Post by Poor Richard on May 7, 2021 7:45:51 GMT -7
The Walls Around Us by David Owen
Just finished an enjoyable book titled "The Walls Around Us" by David Owen. Owen purchased a 200+ year old house in rural Connecticut. After the purchase he discovered that the house was falling apart and needed substantial repairs. He hired people to do some of the work but was forced by his dwindling funds to learn how to fix things. Painful economics taught him a valuable lesson in self reliance.
Owen watched carpenters and other skilled tradesmen and started to educate himself on how to work with his hands. Over a period of five years he made many mistakes, did not cut any fingers off and learned a great deal. Towards the end of the book he chronicles how he successfully converted one room into his home office. The book is his story of becoming a home handyman told in a humorous and often self deprecating manner. Along the way Owens treats us to in depth knowledge of common materials like paint, sheetrock, lumber, roofing and insulation. It was an interesting book and a relatively quick read. I learned more about how houses are designed to work and what causes their demise. If you own your home and are interested in learning more about how it works, this is a great read.
Owen watched carpenters and other skilled tradesmen and started to educate himself on how to work with his hands. Over a period of five years he made many mistakes, did not cut any fingers off and learned a great deal. Towards the end of the book he chronicles how he successfully converted one room into his home office. The book is his story of becoming a home handyman told in a humorous and often self deprecating manner. Along the way Owens treats us to in depth knowledge of common materials like paint, sheetrock, lumber, roofing and insulation. It was an interesting book and a relatively quick read. I learned more about how houses are designed to work and what causes their demise. If you own your home and are interested in learning more about how it works, this is a great read.
