Blackthorn Lore and the Art of Making Walking Sticks

by Jack Douglas

A new edition of this popular exploration of the legends and the practice behind the craft of walking stick making from choosing the branch to treating and preserving the finished product. Jack Douglas takes the reader step by step through identification of the Blackthorn, choice of branch, straightening and finishing with some diversion into history, country lore and legend on the way. A fascinating glimpse into a traditional country craft.

104 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

Jack Douglas (born Douglas Linley Crickard , July 17, 1908 - January 31, 1989) was an American comedy writer who wrote for radio and television while additionally writing a series of humor books.

On radio, he was a writer for Red Skelton, Bob Hope and the situation comedy, Tommy Riggs and Betty Lou (1938–46), in which Riggs switched back and forth from his natural baritone to the voice of a seven-year-old girl.

Continuing to write for Skelton and Hope as he moved into television, Douglas also wrote for Jimmy Durante, Bing Crosby, Woody Allen, Johnny Carson, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet , The Jack Paar Show , The George Gobel Show, and Laugh-In .

The producer of Laugh-In , George Schlatter, said, "He saw the world from a different angle than the rest of us. He was not only funny, he was nice." Douglas won an Emmy Award in 1954 for best-written comedy material.

He was best known for his frequent guest appearances on Jack Paar's shows of the late 1950s and early 1960s. On one such appearance, when Douglas was well established as a Paar guest, he was chastised by Paar for holding a stack of file cards with his jokes while talking with Paar.

When Paar returned to television in 1973 and was confronted by unexpected low ratings, he engaged Douglas to contribute monologue material by mail. One week, there was no mail from Douglas; but his next package contained a "Sorry I didn't send anything last week. I forgot you were on."

Douglas and his third wife Reiko, a Japanese-born singer and comedian, were regular guests on shows hosted by Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, and Johnny Carson.

Reviews

[Rupert Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The edition I have just read is the first edition, so may differ from the re-print. John provides a personal account of his passion for Blackthorn, and his practical insight into choosing, and shaping walking sticks. There is also a short account of making pipe racks. The book concludes with a tiny section of lore, mostly it focusses on scenic anecdotes where John goes looking for blackthorn patches and hedgerows. It is well written, and John doesn't profess complete botanical knowledge about his subject, it is written from the perspective of a keen hobbyist who wants to share his knowledge with others, blackthorn addicts, and anyone else with an interest in trees and cane making.