here? If I lay these kitchen tiles like this, will they flow into the hallway and pantry like they grew there? Another way of saying it is, how do I feel now and will I feel differently tomorrow? Should I continue on this path, whatever it is? Or should I change directions? Having a good layout helps answer these questions. It gives the answers context. I've also found that it takes courage to face the reality of these measurements.
I highly recommend this book! Reading groups would find much to discuss here and individual readers will be inspired to perhaps begin a journal of their own. Pick up a copy of The Carpenter's Notebook. You won't be disappointed. Keep a tissue handy, just in case. From the back of his book:
Mark Clement is a carpenter, writer and father. As the Executive Editor of Tools of the Trade magazine, he is a recognized leader in tool and how-to information for building pros. In his spare time, he enjoys competing in adventure races and triathlons. Mark lives and writes in Ambler, Pennsylvania.
For more information visit The Carpenter's Notebook
About the Reviewer: Donna "Diamond" Denn works at a Hastings store in the book department, and loves her job. Books are an addiction for her, and she participates in a number of reading groups online, and runs an online fantasy reading group. She also knits, crochets and works on the garden as sidelines, but books are her first love.
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