Ferguson presents a clear, thorough introduction to the Japanese art and craft of layered metals - mokume gane. This book starts with a short introduction to the technique's history, including its confused introduction to the West. Some might find this history section too brief to be very satisfying, but this books value comes from the sections that follow.
Those include a detailed but approachable description of the fusion process, addressing metallurgical questions down to the microscopic and atomic level. Given that background of theory, Ferguson goes on to described the metals used in mokume gane and the process of forming the billets. He also presents detailed notes on how different metals behave together and how they can be finished. Although hobbyist techniques get some mention, many of these approaches require a large industrial shop. (Even the hardiest do-it-yourselfer shouldn't feel bad about buying blanks from Reactive Metals or other sources.)
Then the real fun begins - cutting into the layers to expose mokume's unmistakable pattern and working the material into a finished piece. The gallery section at the end provides all the inspiration you could hope for. Some of the work shown, including many pieces by the author, are breathtaking, but within reach of a modestly-equipped artisan. If you want to know how mokume is fabricated and used artistically today, in the West, you must have this book.
-- wiredweird