This book discusses wood as a "material" of interest to woodworkers. Did you ever wonder how much a piece of wood will deflect when loaded? Do you know how to calculate how much a panel inside a frame will expand/contract? This book explains this and much more. I can now make simple calculations to help me design my projects. Chapters include: The Nature of Wood, Figure in Wood, Wood Identification, Water and Wood, Coping with Wood Movement, Strength of Wood, Other Properties, Machining Wood, Joining Wood, Finishing Wood, Modifying Wood, and The Woodworker's Raw Materials. I recommend it for all serious woodworkers, professional and amateur alike.