Archie's Way is an inspiring tale about a very special friendship and the redemptive powers of a shared passion.
After a hurricane and flood leads Richard Probert and his young family to northern Wisconsin, he meets Archie Raasch, and together they begin a remarkable voyage of self-discovery centered on the art of working with metal and wood. In Archie, he finds an eccentric and brilliant older man who not only can take a piece of cherry or steel and turn it into something beautiful and useful, but a person who has developed over the years a deep understanding of craft, creativity, and the essentials of life. With wit, candor, and eloquence, Probert paints an illuminating and touching portrait of the bonds that develop, of the trials and frustrations of craftsmanship, and of the special life lessons and the insights that both men--young and old--gain from this unique relationship. The result is an affecting and poignant tale that makes Archie's Way a book to be treasured.
PRAISE FOR ARCHIE'S WAY
"Probert's homage to tools, materials, and the canny and irascible Archie Raaschreminds us that real friendship is a delicate, human thing with the power to transform." Daniel Spurr, author of Steered by the Falling Stars and River of Forgotten Dreams
"This is a small gem of a book Like a well-constructed cabinet or concerto, each of its components contributes to the whole. If this is typical of his work, Probert is both a master craftsman and musician." Bill Campbell, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
"Archie's Way is one of the most purely enjoyable book Mr. HP has read in many years." Mark Hetts (Mr. Handyperson), San Francisco Examiner
"Probert's writing is accessible and well wrought, the literary equivalent of a plane sliding a long, smooth shaving from a beautiful piece of wood." Booklist
Named Outstanding Achievement by a Wisconsin Author by Wisconsin Library Associates
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Richard Ezra Probert teaches entrepreneurship at the Syracuse University business school, conducts both amateur and professional music organizations, sails solo on the North Atlantic from Maine to Canada and designs and makes furniture in addition to writing.
He lives in Sackets Harbor, NY with his wife Carmelita and dog Aggie.