Classics from the New Yankee Workshop

by Russell Morash, Norm Abram

The master carpenter presents thirteen new projects, including a rocking horse, an Adirondack chair, a corner cupboard, a pencil-post bed, a garden bench, and more

Genres: Woodwork

216 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1990

About the author

Providing home enthusiasts nationwide with award-winning programming, Russell Morash has been called the father of “how-to” and “know-how” television. As the founder of This Old House in 1979, he introduced the premier home improvement television series to America and continues to inspire a legion of homeowners who never knew they could do it themselves.

“Who could have imagined that the home improvement television idea would develop into an entire industry,” says Russ. “But given the fact that a person’s home is likely his or her most valuable asset, it may explain why so many viewers still depend on This Old House.”

Russ, whose forebears were carpenters and shipwrights, conceived the idea of This Old House in 1976 while remodeling his own home. The first 13-week This Old House series, featuring the renovation of a Victorian home in the Dorchester area of Boston, set a new ratings record for WGBH when it was broadcast locally in 1979. The series aired nationally on PBS the following season and quickly became a perennial favorite.

Prior to tackling home renovation, in 1963 Russ teamed up with a budding cookbook author with an unmistakable accent and a marvelous sense of humor to create The French Chef with Julia Child. For the next 30 years Russ and Julia created a number of cooking classics for television, which continue to represent the gold standard of that genre.

In 1975, Russ teamed with Jim Crockett to begin Crockett’s Victory Garden, later The Victory Garden, a televised gardening adventure which continued for 30 years until Russ hung up his trowel in 2003. From 1989 through 2009, he also served as executive producer and director of The New Yankee Workshop, which featured the craftsmanship of host Norm Abram.

Along the way, Russ has accumulated 14 national Emmy Awards, including 11 for “Outstanding Director of a Service Show.” And in 2014, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded Russ a Lifetime Achievement Emmy for his many contributions. In 2018, he was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Russ is a “fellow” of the National Association of Garden Writers and has been honored with the prestigious George Robert White Medal for 2005 by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.

A native of Lexington, Massachusetts, Russ trained as a theater director at Boston University, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1957. He joined the WGBH staff that same year, and in 1958, was made a producer/director.

Russ lives with his wife, Marian, formerly known as The Victory Garden’s “Chef Marian,” in an 1851 farmhouse they restored 30 years ago and plan to tackle again when they find the time.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, so I did not 'read' this one so much as 'go through it' but I did go through it.

There were many aspects of this book that I appreciated and enjoyed:
>the accessible, narrative-conversational tone of the writing
>that Abram works in a high-end shop but recognizes not everyone does so suggests 'ideally this is the technique/tool but if you don't have that these other ways/tools will work with these adjustments'
>the diagrams and details of the various aspects of the pieces and their construction
>the well-thought-out, detailed instructions of how each aspect of each piece goes together and how they come together as a whole
>the photos of the different steps showing how they go together
>the small 'stories' that go with each piece: what pieces inspired the pieces in the book, something about the wood, the place the inspiration was found, etc.
>even including the one or two pieces that did not fit my taste, I still admired the craftsmanship that went into all of the items detailed in the book
>the thoughtfulness and artistry that Abram puts into his work
>the mathematical, methodological approach the Abram puts into his work

I used to watch the New Yankee Workshop on TV when I was a kid. I am happy that I came across this book while seeking something to complete one of the last two tasks I have for a Crazy Challenge Connection challenge ('a book with Yankee in the title').

Overall, this book is a solid resource for people wishing to undertake this type of carpentry.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I once wrote in my blog, my old hobby was woodworking whereas my new hobby is reading about woodworking. Even so, I'm tempted to try the garden bench project from this book, as we're making some changes to the backyard. I've enjoyed Norm Abrams' carpentry and woodworking projects on This Old House and The New Yankee Workshop for years, and the companion books capture the simple designs and techniques well.