BOOK REVIEWS

Books in the MSC Library (Compiled by Don Drapeau)

  1. A Glossary of Wood ..... (reviewed) by John Sedgwick

REVIEW

by John Sedgwick

1. A Glossary of Wood, by Thomas Corkhill

Wood has been a part of our lives since the beginning of time. It was used in the shaft of arrows, boomerangs and lances, by which we fed and defended ourselves. It was used to make our houses, our transportation on land and water. We also burnt it for heat and cooking, used its sap to make glue, sugar and countless medicines. Even the air we breathe is provided by trees.

This relationship with wood has led to hundreds of words to be incorporated into everyday language. For example:

There are numerous hilarious and or obscure words and terms, which have faded from use over time, such as:

There are all the technical terms used now and in the past from around the world.

There are carving, marquetry and architectural terms from "A" to "Z"

Use to the Marquetarian

The book also lists hundreds of wood species and their common and Latin names, as well as any cross-referenced spellings. The book is, in fact, an illustrated dictionary, which to some not interested in wood may read like a telephone book. For the past month the book has been sitting on my coffee table and I have moved a bookmark steadily through it.

To summarize - if you have not yet begun to acquire wood reference material - start with this one. If wood terms and trivia are of interest, this is the answer to hundreds of questions.

The book is available, on loan, from the Marquetry Society of Canada and perhaps your local library. It is published by Stobart & Sons - 67/73 Worship St., London EC2A 2EC, U.K.


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