In this elegant, literate primer, a master stonemason imparts the
fundamentals of building traditional New England-style dry stone walls,
along with thoughts on the history, aesthetics, and philosophy of the
craft of placing stone. In this eminently readable primer on the
fundamentals of placing stone, Kevin Gardner distills 25 years of
experience in building and repairing New England-style dry stone walls
into principles and practices that are adaptable to a wide variety of
designs and circumstances. In addition to directions on building basic
stone walls, he also demystifies steps, wells, ramps, walkways, and may
other forms of dry masonry. Gardner also discusses the philosophy behind
the repair and restoration of old walls, and gives the beginning wall
builder ways to think about the place of the stone wall within the
landscape. Along the way, Gardner considers the mythology of the stone
wall and its place in the New England imagination. And he explores the
history, philosophy, and aesthetics of working with stone in a book that
will bring as much pleasure to armchair craftsmen as it will valuable
instruction to the beginning wall builder. Selected as one of 2001's
Best Gift Books by The Times of Trenton, New Jersey; one of the 50 best
nonfiction books of 2001 by the Christian Science Monitor. 22 black &
white illustrations, glossary, bibliography, index.
