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Every Tool's a Hammer: Life Is What You Make It
In this New York Times bestselling “imperative how-to for creativity” (Nick Offerman), Adam Savage—star of Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters—shares his golden rules of creativity, from finding inspiration to following through and successfully making your idea a reality.
Every Tool’s a Hammer is a chronicle of my life as a maker. It’s an exploration of making, but it’s also a permission slip of sorts from me to you. Permission to grab hold of the things you’re interested in, that fascinate you, and to dive deeper into them to see where they lead you.
Through stories from forty-plus years of making and molding, building and breaking, along with the lessons I learned along the way, this book is meant to be a toolbox of problem solving, complete with a shop’s worth of notes on the tools, techniques, and materials that I use most often. Things like: In Every Tool There Is a Hammer—don’t wait until everything is perfect to begin a project, and if you don’t have the exact right tool for a task, just use whatever’s handy; Increase Your Loose Tolerance—making is messy and filled with screwups, but that’s okay, as creativity is a path with twists and turns and not a straight line to be found; Use More Cooling Fluid—it prolongs the life of blades and bits, and it prevents tool failure, but beyond that it’s a reminder to slow down and reduce the friction in your work and relationships; Screw Before You Glue—mechanical fasteners allow you to change and modify a project while glue is forever but sometimes you just need the right glue, so I dig into which ones will do the job with the least harm and best effects.
This toolbox also includes lessons from many other incredible makers and creators, including: Jamie Hyneman, Nick Offerman, Pixar director Andrew Stanton, Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro, artist Tom Sachs, and chef Traci Des Jardins. And if everything goes well, we will hopefully save you a few mistakes (and maybe fingers) as well as help you turn your curiosities into creations.
I hope this book serves as “creative rocket fuel” (Ed Helms) to build, make, invent, explore, and—most of all—enjoy the thrills of being a creator.
Every Tool’s a Hammer is a chronicle of my life as a maker. It’s an exploration of making, but it’s also a permission slip of sorts from me to you. Permission to grab hold of the things you’re interested in, that fascinate you, and to dive deeper into them to see where they lead you.
Through stories from forty-plus years of making and molding, building and breaking, along with the lessons I learned along the way, this book is meant to be a toolbox of problem solving, complete with a shop’s worth of notes on the tools, techniques, and materials that I use most often. Things like: In Every Tool There Is a Hammer—don’t wait until everything is perfect to begin a project, and if you don’t have the exact right tool for a task, just use whatever’s handy; Increase Your Loose Tolerance—making is messy and filled with screwups, but that’s okay, as creativity is a path with twists and turns and not a straight line to be found; Use More Cooling Fluid—it prolongs the life of blades and bits, and it prevents tool failure, but beyond that it’s a reminder to slow down and reduce the friction in your work and relationships; Screw Before You Glue—mechanical fasteners allow you to change and modify a project while glue is forever but sometimes you just need the right glue, so I dig into which ones will do the job with the least harm and best effects.
This toolbox also includes lessons from many other incredible makers and creators, including: Jamie Hyneman, Nick Offerman, Pixar director Andrew Stanton, Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro, artist Tom Sachs, and chef Traci Des Jardins. And if everything goes well, we will hopefully save you a few mistakes (and maybe fingers) as well as help you turn your curiosities into creations.
I hope this book serves as “creative rocket fuel” (Ed Helms) to build, make, invent, explore, and—most of all—enjoy the thrills of being a creator.
320 pages, ebook
First published May 7, 2019
About the author
Adam Savage
11 books363 followersAdam Whitney Savage is an American industrial design and special effects designer/fabricator, actor, educator, and co-host of the Discovery Channel television series MythBusters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 972 reviews
July 11, 2019
I'm not a big fan of "Mythbusters" Adam Savage. He can come across as loud, obnoxious and wanting the one liners all the time.
I am a huge fan of Adam Savage though. He is a gentle man full of passion, care and wisdom. I have gotten to know him over the years on Tested.com. I found tested about 2 months before Adam joined, in the heyday of Norm and Will. Adam fitted in so well.
Over the years, through videos and podcasts, Adam has been a source of wisdom and inspiration. He's all "let your freak flag fly" and educating people in processes.
This book is a distillation of his wisdom that he has shared over the years and some stories that I hadn't heard before. The guy bares his maker soul. He tells of really big mistakes and embarrassments ; he tells us of those type of failures in life that keep you awake at 3 a.m. 25 years later.
Adam's introduction is all about taking on the new challenge in making - a book. He tells of how it was the hardest project he has ever done. Well, he has succeeded. I enjoyed the audiobook, read by Adam in a natural story-telling way. And I have just gone and purchased a paper book so I can revisit it when I need some of his wisdom.
For anyone interested in the Maker movement, any creative person or any self-confessed nerd, have a read. Sit at the feet of a guru who has gotten there the hard way.
Edit: I just noticed how the cover mimics my profile photo. Gingers in glasses looking smug with their arms folded!
I am a huge fan of Adam Savage though. He is a gentle man full of passion, care and wisdom. I have gotten to know him over the years on Tested.com. I found tested about 2 months before Adam joined, in the heyday of Norm and Will. Adam fitted in so well.
Over the years, through videos and podcasts, Adam has been a source of wisdom and inspiration. He's all "let your freak flag fly" and educating people in processes.
This book is a distillation of his wisdom that he has shared over the years and some stories that I hadn't heard before. The guy bares his maker soul. He tells of really big mistakes and embarrassments ; he tells us of those type of failures in life that keep you awake at 3 a.m. 25 years later.
Adam's introduction is all about taking on the new challenge in making - a book. He tells of how it was the hardest project he has ever done. Well, he has succeeded. I enjoyed the audiobook, read by Adam in a natural story-telling way. And I have just gone and purchased a paper book so I can revisit it when I need some of his wisdom.
For anyone interested in the Maker movement, any creative person or any self-confessed nerd, have a read. Sit at the feet of a guru who has gotten there the hard way.
Edit: I just noticed how the cover mimics my profile photo. Gingers in glasses looking smug with their arms folded!
January 15, 2020
I wish there was a slip in time so I could have read this book earlier in my life, say annually mid teens to mid 20s, & a couple of times a decade after that. Very well narrated by him, this is a must-read for every young maker out there. Older ones like myself will nod along & hear voice given to some things we've felt, but never managed to really come to grips with. It's well worth the time.
Savage is a maker. He's done it from an early age & made it his life's work as well as his hobby. We have a lot in common & learned many of the same lessons the same hard way, even though what we make is different. Some of us just have to fiddle & no matter what medium you work in, his lessons for every step of the project are important. Interspersed among these great lessons are bits of his life working on stages, movie props, & Myth Busters. That's icing on the cake & it's fabulous icing. I love the glimpses behind the scenes.
1. Dig through the bottom of the rabbit hole: Obsession isn't a bad thing. It's what separates the OK from the great. The best way to get obsessed is to do what thrills you. He's into cosplay, something I don't understand, but most people don't get how much I can get into a piece of wood, either. Embrace your weirdness!
