Identifying Wood

This is a very nice, short overview of the major types of wood used in various capacities, such as wood carving, construction, furniture making, etc. There is a very brief introduction; but the body of the book is 64 pages of ratings, 2 woods per page. Each review consists of 6 numeric ratings (impact bending, stiffness, density, workability, bending strength, and crushing strength) plus more subjective descriptions detailing: 1. where it grows; 2. appearance; 3. properties; 4. workability (e.g. "works well with both hand and machine tools..."); 5. preservation; and 6. uses. The woods are listed in Latin name alphabetical sequence; but there's a very good index using the common names. The size of the book is great for throwing in a big pocket or small purse when visiting the local lumber or woodworking store.