100 Best Diy Books of All Time (Updated for 2026)

1

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Marie Kondō

5.0

Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles?

Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you'll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom

Recommended by Andra Zaharia, Annie Loves Covfefe, Benjamin Spall, and 3 others.

Andra Zaharia

I’ve gone through quite a few experiences brought on or shaped by what I’ve learned from books. … a more frivolous example is The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying. I read this one when moving apartments a few years ago and it made me throw or give away ⅓ of my stuff. The result: freeing up space, both physical and mental, and acquiring some home organizing skills that have stuck with me ever since. My home is tidier and my mind is clearer because of this book. [source]

Annie Loves Covfefe

@Benny29143790 @Thereal_ssteele Oh how I love Kondo cleaning. Her first book is fantastic too!! [source]

Benjamin Spall

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo … I started reading on vacation. I interviewed Marie for my own book and while the translation is somewhat quirky in places, her book is worth the hype. [source]

2

The Artist's Way

Julia Cameron

4.6

Preview Summary

"Without The Artist's Way, there would have been no Eat, Pray, Love.” —Elizabeth Gilbert

A stunning gift edition of the powerful bestselling book on creativity.The Artist’s Way is one of the bestselling gift books of all time. Beautifully packaged with a slipcase and ribbon, this tenth anniversary gift edition is the ideal gift for loved ones engaged in creative lives.

Recommended by Anand C and Emma Gannon.

Anand C

STARTING FROM AUTHENTICITY: by observing, showing humility and being grateful - I started being open to what’s in the sub-conscious more (30+ sessions in). Speaking your truth is a powerful result of this. One great book to help explore this. https://t.co/sOAgAHhWsO [source]

Emma Gannon

Instead of all these fast paced books saying: ‘Here’s how to be amazing, here’s how to get a side hustle, here’s how to hustle, hustle, hustle.’ This is the total opposite. It’s about slowing right down and connecting with yourself again. [source]

3

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

Austin Kleon

4.6

Preview Summary

You don’t need to be a genius, you just need to be yourself. That’s the message from Austin Kleon, a young writer and artist who knows that creativity is everywhere, creativity is for everyone. A manifesto for the digital age, Steal Like an Artist is a guide whose positive message, graphic look and illustrations, exercises, and examples will put readers directly in touch with their artistic side.

Recommended by Ryan Holiday, Seth Godin, Andra Zaharia, and 8 others.

Ryan Holiday

Author

Part of ambition is modeling yourself after those you’d like to be like. Austin’s philosophy of ruthlessly stealing and remixing the greats might sound appalling at first but it is actually the essence of art. You learn by stealing, you become creative by stealing, you push yourself to be better by working with these materials. Austin is a fantastic artist, but most importantly he communicates the essence of writing and creating art better than anyone else I can think of. It is a manifesto for any young, creative person looking to make his mark. Pair up with Show Your Work which is also excellent. [source]

Seth Godin

Author, Marketer, Entrepreneur

Breezy and fun and yes, scary. Scary because it calls your bluff. [source]

Andra Zaharia

While I was thinking of the best books to add to this short list, I realized that not even half of them are directly related to digital marketing. This is because I believe that the best marketers are people who understand human nature deeply and aim to bring out the best in it. Call me naive, but that’s how I see it. If I were to want to pursue a career in marketing, I’d read … Steal Like An Artist. [source]

4

How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease

Michael Greger and Gene Stone

4.5

Preview Summary

From the physician behind the wildly popular website NutritionFacts.org, How Not to Die reveals the groundbreaking scientific evidence behind the only diet that can prevent and reverse many of the causes of disease-related death.

The vast majority of premature deaths can be prevented through simple changes in diet and lifestyle. In How Not to Die, Dr. Michael Greger, the internationally-renowned nu

Recommended by Mariana Camarena, Michael Greger, and Vegan Olive.