2. Lists: His obsession with them goes way beyond mine, but it's also been a key to his success. Laying out the stages of a project makes a huge difference, especially when they're as complex as his. He mentions The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right, a fantastic book that's definitely worth reading. Yes, it is planning. No, it doesn't stifle the creative process, it enhances it.
3. Checkboxes: Crossing items off a list makes them tough to read. A check box has more range & leaves the text unsullied.
4. Use more cooling fluid: Patience, Grasshopper. It makes all the difference. As frustrating as it can seem in the moment to slow down, it's not nearly as frustrating as screwing the project up.
5. Deadlines: His take on these is great. Rather than a wall to be hated, he uses them as a tool to focus the project. Excellent.
6. Drawing: Putting down on paper what is in our heads is amazingly helpful. Even if you can't draw worth spit (Me!) the act cements the relationship of pieces to on another & focuses the vision amazingly. I've made dozens of tables, but I still always sketch the joints because it's just too easy for me to forget which piece laps another & how or - far worse - get a brilliant notion halfway through & then realize it won't work right after I've made cut.
7. Increase your loose tolerance: Making is messy. It’s full of fits and starts, wrong turns, and good ideas gone bad. You WILL SCREW UP, but don't beat yourself up over it, just learn. Also, have extra material. I made 5 perfectly good, 2 piece tapered legs for my last table. I had the luxury of choosing the best, but all too often I don't.
8. Screw > glue: What sort of fastener to use & when. A lot about glues, great for anyone not familiar with them. Using baking soda to harden CA glue faster was new to me. I'll have to try that one, but he doesn't mention how accelerators can make CA glue turn white. That sucks for me in my natural wood bowls & such.
9. Share: I agree that all should be shared. Keeping processes or work secret is usually just silly. It's great to share enthusiasms & it's how to learn new techniques.
10. See everything, reach everything: How he sets up his shop & tool bag. He covers this very well & it is different depending on what you do, space, budget, etc. One of my shops was in an old chicken coop. My shop today is almost as big as his, but I have an overhang for welding which keeps the sun glare & rain off, but allows fresh air & access to equipment too big for the shop. I can't imagine Jamie's shop with all hammers in one place. I have a dozen metalworking & woodworking hammers each & they're stored in or near the areas I use them. Wood tools are not allowed in metal working areas & vice versa, either. (I don't care how well you wipe it, any tool that was greasy better not get near my woodworking bench!) I'm surprised Adam never used 5 gallon buckets with trays or Bucket Buddies. One with trays holds the 16 sizes of nails & deck screws I normally need. One BB is for construction, another for gardening, plus I have a tool belt.
11. Cardboard: Yes, it certainly is great for mockups & templates. I use it all the time plus it's perfect for laying on my gravel driveway when I have to work under equipment.
12. Hammers, blades, and scissors: I concur with his acquisition of tools. For expensive tools, buy cheap &, if you don't use it, don't bother getting another when it breaks. If you do use it, you'll know what to buy in a good one. His example was riveting, but I did exactly that with my first wood lathe. I hated the $120 cheap PoS the day I unboxed it, but a year of working with it made the $1200 I invested on the next one money well spent. I not only liked turning, but found out what sort I liked (bowl rather than spindle) & what accessories I needed. (The lathe was $600, but I spent as much on 2 chucks.) Fabric Scissors - Cloth ONLY or die! Absolutely & just don't use my old Swedish cabinet chisels.
13. Sweep up every day: Cleaning up sucks, but is necessary. It is good meditation time & often creates new ideas simply by moving around & cleaning the tools.
He mentions his Leatherman multi tool fairly often. Agreed. I carry the Juice S2 at work (IT guy) & the Surge around the farm, both in my pocket. Spend the money on a real one, too. The strength & machining make all the difference. Cheap ones are just frustrating.
Savage is a maker. He's done it from an early age & made it his life's work as well as his hobby. We have a lot in common & learned many of the same lessons the same hard way, even though what we make is different. Some of us just have to fiddle & no matter what medium you work in, his lessons for every step of the project are important. Interspersed among these great lessons are bits of his life working on stages, movie props, & Myth Busters. That's icing on the cake & it's fabulous icing. I love the glimpses behind the scenes.
1. Dig through the bottom of the rabbit hole: Obsession isn't a bad thing. It's what separates the OK from the great. The best way to get obsessed is to do what thrills you. He's into cosplay, something I don't understand, but most people don't get how much I can get into a piece of wood, either. Embrace your weirdness!
2. Lists: His obsession with them goes way beyond mine, but it's also been a key to his success. Laying out the stages of a project makes a huge difference, especially when they're as complex as his. He mentions The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right, a fantastic book that's definitely worth reading. Yes, it is planning. No, it doesn't stifle the creative process, it enhances it.
3. Checkboxes: Crossing items off a list makes them tough to read. A check box has more range & leaves the text unsullied.
4. Use more cooling fluid: Patience, Grasshopper. It makes all the difference. As frustrating as it can seem in the moment to slow down, it's not nearly as frustrating as screwing the project up.
5. Deadlines: His take on these is great. Rather than a wall to be hated, he uses them as a tool to focus the project. Excellent.
6. Drawing: Putting down on paper what is in our heads is amazingly helpful. Even if you can't draw worth spit (Me!) the act cements the relationship of pieces to on another & focuses the vision amazingly. I've made dozens of tables, but I still always sketch the joints because it's just too easy for me to forget which piece laps another & how or - far worse - get a brilliant notion halfway through & then realize it won't work right after I've made cut.
7. Increase your loose tolerance: Making is messy. It’s full of fits and starts, wrong turns, and good ideas gone bad. You WILL SCREW UP, but don't beat yourself up over it, just learn. Also, have extra material. I made 5 perfectly good, 2 piece tapered legs for my last table. I had the luxury of choosing the best, but all too often I don't.
8. Screw > glue: What sort of fastener to use & when. A lot about glues, great for anyone not familiar with them. Using baking soda to harden CA glue faster was new to me. I'll have to try that one, but he doesn't mention how accelerators can make CA glue turn white. That sucks for me in my natural wood bowls & such.
9. Share: I agree that all should be shared. Keeping processes or work secret is usually just silly. It's great to share enthusiasms & it's how to learn new techniques.
10. See everything, reach everything: How he sets up his shop & tool bag. He covers this very well & it is different depending on what you do, space, budget, etc. One of my shops was in an old chicken coop. My shop today is almost as big as his, but I have an overhang for welding which keeps the sun glare & rain off, but allows fresh air & access to equipment too big for the shop. I can't imagine Jamie's shop with all hammers in one place. I have a dozen metalworking & woodworking hammers each & they're stored in or near the areas I use them. Wood tools are not allowed in metal working areas & vice versa, either. (I don't care how well you wipe it, any tool that was greasy better not get near my woodworking bench!) I'm surprised Adam never used 5 gallon buckets with trays or Bucket Buddies. One with trays holds the 16 sizes of nails & deck screws I normally need. One BB is for construction, another for gardening, plus I have a tool belt.
