Kitchie Coo

This is my dad.  And he is AMAZING.  Truly amazing.




Why is he amazing, you ask?  Well, besides his obvious good looks, charm, and being one of the most thoughtful, caring, loving human beings I know, he's also written some books.  Some really good books.

My dad, Spike, started off first as a school teacher, then switched to carpentry and finally worked his way up the ranks at The Family Handyman magazine to become Executive Editor.  Then, he took the bravest step of all...he quit his financially secure dream job to pursue a writing career.  For so many people this could have been a dead end.  Not for Spike.  He is the hardest working, most persistent man I know.  And now, just a handful of years later he has not one, not two, but three books in publication.

If you have a woodworker, aspiring woodworker, or wood enthusiast in your life, then these books are the perfect gift for them.  Actually, even if you don't know any of these kinds of people, I am pretty sure you'll get a kick out of these books.  And I'm not just saying that because he's my dad either.   Check them out and you'll see why...


He wrote this book:

Photo from Amazon.com

A Splintered History of Wood was voted one of NPR's ten best books of 2008 as chosen by small book shop owners.  It is the fascinating story of wood throughout history and examines how wood has changed the course of our daily lives throughout the ages.  He takes a subject that could be dry and dull and turns it into something truly enchanting and fun to read.  I mean seriously, did you know that there is such thing as belt sander races??  And that there are some truly talented blind woodworkers out there?  That's some pretty cool stuff there.


He also wrote this book:

Photo from Amazon.com

Ridiculously Simple Furniture Projects is chock full of simple, yet useful furniture ideas.  And, there may or may not be an awesome recipe stand contained within named after one of his daughters.  I use this recipe stand on a daily basis.  Obviously.


And because these two books were both so wildly successful, he was asked to write another book.  This book just became available for purchase on Monday:

Photo from Amazon.com

Woodworking FAQ: The Workshop Companion  "has everything you want to know, whether you're a beginner planning your first project or an experienced crafter putting in cabinets or making furniture. This book is like a master carpenter standing at your elbow to answer questions as they arise" (from Amazon.com).  I am still patiently waiting for my copy to arrive in the mail, but cannot wait to check it out.  You should too!

He's also started a blog which is cleverly titled Spike Carlsen, which you can find here.

I am so proud of you Daddio!!  You are an inspiration.  Congrats on book #3, and I can't wait to see what your next 3 (6? 9?) books have in store.