Making Things Right: A Master Carpenter at Work

2017 | Biography

A celebration of good craftsmanship by a Norwegian master builder - the anatomy of a job well done. This is, quite simply, the story of a loft conversion. It is also a book about work and identity, about collaboration and pride in skilled craftsmanship, and about what it means to make things with your hands in a consumerism-driven world. A master builder and carpenter with thirty years' experience, Thorstensen gives a matter-of-fact, reflective voice to the workers who construct our living spaces and our urban environment. He looks upon his tools as an important part of himself and as a reflection of his respect for his trade, and he addresses the gulf in understanding and communication between skilled craftsman and "academic" workers. From the moment of a client's phone call to their occupation of a newly constructed living space, Diary of a Carpenter tracks the project as it takes shape: the delicate negotiation to establish an optimum plan; the collaboration with a trusted team of specialist painters, plasterers, plumbers, electricians; the handling of materials; the blood, sweat and frustration involved in doing a job well. Why is it that manual skills are underestimated?

After all, working with your hands gives you time to think. With all its practical detail, Diary of a Carpenter is the simple philosophy of a working life. Translated from the Norwegian by Sean Kinsella

Ole Thorstensen (Author)

Sean Kinsella (Author)