11. Cardboard: Yes, it certainly is great for mockups & templates. I use it all the time plus it's perfect for laying on my gravel driveway when I have to work under equipment.
12. Hammers, blades, and scissors: I concur with his acquisition of tools. For expensive tools, buy cheap &, if you don't use it, don't bother getting another when it breaks. If you do use it, you'll know what to buy in a good one. His example was riveting, but I did exactly that with my first wood lathe. I hated the $120 cheap PoS the day I unboxed it, but a year of working with it made the $1200 I invested on the next one money well spent. I not only liked turning, but found out what sort I liked (bowl rather than spindle) & what accessories I needed. (The lathe was $600, but I spent as much on 2 chucks.) Fabric Scissors - Cloth ONLY or die! Absolutely & just don't use my old Swedish cabinet chisels.
13. Sweep up every day: Cleaning up sucks, but is necessary. It is good meditation time & often creates new ideas simply by moving around & cleaning the tools.
He mentions his Leatherman multi tool fairly often. Agreed. I carry the Juice S2 at work (IT guy) & the Surge around the farm, both in my pocket. Spend the money on a real one, too. The strength & machining make all the difference. Cheap ones are just frustrating.
November 14, 2021
Check out my review/discussion (with my husband) over on Booktube!
November 5, 2022
Been intrigued to pick this up for a while but haven't because some reason. Glad I finally did. Very easy and inspiring to listen to
July 12, 2019
I really liked this book. If you are looking for a Mythbusters tell all this is not the book for you.
This is part how his mind works, bio, how to, and self-help. He is funny, full of energy and seem like the guy you saw on Mythbusters is exactly who he is.
This is part how his mind works, bio, how to, and self-help. He is funny, full of energy and seem like the guy you saw on Mythbusters is exactly who he is.
March 27, 2019
So many books on success principles are rooted in the business world; it's refreshing to have one built around the joys of makerspace. Adam Savage's unbridled enthusiasm and his willingness to share both his triumphs and “this is what you should not do/let that be a lesson to you” experiences make this a fun read for dreamers, builders, artists, crafters, writers, cosplayers, and of course, Mythbusters and Tested fans.
August 5, 2019
This is a book that seems like it might have been more entertaining as an audiobook but even then it is not at all what I anticipated based on it being an Adam Savage memoir. It's also not what I hoped for based on the title. This is not a true biography detailing the major beats of Adam's life. It's also (sadly) not an insight into many cool MacGyver Moments where Adam somehow used tools in interesting manners to finish a project or meet a deadline in a unique way. It is definitely not an in depth look into his time at ILM or Mythbusters. Instead, this reads as the text to a repetitive and, sadly, rather lack-luster motivational speech intended for a set of creative students about to embark on a journey into becoming Makers.
There's some "Yeah, go make stuff! It's awesome! Be creative and find what works best for you!" bits; there are some "Here are my favorite kinds of tape! Also, cardboard it amazing!" sections; and there are a few "This cool past event is what shaped my feelings on this tool and/or type of project". It's a kaleidoscope of mish-mashed events and thoughts and advice that just didn't work for me and required some heavy skimming after a while.
Since this is not at all a linear style of memoir there are quite a few parts where the same (nearly verbatim) lead-in will set up the same moment to discuss a slightly different aspect to fit with the related chapter ("This happened right before I joined Industrial Light and Magic, which is when..." or "This was right about the time that I joined Jaime on Mythbusters").
So, this was largely disappointing for me. It may be of interest to anyone who is new to the entire concept of "making things" or who is curious about what Adam's philosophy is on "Making" or who is for some reason obsessed with knowing the steps Adam took to recreate the blaster prop from Blade Runner or how he goes about organizing his workspace. But otherwise? I'd pass on this one and save yourself the boredom and just go see him speak somewhere to get your motivational kick.
There's some "Yeah, go make stuff! It's awesome! Be creative and find what works best for you!" bits; there are some "Here are my favorite kinds of tape! Also, cardboard it amazing!" sections; and there are a few "This cool past event is what shaped my feelings on this tool and/or type of project". It's a kaleidoscope of mish-mashed events and thoughts and advice that just didn't work for me and required some heavy skimming after a while.
Since this is not at all a linear style of memoir there are quite a few parts where the same (nearly verbatim) lead-in will set up the same moment to discuss a slightly different aspect to fit with the related chapter ("This happened right before I joined Industrial Light and Magic, which is when..." or "This was right about the time that I joined Jaime on Mythbusters").
So, this was largely disappointing for me. It may be of interest to anyone who is new to the entire concept of "making things" or who is curious about what Adam's philosophy is on "Making" or who is for some reason obsessed with knowing the steps Adam took to recreate the blaster prop from Blade Runner or how he goes about organizing his workspace. But otherwise? I'd pass on this one and save yourself the boredom and just go see him speak somewhere to get your motivational kick.
January 9, 2020
I want to choose my words carefully, since it's not like I was tricked into reading this or didn't know what to expect: this book will probably not change your mind about Adam Savage.
If you like him and the kinds of things he does, you'll probably enjoy it for the straightforward memoir it is (though you should be aware it barely talks about the Mythbusters years), and you may even be fooled into believing, probably like Savage himself, that it's more than that—Nick Offerman generously calls it ``a how-to for creativity'' on the cover, though it's hard to see why.
If you don't like Adam Savage, you'll have plenty of opportunities to be reminded of the reasons why: his deep contempt for craftsmanship, his continued inability to see the difference between collecting skills and merely collecting tools and toys, the fact that he still doesn't even begin to fathom the truly breathtaking extent to which things have just been handed to him all his life (the book does not contain a rant about the injustice of having to pay your interns, like I half expected, but it's clear Savage still doesn't think the fact that his parents paid for the entirety of his living expenses for years after he left home is that unusual), the fact that he's kind of a sociopath (``employees like positive feedback'' was apparently a big revelation to him), ``my friend Max Landis'', &c.
For myself, I'm just really tired of rich kids writing their own hagiographies.
If you like him and the kinds of things he does, you'll probably enjoy it for the straightforward memoir it is (though you should be aware it barely talks about the Mythbusters years), and you may even be fooled into believing, probably like Savage himself, that it's more than that—Nick Offerman generously calls it ``a how-to for creativity'' on the cover, though it's hard to see why.
If you don't like Adam Savage, you'll have plenty of opportunities to be reminded of the reasons why: his deep contempt for craftsmanship, his continued inability to see the difference between collecting skills and merely collecting tools and toys, the fact that he still doesn't even begin to fathom the truly breathtaking extent to which things have just been handed to him all his life (the book does not contain a rant about the injustice of having to pay your interns, like I half expected, but it's clear Savage still doesn't think the fact that his parents paid for the entirety of his living expenses for years after he left home is that unusual), the fact that he's kind of a sociopath (``employees like positive feedback'' was apparently a big revelation to him), ``my friend Max Landis'', &c.