Mariana Camarena

This is the way I start my 2020, excited, motivated and thankful with Dr. Michael Greger for this book, a must for all my collegues around the world. Follow now 👉 @nutrition_facts 🙌 #NutricionActiva https://t.co/btEa9t0lWX [source]

Michael Greger

Sneak preview of some of the tips in my upcoming new book How Not to Diet: https://t.co/SRqYv20tqR [source]

Vegan Olive

@MiggyMoglet I've just finished reading Dr Gregers book 'How Not To Die' @nutrition_facts ..what an fantastic read about #vegan nutrition [source]

5

The Backyard Homestead: Produce All the Food You Need on Just a Quarter Acre!

Carleen Madigan

4.5

This comprehensive guide to homesteading provides all the information you need to grow and preserve a sustainable harvest of grains and vegetables; raise animals for meat, eggs, and dairy; and keep honey bees for your sweeter days. With easy-to-follow instructions on canning, drying, and pickling, you’ll enjoy your backyard bounty all winter long.

Also available in this series: The Backyard Homest

6

Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills

Abigail Gehring

4.5

Anyone who wants to learn basic living skills--the kind that were common to earlier generations--need look no further than this full-color, eminently practical guide. Created to both inspire and instruct, it returns readers to an era before power saws and fast food restaurants so they can rediscover the pleasures and challenges of a more self-sufficient, economical, and healthy lifestyle. Packed w

7

The Design of Everyday Things

Don Norman

4.5

Preview Summary

Even the smartest among us can feel inept as we fail to figure out which light switch or oven burner to turn on, or whether to push, pull, or slide a door. The fault, argues this ingenious—even liberating—book, lies not in ourselves, but in product design that ignores the needs of users and the principles of cognitive psychology. The problems range from ambiguous and hidden controls to arbitrary r

Recommended by Andrew Chen, Marissa Mayer, Nir Eyal, and 23 others.

Grey Baker

I mainly read to decompress and change my state of mind, so it’s hard to point to an insight I read that helped me. Reading fiction has pulled me out of a bad mood more times than I can count, though, and always reenergises me to attack problems that had stumped me again. That said, I read and loved Norman Norman’s “The Design of Everyday Things”, and it’s helped me think through design problems ever since. [source]

Julia Enthoven

For people interested in designing or building software products: The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman and The Lean Product Playbook by Dan Olsen. Both books have informed my product sense and helped me make decisions about great UX. [source]

Kaci Lambe

These three books are about how people actually use design in their lives. They helped me understand this very basic idea: There are no dumb users, only bad designers. Take the time to create based on how your design will be interacted with. Test it. Iterate. That's how you become a good designer. [source]

8

Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook: Instructions, Patterns, and Advice for a New Generation of Knitters

Debbie Stoller

4.5

Knitting is hot, with 4 million newcomers in the last few years joining a core group of 38,000,000 knitters nationwide. And these are primarily young, creative, connected chicks with sticks who are coming together in living rooms, knitting cafes, and chic yarn stores, and making everything from funky hats to bikinis.

In Stitch 'n Bitch, Debbie Stoller-founder of the first Stitch 'n Bitch knitting g

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9

Young House Love: 243 Ways to Paint, Craft, Update Show Your Home Some Love

Sherry Petersik, John Petersik

4.4

Design ideas for every style, skill level, and budget, from the beloved couple behind YoungHouseLove.com

This debut book by bloggers Sherry and John Petersik is filled with hundreds of fun, deceptively simple, budget-friendly ideas for sprucing up a home. With two home renovations under their (tool) belts, 5 million blog hits per month, and an ever-growing audience since the launch of "Young House

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10

How Not to Diet: The Groundbreaking Science of Healthy, Permanent Weight Loss

Michael Greger

4.3

Preview Summary

Discover the cutting-edge science behind long-term weight loss success, in this powerful new book from the New York Times bestselling author of How Not to Die.

Every month seems to bring a trendy new diet or weight loss fad—and yet obesity rates continue to rise, and with it a growing number of diseases and health problems. It’s time for a different approach.

Enter Dr. Michael Greger, the internatio

11

The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman

Timothy Ferriss

4.3

Preview Summary

Thinner, bigger, faster, stronger... which 150 pages will you read?

Is it possible to:
Reach your genetic potential in 6 months?
Sleep 2 hours per day and perform better than on 8 hours?
Lose more fat than a marathoner by bingeing?

Indeed, and much more. This is not just another diet and fitness book.

