The Backyard Lumberjack

December 1, 2006
Do you really need an entire book on woodcutting? First-time authors and father-and-son lumberjacks Frank and Stephen Philbrick manage to fill this book with much more. Safety is heavily emphasized throughout; discussions of tree species best suited for one's fireplace, chainsaw use and maintenance, and burning mechanisms are peppered with humorous reminiscences and philosophizing, which adds fluff. The subculture of logger games is also introduced, with competitive chopping, ax throwing, and more. There are nuggets of good information to be gleaned from this sometimes interesting, sometimes silly book. Buy only according to your region and local wood supply.

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