Publisher's Synopsis
This book is an exploration and celebration of tools. It's not a complete reckoning, but it spans most commonly encountered tools and many of their lesser knownvariants. It's an attempt to unravel the complex tapestry of how tools relate to oneanother, their use, and the esoteric language that enshrouds them. Simply put, thisbook will teach you what a hammer is, tell you which one to buy, and explain how itcame into being.Tools are an important part of the human story. Our evolution is chronicled by thetools we've made. Stone Age. Bronze Age. The Industrial Revolution. Sure, in part it'sbecause those tools are the remnants that survive us, waiting millennia to beunearthed along some riverbank, but it's also because our ability to shape the worldaround us is largely what's defined our species. We've been doing it for millions ofyears, and in lockstep our evolution of purpose-built tools has grown in size ... whilealso becoming ever less approachable.That's the difficulty of these storied objects. They are an intimidatingly deep wellof specifications and jargon that's daunting to unpack.Think of this book as a low-resolution map. While it might not have detailedinformation on every tool, it provides context, connecting the dots for the newlyinterested while filling in some gaps for the more seasoned. By cataloging a widevariety of tools, I hope to plant the seeds for future discoverability and help you askthe right questions.