The 4-Hour Body is the result of an obsessive quest, spanning more than a decade, to hack the huma

Recommended by Jon Favreau, Caterina Fake, Bryan Callen, and 3 others.

Jon Favreau

I’ve given this book to people. [source]

Bryan Callen

I probably have recommended The Art of Learning and The 4-Hour Body, I'm not kidding, more than any other books. [source]

Dr. Monali Y. Desai

I get most of my information about nutrition from medical studies. I haven’t read any books about nutrition that I agree with 100%. These are a few nutrition related books that I’ve read recently that I thought were interesting: Eat to Live (Joel Fuhrman), Why We Get Fat (Gary Taubes), and The 4-Hour Body (Tim Ferriss). [source]

12

The Bullet Journal Method: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future

Ryder Carroll

4.3

Preview Summary

The long-awaited first book by the founder of the enormously popular Bullet Journal® organizational system.

For years Ryder Carroll tried countless organizing systems, online and off, but none of them fit the way his mind worked. Out of sheer necessity, he developed a method called the Bullet Journal that helped him become consistently focused and effective. When he started sharing his system with

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13

Make Your Place: Affordable, Sustainable Nesting Skills

Raleigh Briggs

4.3

Raleigh Briggs teaches us how to craft a sustainable domestic life without relying on smelly, toxic, expensive consumer products. And it's not as hard as we may think! This hand written and drawn book of charming tutorials is both fun and accessible. It's full of simple skills that anyone can and should learn. From creating tinctures and salves to concocting all-natural cleaners and body products

14

Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up

Marie Kondō

4.3

Spark Joy is an in-depth, line illustrated, room-by-room guide to decluttering and organising your home. It covers every room in the house from bedrooms and kitchens to bathrooms and living rooms as well as a wide range of items in different categories, including clothes, photographs, paperwork, books, cutlery, cosmetics, shoes, bags, wallets and valuables. Charming line drawings explain how to pr

Recommended by Deke Bridges.

Deke Bridges

@ritawynthomas @MarieKondo Happy Friday Rita. It's a great book... part 2 of Marie's first book. Highly recommend. [source]

15

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art

James Nestor

4.3

Preview Summary

No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how skinny or young or wise you are, none of it matters if you're not breathing properly.

There is nothing more essential to our health and well-being than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat 25,000 times a day. Yet, as a species, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences.

Journalist James Nestor travels the world

16

Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-scale Permaculture

Toby Hemenway, John Todd

4.3

Permaculture is a verbal marriage of "permanent" and "agriculture." Australian Bill Mollison pioneered its development. Key features include:

- use of compatible perennials;
- non-invasive planting techniques;
- emphasis on biodiversity;
- specifically adaptable to local climate, landscape, and soil conditions;
- highly productive output of edibles.

Now, picture your backyard as one incredibly lush gard

17

The Foxfire Book: Hog Dressing; Log Cabin Building; Mountain Crafts and Foods; Planting by the Signs; Snake Lore, Hunting Tales, Faith Healing

Eliot Wigginton

4.3

In the late 1960's, Eliot Wigginton and his students created the magazine "Foxfire" in an effort to record and preserve the traditional folk culture of the Southern Appalachians. This is the original book compilation of Foxfire material which introduces Aunt Arie and her contemporaries and includes log cabin building, hog dressing, snake lore, mountain crafts and food, and "other affairs of plain

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18

Wreck This Journal (Red) Expanded Ed.

Keri Smith

4.3

For anyone who's ever wished to, but had trouble starting, keeping, or finishing a journal or sketchbook comes Wreck This Journal, an illustrated book that features a subversive collection of prompts, asking readers to muster up their best mistake- and mess-making abilities to fill the pages of the book (and destroy them). Acclaimed illustrator Keri Smith encourages journalers to engage in "destru

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19

The Handbuilt Home: 34 Simple Stylish and Budget-Friendly Woodworking Projects for Every Room

Ana White

4.3

Create a Beautiful, Modern Home with One-of-a-Kind DIY Furniture
Beds, organizers, Adirondack chairs, a play table, and more! It's easy to build inexpensive, quality furnishings with this indispensible collection of woodworking projects from Ana White, the popular blogger who has inspired millions of homemakers with her stylish furniture plans and DIY spirit. As a young mom on a tight budget, Ana l

