There's been an emphatic upsurge in hand-tool woodworking in recent years, and it's easy to understand

why. Working wood with hand tools can be a pure pleasure: It's an activity that combines freehand shaping with precision joinery and enjoyable exertion with self-expression. And all of that while you explore a material that is aesthetically beguiling and aromatic to boot. Some woodworkers have put their routers, tablesaws, and biscuit machines aside in favor of planes, chisels, and hand saws; others continue to rely on their machines and power tools but have shifted the balance in their shops toward tools that work fine when unplugged.

While hand-tool woodworking can be

a delight, getting good at it takes time and

effort and, for many, much trial and error. The only shortcut to mastery that I know of is a good teacher. Or seventeen. If you are drawn toward hand-tool woodworking—or are already immersed in it—you'll find this book an unparalleled resource. It brings together contributions by masters of the craft who are also superb instructors. In pieces originally