For myself, I'm just really tired of rich kids writing their own hagiographies.
December 1, 2019
As a fan of Mythbusters I was excited to pick this book up. I was expecting a memoir from Adam Savage and hoping for some Mythbuster stories along with thoughts about his life and how he got there. Instead, Every Tool's a Hammer is Adam's ode to his life's passion: making. One part memoir and two parts instruction manual to people looking to get into the craft this ended up being an enjoyable read, though not exactly what I was expecting. Adam's love and passion for making things shines through on every page and is told in exactly the excited and enthusiastic manner he had on the show. Other makers of all skill level will likely enjoy this book.
I listened to the audio book narrated by the author. This continues to be my preferred method of "reading" memoirs. I just wish we'd gotten more insights into his life and career.
I listened to the audio book narrated by the author. This continues to be my preferred method of "reading" memoirs. I just wish we'd gotten more insights into his life and career.
October 21, 2020
Hard to quantify what this book is but I loved every second of it.
May 10, 2019
If you're looking for a complete autobiography, this isn't the book for you. There are some personal stories, but they aren't really the main focus. If you're looking for a glimpse into a makers creative process and progress, and possibly a little motivation of your own, I highly recommend this book.
June 11, 2019
I loved this book. I’ve been a fan of his and really wasn’t sure what to expect of the book but it was, for me, a bit inspiring, funny, honest, educational, and an overall good read.
It actually inspired me to start, and soon will finish, a woodworking project I’ve thought about for a while. I was reading this, and how he prepares and sketches and uses check boxes, and I just decided it was time and I was going to borrow some of his processes and start the build.
I’m almost done and couldn’t be happier. I feel like this was just the thing I needed and now I feel inspired to ‘make’ more things!
It actually inspired me to start, and soon will finish, a woodworking project I’ve thought about for a while. I was reading this, and how he prepares and sketches and uses check boxes, and I just decided it was time and I was going to borrow some of his processes and start the build.
I’m almost done and couldn’t be happier. I feel like this was just the thing I needed and now I feel inspired to ‘make’ more things!
May 23, 2019
Loved this book! So much encouragement to embrace our eccentricities and obsessions, and that through our differences we find greatness. (Plus practical tips) Proclaim loudly: I am a crafter, I am a maker!
January 19, 2022
I would give this six stars if I could. I highly recommend the print and audiobook both. The physical book has images that help illustrate Savage's points, while the audiobook is read by Savage himself, giving emphasis to nuances that I would not have caught in my reading.
Savage's book is all about Making. His definition of Makers is inclusive and broad. It comes across that Adam Savage is rather intense and creative and a persistent problem solver. He also thinks deeply about what allows creativity to flourish (read: bosses invested in growing their employees, personally organized spaces, quality tools, awareness of how many people help you, a willingness to keep moving forward to find a solution, and more). The whole book is about ideas and setups that help Makers Make; it's just a bonus that there are dozens of little executive functioning hacks along the way.
You've heard some of the advice in here before. The genius of the book is that Savage presents it in such an accessible way that you don't even realize this is true. Amongst my favorites are Chapter 6: Drawing, which is the most convincing rationale of "show your work" I've ever heard, and Chapter 5: Deadlines, which has a fantastic mental shift on viewing deadlines as a helpful creative force, rather than an enemy to ram into. His discussion on project momentum is very much in line with what has worked for me to overcome procrastination and overwhelm. Towards the end, the chapter on cleaning up at the end of the day is probably a lecture you've received a thousand times as a kid. It works because Savage doesn't set out to hammer it into your head; it's his experience and it just happens to have a point. For me, the best part of the book was a quieter statement about half way through that applying these techniques to his personal projects has reaped great benefits. I think many people miss this subtle point about treating your own projects as professional endeavors; at it's heart, it's about respect for yourself and your skills and integrating your work and home selves as one person. It's also an effective counter to Imposter Syndrome, which Savage touches on briefly.
I want to quote huge sections of this, as well as to hang up a poster of his Six Stages of Project Refinement over both my work desk and my sewing table. I think it will appeal not only to people who already think of themselves as creative but also to a broader range of people, who may come to realize through reading Every Tool's a Hammer that they are in fact Makers as well. It's worth noting that, while this was written with an adult audience in mind, the content would likely work for tweens and teens as well. Highly, highly recommended for engineers, sewers, builders, crafters, woodworkers, cooks, bakers, middle management, people who struggle with long term planning or executive functioning, procrastinators, deep divers, people called "intense", and pretty much anyone committed to the idea of being incrementally better tomorrow.
2nd Read Review: I read most of it and listened to the last part again. Still love it. Still think it would be particularly great for those just starting out as Makers. I deeply enjoyed revisiting my time inside the brain of another creative, obsessed Maker who thinks deeply about the system around creating.
Savage's book is all about Making. His definition of Makers is inclusive and broad. It comes across that Adam Savage is rather intense and creative and a persistent problem solver. He also thinks deeply about what allows creativity to flourish (read: bosses invested in growing their employees, personally organized spaces, quality tools, awareness of how many people help you, a willingness to keep moving forward to find a solution, and more). The whole book is about ideas and setups that help Makers Make; it's just a bonus that there are dozens of little executive functioning hacks along the way.
You've heard some of the advice in here before. The genius of the book is that Savage presents it in such an accessible way that you don't even realize this is true. Amongst my favorites are Chapter 6: Drawing, which is the most convincing rationale of "show your work" I've ever heard, and Chapter 5: Deadlines, which has a fantastic mental shift on viewing deadlines as a helpful creative force, rather than an enemy to ram into. His discussion on project momentum is very much in line with what has worked for me to overcome procrastination and overwhelm. Towards the end, the chapter on cleaning up at the end of the day is probably a lecture you've received a thousand times as a kid. It works because Savage doesn't set out to hammer it into your head; it's his experience and it just happens to have a point. For me, the best part of the book was a quieter statement about half way through that applying these techniques to his personal projects has reaped great benefits. I think many people miss this subtle point about treating your own projects as professional endeavors; at it's heart, it's about respect for yourself and your skills and integrating your work and home selves as one person. It's also an effective counter to Imposter Syndrome, which Savage touches on briefly.
I want to quote huge sections of this, as well as to hang up a poster of his Six Stages of Project Refinement over both my work desk and my sewing table. I think it will appeal not only to people who already think of themselves as creative but also to a broader range of people, who may come to realize through reading Every Tool's a Hammer that they are in fact Makers as well. It's worth noting that, while this was written with an adult audience in mind, the content would likely work for tweens and teens as well. Highly, highly recommended for engineers, sewers, builders, crafters, woodworkers, cooks, bakers, middle management, people who struggle with long term planning or executive functioning, procrastinators, deep divers, people called "intense", and pretty much anyone committed to the idea of being incrementally better tomorrow.