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20

I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence

Amy Sedaris

4.3

Are you lacking direction in how to whip up a swanky soiree for lumberjacks? A dinner party for white-collar workers? A festive gathering for the grieving? Don't despair. Take a cue from entertaining expert Amy Sedaris and host an unforgettable fete that will have your guests raving. No matter the style or size of the gathering-from the straightforward to the bizarre-I Like You provides jackpot re

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21

Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World

Kelly Coyne, Knutzen Erik

4.3

Spending money is the last thing anyone wants to do right now. We are in the midst of a massive cultural shift away from consumerism and toward a vibrant and very active counter-movement that has been thriving on the outskirts for quite some time — do-it-yourself-ers who make frugal, homemade living hip are challenging the notion that true wealth has anything to do with money. In Making It, Coyne

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22

Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker

Debbie Stoller

4.3

Debbie does crochet! Debbie Stoller, the “knitting superstar,” has been leading an entire movement of hip young knitters with her New York Times bestseller Stitch ’n Bitch and its follow-up, Stitch ’n Bitch Nation, together with over 521,000 copies in print. But guess what? For every one knitter in the world there are three crocheters—which translates into millions of hip, crafty, 18- to 35-year-o

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23

Collins Complete DIY Manual

Albert Jackson, David Day

4.2

This international bestseller is the most comprehensive and authoritative DIY manual ever produced. This new edition has been updated with information on all the latest changes in products, techniques and regulations developed since the last edition (published in 2004). Catering to novices, DIY enthusiasts or professionals, this essential book continues to be the most in-depth, up-to-date and user

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24

New Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual

Editors of Reader's Digest

4.2

The most complete and authoritative home repair manual ever published, this book is the yardstick by which all other books on do-it-yourself are measured. The definitive guide to home repair, maintenance, and improvement. Over 4,000 illustrations.

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25

The Encyclopedia of Country Living

Carla Emery

4.2

The bible of sustainable living, food gardening, and living green, no home is complete without this one-of-a-kind encyclopedia! For more than thirty years, people have relied on the thousands of recipes, detailed how-to instructions, and personal advice provided in this definitive classic. It is the most complete source of step-by-step information about growing, processing, cooking, and preserving

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26

Design*Sponge at Home

Grace Bonney

4.2

"The long-awaited home décor bible by the beloved design blogger"

Thank you, wrote a reader to Design*Sponge creator Grace Bonney, for teaching me that houses don't have to be frumpy and formal. They don't have to be matchy-matchy or rigidly modern. They can just be comfy and unique and reflect who you are, no matter how small your budget or space.

That reader is one of the 75,000 unique daily visit

27

Pure Soapmaking: How to Create Nourishing, Natural Skin Care Soaps

Anne-Marie Faiola

4.2

The pure luxury of soaps made with coconut butter, almond oil, aloe vera, oatmeal, and green tea is one of life's little pleasures. And with the help of author Anne-Marie Faiola, it's easy to make luscious, all-natural soaps right in your own kitchen. This collection of 32 recipes ranges from simple castile bars to intricate swirls, embeds, and marbled and layered looks. Begin with a combination o

28

The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Betty Edwards

4.2

When Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain was first published in 1979, it hit the New York Times bestseller list within two weeks and stayed there for more than a year. In 1989, when Dr. Betty Edwards revised the book, it went straight to the Times list again. Now Dr. Edwards celebrates the twentieth anniversary of her classic book with a second revised edition.Over the last decade, Dr. Edwards

Recommended by Adam Robinson and Adam Robinson.

