Rustic woodworking is a technique that continues to attract both novice and experienced craftspeople. Through 30 attractive projects of varying difficulty, two experts in this traditional art teach the pleasures of working with sticks, twigs, and other found wood. No experience is required to construct many of the pieces, and illustrations and color photos provide help throughout. A woven twig birdhouse, beautiful diamond rose trellis, and the perennial favorite Adirondack chair: all the projects add decorative flair to a porch or deck. Also included are tips for working with bark, and advice on painting and other finishing methods. The various combinations of natural wood textures and curves will add spark—and comfort—to any garden.

There’s no competition. When it comes to the American Idyll, the hammock and the Adirondack chair are the shoe-in (and shoes-off!) winners. Built for lazing around in, they’re the classic icons of a summer getaway. And they’re both quintessentially American. The hammock, invented by the native inhabitants of the Caribbean, was “discovered” by Columbus on his first voyage to the New World. And the Adirondack chair—whose name evokes the mountain retreats for which it was originally fashioned—is deeply rooted in the American Arts & Crafts movement. In these charming books, furniture maker Daniel Mack captures the nostalgic, carefree, and oh-so-comfortable spirit of the hammock and ’Rondack chair. Illustrated with scores of contemporary photographs and images from vintage memorabilia, The Hammock and The Adirondack Chair are also filled with “who knew?” history. And each contains instructions for hanging your own hammock or building your own chair. But really, these books—splendid gifts for Father’s Day or as thank-you tokens for summer-weekend hosts—are not about work. In fact, they’re perfect for taking a little break with (while relaxing, of course, in a hammock or Adirondack chair).