2nd Read Review: I read most of it and listened to the last part again. Still love it. Still think it would be particularly great for those just starting out as Makers. I deeply enjoyed revisiting my time inside the brain of another creative, obsessed Maker who thinks deeply about the system around creating.
June 6, 2019
Most people who know me, know that I am a big fan of Adam Savage. And boy, was I excited when I heard he was busy writing a book! I rarely pre-order books, but this one was paid for as soon I could give someone my money. Equal parts instructional, philosophical and autobiographical, I had such a good time reading this! Almost every single chapter left me excited to try something new or to improve the way I do something (how I make lists, how I set deadlines, how I use glue vs. mechanical ways to attach things to each other, etc).
One of the most important takeaways for me was to not wait until everything is perfect to begin a project. I often use that excuse - I just have to wait until it is quieter at work, until I can buy this one tool, until I'm done reading this giant list of articles. Looking at the index and seeing chapter titles dealing with glue, cooling fluid, hammers, blades and scissors, you might think that those chapters deal exclusively with those things. But while discussing cooling fluid and how it prolongs the life of blades and bits, the conversation turns to a reminder to slow down and reduce the friction in your work and relationships as well.
Adam's knowledge, efficiency and enthusiasm is what makes him great, and his book is overflowing with it. Apart from what I've already mentioned, it also serves as a permission slip of sorts from Adam to the reader:
If it isn't obvious, I loved this book and will be double-dipping to get it on Audible as well!
Not sure you'll like this book? Maybe it sounds like too much? I have some free reading for you - you can thank me later!
Adam Savage on lists, more lists and the power of checkboxes
Adam Savage Teaches You How to Set a Deadline (By Way of Alien)
One of the most important takeaways for me was to not wait until everything is perfect to begin a project. I often use that excuse - I just have to wait until it is quieter at work, until I can buy this one tool, until I'm done reading this giant list of articles. Looking at the index and seeing chapter titles dealing with glue, cooling fluid, hammers, blades and scissors, you might think that those chapters deal exclusively with those things. But while discussing cooling fluid and how it prolongs the life of blades and bits, the conversation turns to a reminder to slow down and reduce the friction in your work and relationships as well.
Adam's knowledge, efficiency and enthusiasm is what makes him great, and his book is overflowing with it. Apart from what I've already mentioned, it also serves as a permission slip of sorts from Adam to the reader:
Permission to grab hold of the things you're interested in, that fascinate you, and to dive deeper into them to see where they lead you.
If it isn't obvious, I loved this book and will be double-dipping to get it on Audible as well!
Not sure you'll like this book? Maybe it sounds like too much? I have some free reading for you - you can thank me later!
Adam Savage on lists, more lists and the power of checkboxes
Adam Savage Teaches You How to Set a Deadline (By Way of Alien)
October 29, 2019
This didn't get 5 stars because it's brilliant, but because it did what it said in the intro. It made my fingers itch to make stuff
September 5, 2022
Behave like a maker.
Advice:
“FOLLOW YOUR SECRET THRILLS”
“YOU’VE GOT TO GO DEEP”
Use LISTS
Step 1. Brain dump
Step 2. The Big Chunks
Step 3. The Medium Chunks
Step 4. Diving In
Step 5. Make More Lists
Step 6. Put it Away for a Bit
CHECKBOXES: to do [ ], in progress [/], complete [X]
“USE MORE COOLING FLUID” = slow down
“Always Be Knolling” = *mise en place* = “everything in its place.”
“1. Examine your work space for all items not in use—tools, materials, books, coffee cups, it doesn’t matter what it is.
2. Remove those unused items from your space. When in doubt, leave it on the table.
3. Group all like items—pens with pencils, washers with O-rings, nuts with bolts, etc.
4. Align (parallel) or square (90-degree angle) all objects within each group to each other and then to the surface upon which they sit.”
“TRYING TO BE A HERO IS A TERRIFIC WAY TO END UP BECOMING THE VILLAIN”
Use DEADLINES
“PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF DONE”
“IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD” = lower the stakes
DRAWING to communicate your ideas (and generate new ones) and keep up the momentum
“INCREASE YOUR LOOSE TOLERANCE”
“LEARN BY DOING (POORLY)”- become a serial skill collector
CREATION IS ITERATION
KNOW YOUR TOLERANCE
SCREW > GLUE = do not over-prioritise shortcuts
SHARE (with others)
SHARE WHAT YOU’RE INTERESTED IN
SHARE WHAT YOU’VE DONE
SHARE THE CREDIT
“SEE EVERYTHING, REACH EVERYTHING”
“SEEING EVERYTHING EASILY: THE VISUAL CACOPHONY”
“REACHING EVERYTHING EASILY: FIRST-ORDER RETRIEVABILITY”
“SWEEP UP EVERY DAY”
Quotes:
“I often describe myself as a serial skill collector.”
“In one of the first years of the Maker Faire, a young man came up and said kind of sadly, “I don’t make, I code.” I’ve heard this sentiment a lot. “I don’t make, I __________ .” Fill in the blank. Code, cook, craft (not sure why all my examples start with C), the list of exceptions people invent to place themselves on the outside of the club of makers is long and, to me, totally infuriating. Because the people who do that to themselves—or more likely, the people who TELL them that—are flat wrong.”
“I am a maker by trade and a storyteller by temperament, but first I see myself as a “permission machine.” In the beginning of his incredible essay “Self-Reliance,” Ralph Waldo Emerson says: “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men—that is genius.” The essay and in particular that phrase hit me hard in the solar plexus when I first heard it at eighteen years old, and it continues to today. The deepest truths about your experience are universal truths that connect each of us to each other, and to the world around us. I have found this truth to be the key that unlocks those shackles of shame and self-doubt. It gives you the elbow room to fly your freak flag, the mental space to pay attention to the things that you’re interested in. For the creator within all of us, this is the pathway to ideas and creation.”
“Major Kong’s survival pack—a small, but fascinating prop from this wonderfully absurd film.
What’s in the survival pack? Here’s what Major Kong says when we see it for the first and only time toward the end of the film:
“Survival Kit contents check. In them you will find: one .45 caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four day’s concentrated emergency rations, one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Roo-shan phrase book and Bible, one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings—shoot, a fella could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff . . .”
TOM SACHS’S TEN BULLETS
1. Work to Code (work within the system)
2. Sacred Space (the studio is sacred)
3. Be on Time
4. Be Thorough
5. I Understand (give/get feedback)
6. Sent Does Not Mean Received (get confirmation)
7. Keep a List
8. Always Be Knolling
9. Sacrifice to Leatherface (take responsibility for mistakes)
10. Persistence
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49p1J...
“Humans are toolmakers. We are explorers, innovators, inventors, and what facilitates all of that is our use of tools. I feel like the hammer must have been the first tool: a rock to crack something open, or to drive a stake into the ground. One swing to subdue dinner, or an enemy. The hammer is the ur-tool.”