Adam Robinson

One of five books that confirm there is far, far more in our unconscious mind than is dreamt of in our philosophy. [source]

Adam Robinson

One of five books that confirm there is far, far more in our unconscious mind than is dreamt of in our philosophy. [source]

29

Fast. Feast. Repeat.: The Clean Fast Protocol for Health, Longevity, and Weight Loss--Including the 21-Day Quick Start Guide

Gin Stephens

4.2

Preview Summary

Stephens’ intermittent fasting protocol is the culmination of three years of following the latest IF and autophagy research out of top universities, as well as coaching tens of thousands of people via her online communities. Once an adopter has determined an effective fasting window, they transition to a consistent schedule, utilizing Stephens’ tips and tricks until IF becomes a "forever lifestyle

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30

Stolen Sharpie Revolution: A DIY Zine Resource

Alex Wrekk

4.2

31

The Rural Diaries: What Moving to Mischief Farm Taught Me About What Really Matters in Life, Love, and Making Dandelion Wine

Hilarie Burton

4.2

The beloved actress and star of One Tree Hill, White Collar, and Lethal Weapon, Hilarie Burton, tells the inspiring story of leaving Hollywood for a radically different kind of life in upstate New York with her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan—a celebration of community, family, and the value of hard work in small town America.

While Hilarie Burton’s hectic lifestyle as an actress in New York and Los An

32

Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home

Martha Stewart

4.2

Whether your home is small or large, an apartment in the city or a country cottage, it is a space that should be at once beautiful and livable. The key to that is managing the upkeep without feeling flustered. Until now, there has never been a comprehensive resource that not only tells how to care for your home and everything in it, but that also simplifies the process by explaining just when. Wit

33

Good Clean Fun: Misadventures in Sawdust at Offerman Woodshop

Nick Offerman

4.2

After two New York Times bestsellers, Nick Offerman returns with the subject for which he's known best—his incredible real-life woodshop.

Nestled among the glitz and glitter of Tinseltown is a testament to American elbow grease and an honest-to-god hard day’s work: Offerman Woodshop. Captained by hirsute woodworker, actor, comedian, and writer Nick Offerman, the shop produces not only fine handcraf

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34

How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum

Keri Smith

4.2

From the author of Wreck This Journal, an interactive guide for exploring and documenting the art and science of everyday life.

Artists and scientists analyze the world around them in surprisingly similar ways, by observing, collecting, documenting, analyzing, and comparing. In this captivating guided journal, readers are encouraged to explore their world as both artists and scientists.

The mission

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35

The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-sufficient Living in the Heart of the City (Process Self-Reliance Series)

Kelly Coyne, Erik Knutzen

4.2

The Urban Homestead is the essential handbook for a fast-growing new movement: urbanites are becoming gardeners and farmers. Rejecting both end-times hand wringing and dewy-eyed faith that technology will save us from ourselves, urban homesteaders choose instead to act. By growing their own food and harnessing natural energy, they are planting seeds for the future of our cities.

If you would like t

36

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine

4.2

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving contains over 400 delicious and creative recipes. Home canning puts the pleasures of eating natural, delicious produce at your fingertips year round. Preserving food is as modern and practical as the latest food trend, and its really quite simple. Easy-to-understand detailed instructions provide all the information you need before you begin a project. Enjoy th

37

The Martha Manual: How to Do (Almost) Everything

Martha Stewart

4.2

Essential life skills from America's most trusted lifestyle expert—together in one beautiful and practical handbook, with hundreds of ideas, instructions, and inspirations

Martha Stewart is America’s go-to source for the best answers to nearly every question. As an authority on the many worlds upon which she’s built her domestic empire, she can advise on everything from creating a cutting garden a

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38

Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt

Megan Nicolay

4.2

Make it yours. This inspirational guide with DIY attitude has everything you need to know about the world’s great T-shirt: how to cut it, sew it, deconstruct it, reconstruct it, and best of all, transform it. • Features more than 100 projects (plus 200 variations) for customized tees, tank tops, tube tops, T-skirts—even handbags, a patchwork blanket, iPod cozies, leg warmers, and more. • Not a DIY

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39

101 Easy Homemade Products for Your Skin, Health & Home: A Nerdy Farm Wife's All-Natural DIY Projects Using Commonly Found Herbs, Flowers & Other Plants

Jan Berry

4.2

Go Green in Every Part of Your Life with These Easy, All-Natural Herbal Products

Kick toxic, synthetic skin care products and cleaners out the door and bring the healing joy of nature into your life with the simple, versatile projects in 101 Easy Homemade Products for Your Skin, Health & Home. In this incredible resource, Jan Berry teaches you the basics of making your own skin care and hair care p

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40

Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life

Jenna Woginrich

4.2

"Point is, it feels good to get dirty, work hard, and slow down."

