Reading and getting educated

[Bobby Slack]

Todd Clippinger said that his best tool in the shop are his books. I would take it a step further and the best tool we all have is our brains, but this is not the point.

I am CONTSTANTLY reading books, magazines, online publications, blogs, and forums on woodworking and then, I get to thinking, how to balance this education.

So, having ADD, I came up with a system (if you have better suggestions they are welcome):

1 - book - Biography of somebody important and influential.

2 - book - materials

3 - book - design of many different schools, not just all the G&G that I love and have been reading so much.

4 - book on techniques.

Is a four book cycle.

And then, we can take this a step further, how about an online book club where we all agree on an agenda, a book and we discuss this on a forum.

The idea is education, education, knowledge, we all need to be versed on techniques, schools, styles, etc.

Just an idea.

If there are no takers, I am doing this on my own. Just finished "building drawers and doors" Now I started "The Complete Illustrated guide to Joinery".

I read a bunch on Greene and Greene.

The joinery book was inspired by Gregory Paolini because he exposed me to a joint that I was not familiar with. Then this lead to a discussion on this forum and ... I had the book anyway.

I like Gary's style, down to earth and simple.

[Guest Trace]

I believe that "Education" is confused with learning. As a teacher, I saw many students that did not do well when it came to tests. Tests are used as a yardstick to determine memory of trivial crap too often. The same person who did not too well on tests was, more likely than not, the one who was better at the practical side of the course. Learning is the real key. You learn at a variable rate. An example is learning that a cup of coffee is too hot, solid geometry takes a little longer. I 'learned' very early in life that "How smart you are depends on where you are standing at a given time". The "True" learning comes from experience, asking questions, and trying things. The "True" university is the books and studying you do. "Education" is the sum total of all of the preceding. Give me a "C" student that is willing to work every time. I think you have a good idea, however it may take some setup and tweaking, Bobby