“Remember, in every tool, there is a hammer.” What he meant was that every tool can be used for a purpose for which it wasn’t intended, including the most basic of operations, like hammering. He also meant that until you learn to see what tools can do beyond their stated purpose, you can’t quite be a maker. Truer words have rarely been spoken.”
“Do we really need all these different saw blades? Can’t we get away with maybe fewer than twenty-three different types of hammers? The answer, of course, is yes, but it wasn’t until I talked to Kevin Kelly, the legendary founding editor of Wired magazine and a tool enthusiast, that I truly understood why, as makers, we should embrace the diversity, and why I, personally, have so many tools.
“Freeman Dyson, a famous physicist, suggested that **science moves forward by inventing new tools,**” Kevin began as we talked on the phone one morning all about tools. “When we invented the telescope, suddenly we had astrophysicists, and astronomy, and we moved forward. The invention of the microscope opened up the small world of biology to us. In a broad sense, science moves forward by inventing tools, **because when you have those tools they give you a new way of thinking.”**
Kevin was putting words to how I felt whenever I got a new, unique tool and used it for the first time. It always made the task for which it was designed so much easier than it was with the more conventional tools, and that ease of use invigorated me and freed up my mind to think about what else I could do with this thing.
“What’s happening with individuals engaged in craftsmanship is that when they change their tools, they have different ideas. It gives them a new different view on the world. It opens up a new possibility space. Tools are the way you explore possibility space, the space of possible things.”
“In the beginning, when you’re young, you think you have certain choices, but oftentimes, a new tool will open up a whole new space that you didn’t even know about and the way you get through that space is through the mastery of those tools.” “So then there’s this sort of epiphany where, because you know what it’s like to use the tool, it opens up all the things that you could do with it. All of a sudden, now you have a power. Now you have a possibility space that you can explore that you didn’t even know about before,”
“Spending time sweeping up and knolling at the end of the day is a way of reflecting on what you did, and putting everything away makes it really easy to start the next day. But I think it’s important that everything is there for how it works for you, and that it’s a pleasure.”
Advice:
“FOLLOW YOUR SECRET THRILLS”
“YOU’VE GOT TO GO DEEP”
Use LISTS
Step 1. Brain dump
Step 2. The Big Chunks
Step 3. The Medium Chunks
Step 4. Diving In
Step 5. Make More Lists
Step 6. Put it Away for a Bit
CHECKBOXES: to do [ ], in progress [/], complete [X]
“USE MORE COOLING FLUID” = slow down
“Always Be Knolling” = *mise en place* = “everything in its place.”
“1. Examine your work space for all items not in use—tools, materials, books, coffee cups, it doesn’t matter what it is.
2. Remove those unused items from your space. When in doubt, leave it on the table.
3. Group all like items—pens with pencils, washers with O-rings, nuts with bolts, etc.
4. Align (parallel) or square (90-degree angle) all objects within each group to each other and then to the surface upon which they sit.”
“TRYING TO BE A HERO IS A TERRIFIC WAY TO END UP BECOMING THE VILLAIN”
Use DEADLINES
“PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF DONE”
“IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD” = lower the stakes
DRAWING to communicate your ideas (and generate new ones) and keep up the momentum
“INCREASE YOUR LOOSE TOLERANCE”
“LEARN BY DOING (POORLY)”- become a serial skill collector
CREATION IS ITERATION
KNOW YOUR TOLERANCE
SCREW > GLUE = do not over-prioritise shortcuts
SHARE (with others)
SHARE WHAT YOU’RE INTERESTED IN
SHARE WHAT YOU’VE DONE
SHARE THE CREDIT
“SEE EVERYTHING, REACH EVERYTHING”
“SEEING EVERYTHING EASILY: THE VISUAL CACOPHONY”
“REACHING EVERYTHING EASILY: FIRST-ORDER RETRIEVABILITY”
“SWEEP UP EVERY DAY”
Quotes:
“I often describe myself as a serial skill collector.”
“In one of the first years of the Maker Faire, a young man came up and said kind of sadly, “I don’t make, I code.” I’ve heard this sentiment a lot. “I don’t make, I __________ .” Fill in the blank. Code, cook, craft (not sure why all my examples start with C), the list of exceptions people invent to place themselves on the outside of the club of makers is long and, to me, totally infuriating. Because the people who do that to themselves—or more likely, the people who TELL them that—are flat wrong.”
“I am a maker by trade and a storyteller by temperament, but first I see myself as a “permission machine.” In the beginning of his incredible essay “Self-Reliance,” Ralph Waldo Emerson says: “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men—that is genius.” The essay and in particular that phrase hit me hard in the solar plexus when I first heard it at eighteen years old, and it continues to today. The deepest truths about your experience are universal truths that connect each of us to each other, and to the world around us. I have found this truth to be the key that unlocks those shackles of shame and self-doubt. It gives you the elbow room to fly your freak flag, the mental space to pay attention to the things that you’re interested in. For the creator within all of us, this is the pathway to ideas and creation.”
“Major Kong’s survival pack—a small, but fascinating prop from this wonderfully absurd film.
What’s in the survival pack? Here’s what Major Kong says when we see it for the first and only time toward the end of the film:
“Survival Kit contents check. In them you will find: one .45 caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four day’s concentrated emergency rations, one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Roo-shan phrase book and Bible, one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings—shoot, a fella could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff . . .”
TOM SACHS’S TEN BULLETS
1. Work to Code (work within the system)
2. Sacred Space (the studio is sacred)
3. Be on Time
4. Be Thorough
5. I Understand (give/get feedback)
6. Sent Does Not Mean Received (get confirmation)
7. Keep a List
8. Always Be Knolling
9. Sacrifice to Leatherface (take responsibility for mistakes)
10. Persistence
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49p1J...
“Humans are toolmakers. We are explorers, innovators, inventors, and what facilitates all of that is our use of tools. I feel like the hammer must have been the first tool: a rock to crack something open, or to drive a stake into the ground. One swing to subdue dinner, or an enemy. The hammer is the ur-tool.”
“Remember, in every tool, there is a hammer.” What he meant was that every tool can be used for a purpose for which it wasn’t intended, including the most basic of operations, like hammering. He also meant that until you learn to see what tools can do beyond their stated purpose, you can’t quite be a maker. Truer words have rarely been spoken.”
“Do we really need all these different saw blades? Can’t we get away with maybe fewer than twenty-three different types of hammers? The answer, of course, is yes, but it wasn’t until I talked to Kevin Kelly, the legendary founding editor of Wired magazine and a tool enthusiast, that I truly understood why, as makers, we should embrace the diversity, and why I, personally, have so many tools.