In a world of mass-produced food, factory-stitched clothing, 300-channel cable television, and computer-centric desk jobs, it's easy to overlook the simple pleasures of eating homegrown vegetables, raising animals naturally and humanely, wearing hand-sewn clothing, or simply enjoying an evening of unplugged entertainment.

Inspired b

41

Practical Electronics for Inventors

Paul Scherz and Simon Monk

4.1

A Fully-Updated, No-Nonsense Guide to Electronics

Advance your electronics knowledge and gain the skills necessary to develop and construct your own functioning gadgets. Written by a pair of experienced engineers and dedicated hobbyists, Practical Electronics for Inventors, Fourth Edition, lays out the essentials and provides step-by-step instructions, schematics, and illustrations. Discover how t

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42

The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It: The Complete Back-To-Basics Guide

John Seymour

4.1

The only book that teaches all the skills needed to live independently in harmony with the land, from harnessing natural forms of energy to raising crops and keeping livestock to basketry, carpentry, and much more. Author John Seymour, the father of the back-to-basics movement, shares his singular vision to transform lives and create communities. More relevant than ever in our hi-tech world, The S

43

Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 Teas, Tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family

Rosemary Gladstar

4.1

Promote vibrant health and radiant beauty, soothe everyday ailments, and ease persistent stress with these simple, natural cures for everything from dry skin and infant colic to cold symptoms and insomnia. Renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar provides 175 proven therapies and herbal remedies that are easy to prepare and safe enough for children. Offering a potent and effective alternative to comme

44

Foxfire 2: Ghost stories, spring wild plant foods, spinning and weaving, midwifing, burial customs, corn shuckin's, wagon making, and more affairs of plain living

Eliot Wigginton

4.1

This second volume celebrates the rites and customs of Appalachia, featuring sections on ghost stories, spring wild plant foods, corn shuckin's, spinning and weaving, midwives, granny women, old-time burial customs, witches and haints, and wagon making.

Table of Contents:
Maude Shope
Sourwood Honey
Beekeeping
Spring Wild Plant Foods
Happy Dowdle
Making an Ox Yoke
Wagon Wheels and Wagons
Making a Tub

45

Country Wisdom & Know-How: A Practical Guide to Living off the Land

Editors of Storey Publishing

4.1

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46

Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens

Lena Corwin, Thayer Allyson Gowdy

4.1

It’s the natural inconsistencies—the accidental differences between one finished piece and another—that make hand-printed fabrics, papers, furniture, and works of art so interesting. The quirks are what show the maker’s intimate involvement in the process, and it’s that unique quality that first attracted textile designer and illustrator Lena Corwin to hand-printing. Even though decorative prints

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47

Bust DIY Guide to Life: Making Your Way Through Every Day

Debbie Stoller, Laurie Henzel

4.1

Whether it’s sewing clothes, making cheese, or growing a garden, the modern appeal of “do-it-yourself” projects has a broader reach than ever. And who better to teach us how to DIY our lives than the über-crafty editors of BUST, the quirky, raw, and real magazine “for women who have something to get off their chests”? In The BUST DIY Guide to Life, magazine founders Debbie Stoller (of Stitch ’n Bi

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48

All New Square Foot Gardening

Mel Bartholomew

4.1

Do you know what the best feature is in All New Square Foot Gardening? Sure, there are ten new features in this all-new, updated book. Sure, it's even simpler than it was before. Of course, you don't have to worry about fertilizer or poor soil ever again because you'll be growing above the ground. However, the best feature is that anyone, anywhere can enjoy a square foot garden - children, adults

49

Homemaking with Babs: Tips and Tricks for Making a House a Home

Barbara Costello

4.1

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the beloved author of Every Day with Babs, comes Babs’ life-tested advice and tricks for setting up, cleaning, and maintaining an organized, happy, and healthy home.Everyone’s favorite grandma is back with a comprehensive guide to caring for the home, whether you live in a house or apartment. Through their decades of experience as homeowners, Babs and her husban

50

The Art of Fermentation: An in-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World

