Builder's Apprentice: A Memoir

by Andrew J. Hoffman

In 1986, Andy Hoffman quit an engineering job, declined acceptances for graduate school at Harvard and Berkeley and accepted a carpenter’s job in Nantucket. Unbeknownst to him, he had entered the world of high-end custom building. Within four years, he was supervising the construction of a 29,000 square-foot mansion on a 180-acre estate in Fairfield County Connecticut. This is a book about his personal and professional growth along that journey, from apprentice to builder through the tutelage of a seasoned and hard-nosed builder. It describes how uniquely high-end homes are built for select clients, a glimpse into the lives of the blue-collar workers, architects, engineers and clients that come together to make these projects a reality. At its core, this is a coming-of-age story, a celebration of the pursuit of creative impulses and a story about defying the “rules” and finding a personal calling in life.

335 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2010

Reviews

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Builder's Apprentice does more than outline the growth of a builder that the title suggests; it contains a coming of age story with an unusual twist. By describing how he turned down acceptances to graduate school at Harvard and Berkeley to take a job as a carpenter on Nantucket and later become a high-end custom home builder, Andrew Hoffman underscores the importance of pursuing opportunities that truly excite you rather than ones that simply seem appropriate given previous experiences, degrees, or social expectations. As a career counselor advised Hoffman when he was deciding whether to pursue a graduate degree or to take a leap of faith and try his hand at carpentry, “chances are necessary to find any opportunity.” In Hoffman’s case, his decision to take a chance provided him with significant opportunities and allowed him to grow professionally and personally.
After taking the carpentry job on Nantucket, Hoffman quickly gains the trust of his employer and, before long, is a site supervisor responsible for building houses of amazing scale and opulence. It is through this transformation that Hoffman vividly describes the building process, the social implications of his decision, and the way this job shaped him as a man. Whether you are an experienced builder or know nothing of the building process, you will find pleasure in this memoir’s easy prose, detailed descriptions of the building process, humorous stories, and strong advocacy for pursuing a passion in life.

[Missy Antokal · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Live your life for yourself. Not for someone else, at least not for some potential recruiter." "Never trust anyone who toots his own horn...If you walk up to two trash cans and kick 'em, which one makes the most noise?"
"I see people who grow up with big dreams about what they are going to do with their lives . . .They start on that path but then realize that those dreams take more commitment, persistence and hard work then they expected. So, they give up... I don want to do that. I want the world to be different because I was here." Just some inspiring tidbits embedded in this engaging story that I'm picking up along the way. There are too many to fit here!

[Blake Kanewischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book that highlights the need to be creative for a full and fulfilled life. In some ways, it's similar to Shop Class as Soulcraft and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The learning process of creativity and the care and feeding of new ideas and transforming them from blueprints into real life show through on page after page. The author, an engineer by training, decided to begin building homes, and, through a series of lucky breaks, ended up working for a large custom home builder, and learned much along the way. The creative impulse is strong, and needs to be let loose for man to be happy.

[Lee Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! Good life lessons.