“Freeman Dyson, a famous physicist, suggested that **science moves forward by inventing new tools,**” Kevin began as we talked on the phone one morning all about tools. “When we invented the telescope, suddenly we had astrophysicists, and astronomy, and we moved forward. The invention of the microscope opened up the small world of biology to us. In a broad sense, science moves forward by inventing tools, **because when you have those tools they give you a new way of thinking.”**
Kevin was putting words to how I felt whenever I got a new, unique tool and used it for the first time. It always made the task for which it was designed so much easier than it was with the more conventional tools, and that ease of use invigorated me and freed up my mind to think about what else I could do with this thing.
“What’s happening with individuals engaged in craftsmanship is that when they change their tools, they have different ideas. It gives them a new different view on the world. It opens up a new possibility space. Tools are the way you explore possibility space, the space of possible things.”
“In the beginning, when you’re young, you think you have certain choices, but oftentimes, a new tool will open up a whole new space that you didn’t even know about and the way you get through that space is through the mastery of those tools.” “So then there’s this sort of epiphany where, because you know what it’s like to use the tool, it opens up all the things that you could do with it. All of a sudden, now you have a power. Now you have a possibility space that you can explore that you didn’t even know about before,”
“Spending time sweeping up and knolling at the end of the day is a way of reflecting on what you did, and putting everything away makes it really easy to start the next day. But I think it’s important that everything is there for how it works for you, and that it’s a pleasure.”
March 2, 2020
Adam Savage is known for many things (cosplayer; prop-maker; ILM builder; artist; etc.); the most prominent of these is his role as the co-host of the Discovery Channel juggernaut Mythbusters. In this, his debut novel/biography, he produces a grab-bag of story beats: lightly sketched memoir; go-get-'em exhortation to believe in the art of making; and sneak peek behind the curtain of creation.
1. Ultimately, I was interested in the first and third of those items. However, none of the three are particularly ... thorough. They're all shallow; they serve only to begin to whet the appetite. It leads to a somewhat cyclical, repetitious book with some uneven patches that swing a little too far into the philosophy.
(1.5 Here is where I acknowledge that the philosophy behind the "being a maker" portion of this book is something I fully support: the issue I have is that it doesn't necessarily have roots enough to take off. Early on, Savage acknowledges the importance of getting tools and techniques into the hands of more people--specifically those without access to these tools and techniques due to economic or social limitations. ...and then it's never really mentioned again.
Which is a little discouraging, because it's clear there's a large amount of capital required to support the life and work habits of a maker—and while Savage touches on some of the internal hurdles to Making, he doesn't really acknowledge all the other hurdles out there. Like, access to ridiculously expensive tools. And having disposable income for materials. And having dedicated space to work in.)
2. Who ever was the editor of the e-book did Savage dirty: there's quite a few obvious copy-writing errors as well as some horribly inserted images. The lack of care definitely took away from the reading experience.
3. I did finish this book wanting to go out and create something, so that's a plus!
1. Ultimately, I was interested in the first and third of those items. However, none of the three are particularly ... thorough. They're all shallow; they serve only to begin to whet the appetite. It leads to a somewhat cyclical, repetitious book with some uneven patches that swing a little too far into the philosophy.
(1.5 Here is where I acknowledge that the philosophy behind the "being a maker" portion of this book is something I fully support: the issue I have is that it doesn't necessarily have roots enough to take off. Early on, Savage acknowledges the importance of getting tools and techniques into the hands of more people--specifically those without access to these tools and techniques due to economic or social limitations. ...and then it's never really mentioned again.
Which is a little discouraging, because it's clear there's a large amount of capital required to support the life and work habits of a maker—and while Savage touches on some of the internal hurdles to Making, he doesn't really acknowledge all the other hurdles out there. Like, access to ridiculously expensive tools. And having disposable income for materials. And having dedicated space to work in.)
2. Who ever was the editor of the e-book did Savage dirty: there's quite a few obvious copy-writing errors as well as some horribly inserted images. The lack of care definitely took away from the reading experience.
3. I did finish this book wanting to go out and create something, so that's a plus!
May 30, 2019
This book is precisely what I would expect a book by Adam Savage to be--a frenetic flurry of information, some obvious, some insightful, but all delivered with an undeniable enthusiasm. I appreciate that he acknowledges the massive privilege he's had in his life, but it's still just a wee bit annoying that he says things like, "I called up Guillermo del Toro..." Sure, great, let's all just call up our heroes in Hollywood and get some inside information. While the occasional acknowledgement is appreciated, it might help mitigate the privilege a bit to have maybe a list of other resources that could be useful for those of us who don't have del Toro, employees of ILM, Jamie Hyneman, or R̶o̶n̶ ̶S̶w̶a̶n̶s̶o̶n̶ Nick Offerman in our back pockets.
All in all, I got a couple tidbits out of it, and it was a pretty fast read. I definitely appreciate the chapter on lists and drawings since I'm prone to list making but always felt like it was taking up precious time so often force myself to skip it. Savage seems like a pretty down-to-earth guy, and that's got value too. I would suggest that this book is aimed at younger, newer makers though, and that anyone who is a little further along in their maker journey may find less value in his discussions (unless, of course, you just want to read about Adam Savage and get a good idea of his personal journey--there's certainly value in that too!).
All in all, I got a couple tidbits out of it, and it was a pretty fast read. I definitely appreciate the chapter on lists and drawings since I'm prone to list making but always felt like it was taking up precious time so often force myself to skip it. Savage seems like a pretty down-to-earth guy, and that's got value too. I would suggest that this book is aimed at younger, newer makers though, and that anyone who is a little further along in their maker journey may find less value in his discussions (unless, of course, you just want to read about Adam Savage and get a good idea of his personal journey--there's certainly value in that too!).
May 24, 2019
I absolutely loved the first 1/3 of this book. That's the bit that seems to deal most with the idea of creating. The middle 1/3 was interesting too, because that's the bit that goes through a lot of Adam's background and reads like an autobiography. I found the final 1/3 a bit difficult to get through, as that seems geared towards an very specific audience - one that would appreciate tips on which glue to use in certain situations, or how to store tape in a way that made the most of your available space.
If you're a creative type looking for inspiration and/or validation, definitely read the first few chapters. If you're a fan of Adam and the Mythbusters days, read the middle, and if you are a serious "maker," read the final 1/3. That last third just wasn't very applicable or interesting to me.
If you're a creative type looking for inspiration and/or validation, definitely read the first few chapters. If you're a fan of Adam and the Mythbusters days, read the middle, and if you are a serious "maker," read the final 1/3. That last third just wasn't very applicable or interesting to me.
May 21, 2019
The Audiobook Is Definitely Better
4.5 out of 5 stars
Before reading this I wouldn’t have considered myself a “maker”. I’m not really good with tools or making things with my hands, but I do create things online. I blog, I write, and I do design work as well. It was interesting that early in this book Savage covers this (“I don’t make, I code”) where he is telling someone if they are making something then they are a maker even if it’s on a computer. I liked that a lot.
