The Carpenter's Notebook

by Mark Clement

Book Overview

The secret to living a good life can be found on a jobsite. Two years after his father?s death, Brendan Herlihy leaves his daughters and collapsing marriage to fulfill a promise: remodel his father?s dilapidated shop into an art studio for his mother. There Brendan finds his father?s dented and scratched aluminum contractor?s clipboard, Gideon Herlihy?s Carpenter?s Notebook. On the curled, yellowed papers Gideon recorded ?True Things? that helped...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0975421239
• ISBN13: 9780975421239
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: Beverly A Koehn
• Length: 291 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Loved It!

I had run across this title some time ago. Finally, I picked it up! Absolutely loved it! The struggle that Brendan endures is something that any man in a relationship with his parents, wife or kids will relate to. Seeing himself through his father's eyes is also an incredible voyage of discovery. Finally the notebook parts where awesome as well. This is the first book I've every bothers to right a review for.

The Carpenter's Notebook is nails.

Each chapter commences with an excerpt from the real Carpenter's Notebook, a precious heirloom unearthed by Brendan, followed by the young carpenter's tale. The engaging story line is poetically juxtaposed to the notebook entries. Brendan divines job and life wisdom during a hiatus from his routine life, when he builds a studio for his mother, a task his father was unable to complete. During a grueling process of self-discovery, Brendan sweats, aches, imbibes and copulates. He learns what is important in life versus what is mere material. Brendan truly gets to know his Dad. The old man is still living in his flesh and pumping in his blood as Brendan pounds out a roof like a frenzied whirlwind. A compelling tale told in vibrant prose one might not expect from a tradesman. Mark Clement shows us the tool he wields most adroitly--is his pen.

Something for everyone. Honest!

"The Carpenter's Notebook" deals with deep emotions, but it's definitely not a chick book. Far from it, in fact. You only have to follow the life of Gideon -- the carpenter himself -- to learn that. He's one tough guy, but he's also smart and, most important of all, he has his priorities straight. Other reviewers have summarized the story itself, so I'll just sum up my reaction to it. I grinned a few times, teared up enough to have to stop and wipe my eyes a few times (it's really hard to read through tears, you know), and made a list of the people -- male and female -- to whom I need to send copies of this book. I learned a lot, too. I've been hanging around the construction industry for quite a few years as a journalist, but I didn't know you could safely wait to put shingles on a roof until after the drywall was up. My construction-related vocabulary expanded, and I bet I even could build some of the projects Gideon so carefully describes and illustrates. (Well, I could if I had the skills. And the tools.) You can tell from the vivid imagery and emotion that author Mark Clement has been there and done that. He must know the smell and feel and look of newly sawn wood; how could he describe it so well otherwise? The scene in which 19-year-old Gideon sets some huge number of fence posts left me feeling exhausted and thirsty, too -- and aching for the kid and the mess he was in. Son Brendan's constant soul-searching as he looks for a magic key to save his marriage indicates some pretty deep introspection on the author's part, as well. Or maybe roofing in the hot summer sun provides some kind of metaphysical experience that transcends ordinary thought and understanding of the human condition. (I suspect that for me, though, it would provide heat stroke.) "The Carpenter's Notebook" may not be "LI-tra-chur," but the book is a wonderful, satisfying read. It offers a terrific story, an interesting approach to presenting the story, and some really cool projects to build. (If you have the skills, of course. And the tools.)

A superbly engaging flair for original storytelling

Two years after his father's death, Brendan Herlihy leaves his two daughters and a collapsing marriage to fulfill his promise that he would remodel his dad's dilapidated shop, transforming it into an art studio for his mother. In the process, Brendan uncovers some curled, yellowed papers upon which is father, Gideon, had recorded "True Things" that helped outline the mission of his life and make sense of his existence as a young father, a husband, and a man. It seems Gideon had utilized his tools for more than just carpentry in building and improving the homes in his small town -- he had used them to build and improve his life. With memories of working long ago summers at his father's side, Brendan rebuilds his father's workshop, and in doing so, begins to rebuild his own life and family. Highly recommended reading, The Carpenter's Notebook is a heartwarming, even inspirational novel written with a superbly engaging flair for original storytelling by author Mark Clement.

Very touching

I received a copy from the Author, I'm not much of a book reader, I prefer technical stuff. I read it on a flight from NY to Portland to keep busy. Once I started I couldn't put it down. Excellent reading. Very moving. As a Side note, I lent it to my Wife to read, she read it cover to cover, even all the Notebook entries. I'm going to need another copy, since she lent it to a friend. Superb Job Mark !!! Mike S