The whole book was a “how to” but more of a how to not screw up like he did. He admittedly rushed things and did things differently than a lot of makers and took a different path. Sometimes it worked out and sometimes it didn’t. He went into detail on the how and why and it was a fascinating look behind the curtain.
I was a huge fan of Mythbusters and I follow Adam’s Tested platform as well from time to time. I’ve listened to some of his podcasts (the first one I remember listening to reminded me of this book a lot). He’s just a fascinating and interesting person. He’s a “celebrity” but also just a real person. He’s down-to-earth and interacts with his fans at Cons and other events.
Overall, I thought that listening to this book really gave it an extra edge. He included anything I might have missed from the book but listening to him tell the stories, events, and mishaps first hand really makes a book like this.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Before reading this I wouldn’t have considered myself a “maker”. I’m not really good with tools or making things with my hands, but I do create things online. I blog, I write, and I do design work as well. It was interesting that early in this book Savage covers this (“I don’t make, I code”) where he is telling someone if they are making something then they are a maker even if it’s on a computer. I liked that a lot.
The whole book was a “how to” but more of a how to not screw up like he did. He admittedly rushed things and did things differently than a lot of makers and took a different path. Sometimes it worked out and sometimes it didn’t. He went into detail on the how and why and it was a fascinating look behind the curtain.
I was a huge fan of Mythbusters and I follow Adam’s Tested platform as well from time to time. I’ve listened to some of his podcasts (the first one I remember listening to reminded me of this book a lot). He’s just a fascinating and interesting person. He’s a “celebrity” but also just a real person. He’s down-to-earth and interacts with his fans at Cons and other events.
Overall, I thought that listening to this book really gave it an extra edge. He included anything I might have missed from the book but listening to him tell the stories, events, and mishaps first hand really makes a book like this.
February 8, 2024
Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame wrote a book about his life. The title is Every Book's A Hammer, and discusses his technique and process. I've always been mediocre at making things. I've tried several things, but they never turn out how I want them.
Savage makes the story fascinating. His focus is the making process. Eventually, he gets to tool acquisition.
I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
Savage makes the story fascinating. His focus is the making process. Eventually, he gets to tool acquisition.
I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
December 14, 2019
I like Adam Savage on Mythbusters, but I had very little knowledge of him outside of that. Also, I don't consider myself a "maker". I consider myself creative, but my creativity comes in words - I can't build or craft; I'm definitely not a visual learner; I have zero spatial skills and can't use any but the most basic of tools in an extremely rudimentary fashion. But I liked this book because it is about how how we are all makers in our own way, even if the specifics are different. It is about list and organization and how to be a boss and how to overcome hurdles. Sure, there's a whole section on glue, but even that was sort of entertaining. I think many people will be happily surprised by this book.
March 19, 2024
He is a geeks geek. Ask yourself how do you feel about the following paraphrased sentences.
I really like contact cement .
Wow . I love Cardboard.
Then you know if you would like to read this book.
Read as Libby audio book read by the author . Although I am not a maker or a watcher of Myth Busters, this held my interest and found his passion enjoyable.
I really like contact cement .
Wow . I love Cardboard.
Then you know if you would like to read this book.
Read as Libby audio book read by the author . Although I am not a maker or a watcher of Myth Busters, this held my interest and found his passion enjoyable.
May 26, 2019
An organized and meditative dissertation of Adam Savage's career life and his philosophy of making, no matter what you make. Savage's bombastic energy and optimism come through on the page, and the act of reading this is pure enjoyment as a consequence. Extremely useful advice (a scale-balancer for Adam) is imparted throughout, and drawings, photographs and illustrations abound. I keep hoping Adam Savage will write something that lays out his personal philosophy (glances are available on Tested, MythBusters, and his TED Talks), but this is more a manual one coats with something water and dust resistant and parks in the shop, ready for reference where you can see it, whenever you need a reminder, a pick-me-up, or just a fun read.
January 4, 2022
This is surprisingly relevant to software development - and I didn't even pick it up with such expectation in mind.
Maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise as Adam mentions it as one of the examples right away - the book being about all kinds of "making", and coding being making. And maybe I'm just hyped and projecting. But for a book which puts prop making and building of physical stuff into foreground, it's eerie how much of the same principles apply just as well to programming, either alone or as a part of a small team.
Of course you can bring the metaphor only so far - i.e. you won't get much out of the section about different properties of kinds of glue. But, for example, the section right beforehand talks about when and why to invest time to use screws & clamps in your builds, so that you can later take them apart and rework if needed. Bam, basic API design knowledge right there. And tidbits like that are all around.
By the way, it's also funny and enjoyable regardless of the topic + the naration of the audiobook is great as well. For a book randombly stumbled upon, definitely recommended to fellow makers.
Maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise as Adam mentions it as one of the examples right away - the book being about all kinds of "making", and coding being making. And maybe I'm just hyped and projecting. But for a book which puts prop making and building of physical stuff into foreground, it's eerie how much of the same principles apply just as well to programming, either alone or as a part of a small team.
Of course you can bring the metaphor only so far - i.e. you won't get much out of the section about different properties of kinds of glue. But, for example, the section right beforehand talks about when and why to invest time to use screws & clamps in your builds, so that you can later take them apart and rework if needed. Bam, basic API design knowledge right there. And tidbits like that are all around.
By the way, it's also funny and enjoyable regardless of the topic + the naration of the audiobook is great as well. For a book randombly stumbled upon, definitely recommended to fellow makers.
March 27, 2019
Like many people, I loved watching Mythbusters not only for the busted myths but also to see what contraptions they built each week to test them.
Every Tool's a Hammer is an insight into Adam Savage's mind and creative process - one that I found fascinating as a maker myself. In fact, it was quite cathartic to be told by a professional maker of things that my thoughts, obsessions, projects, tests, and even failures are a good thing and that I should keep going. We all need that reassurance sometimes.
With advice that easily translates from making to living life, I think this is a fantastic book for creatives who can sometimes get lost in their own heads (me) as well as anyone who would like a glimpse into the world of making.
Every Tool's a Hammer is an insight into Adam Savage's mind and creative process - one that I found fascinating as a maker myself. In fact, it was quite cathartic to be told by a professional maker of things that my thoughts, obsessions, projects, tests, and even failures are a good thing and that I should keep going. We all need that reassurance sometimes.
With advice that easily translates from making to living life, I think this is a fantastic book for creatives who can sometimes get lost in their own heads (me) as well as anyone who would like a glimpse into the world of making.
January 29, 2020
This was exactly the creative inspiration I needed. Savage breaks down his creative process into fundamental blocks that can apply to any and all creative pursuits. (I'm using his checklist method at work and it has done wonders for my productivity and sanity.) Highly recommend!
January 24, 2020
A beautiful insight into the life of Adam Savage and his ways of making. A essential guide to all makers or want-to-be makers!
November 28, 2020
I wanted more anecdotes but listening to a master maker justify all the murderous feelings I've had toward someone mishandling fabric scissors was worth it.
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