Sandor Ellix Katz

4.1

Winner of the 2013 James Beard Foundation Book Award for Reference and Scholarship, and a New York Times bestseller, The Art of Fermentation is the most comprehensive guide to do-it-yourself home fermentation ever published. Sandor Katz presents the concepts and processes behind fermentation in ways that are simple enough to guide a reader through their first experience making sauerkraut or yogurt

51

Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair

C. Calvin Jones

4.1

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52

Making Handmade Books: 100+ Bindings, Structures Forms

Alisa Golden

4.1

In the digital world, books may seem like an endangered species, but bookmaking is more popular than ever. Thanks to the 100 ideas in this volume, the craft is now available to everyone. In as little as an afternoon, beginners will be on their way to folding, gluing, and sewing handmade books in a variety of shapes and styles, from rolled scrolls to Jacob's ladders, folded flexagons to case bindin

53

Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work

Matthew B. Crawford

4.1

A philosopher/mechanic's wise (and sometimes funny) look at the challenges and pleasures of working with one's hands

Called "the sleeper hit of the publishing season" (The Boston Globe), Shop Class as Soulcraft became an instant bestseller, attracting readers with its radical (and timely) reappraisal of the merits of skilled manual labor. On both economic and psychological grounds, author Matthe

Recommended by Nicholas Carr.

Nicholas Carr

With the last two books I tried to move away from the historical and commercial side to the more personal consequences of the information age. Matthew Crawford’s book is a bit of a surprise in this list, because he doesn’t specifically talk about the Internet. But he does talk in a broad and philosophical way about things which are very important in the information age. That is, the way our technologies and our society increasingly encourage the abstract at the expense of the physical. [source]

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54

40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead: A Hands-on, Step-by-Step Sustainable-Living Guide

David Toht

4.1

A companion volume to Backyard Homesteading, 40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead provides details on how to build more than 40 projects to enhance readers' sustainable living. Even if they are only moderately handy, they’ll discover the tools and techniques for building their own feeders, fences, and structures. In the process, they’ll save money and have the satisfaction of doing it

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55

The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making

Alana Chernila

4.1

“This is my kitchen. Come on in, but be prepared—it might not be quite what you expect. There is flour on the counter, oats that overflowed onto the floor, chocolate-encrusted spoons in the sink. There is Joey, the husband, exhausted by the thirty-five preschoolers who were hanging on him all day, and he is stuffing granola into his mouth to ease his five o’clock starvation. There are two little g

56

Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House

Cheryl Mendelson

4.1

The classic bestselling resource for every American home.

Choosing fabrics, cleaning china, keeping the piano in tune, making a good fire, folding a fitted sheet, setting the dining room table, keeping surfaces free of food pathogens, watering plants, removing stains -- Home Comforts addresses the meanings as well as the methods of hands -- on housekeeping to help you manage everyday chores, find

57

Every Tool's a Hammer: Life is What You Make It

Adam Savage

4.1

MythBusters ’ Adam Savage—Discovery Channel star and one of the most beloved figures in science and tech—shares his golden rules of creativity, from finding inspiration to following through and successfully turning your idea into reality.

Adam Savage is a maker. From Chewbacca’s bandolier to a thousand-shot Nerf gun, he has built thousands of spectacular projects as a special effects artist and t

Recommended by Scott Smith.

Scott Smith

When @Alchemister5 and I decided to open @dnpeek, he gave me this book that @donttrythis wrote. I personally love hammers Jason. ;) https://t.co/ZabTx6JxGX [source]

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58

Makers: The New Industrial Revolution

Chris Anderson

4.1

Wired magazine editor and bestselling author Chris Anderson takes you to the front lines of a new industrial revolution as today’s entrepreneurs, using open source design and 3-D printing, bring manufacturing to the desktop. In an age of custom-fabricated, do-it-yourself product design and creation, the collective potential of a million garage tinkerers and enthusiasts is about to be unleashed, dr

Recommended by Jack Ma and Zhang Ruimin.

Zhang Ruimin

Ruimin names Anderson's books in response to a question about the management theories which have most influenced Haier's current direction. [source]

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59

The Nesting Place: It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful

Myquillyn Smith

4.1

Popular blogger and author of Cozy Minimalist Home Myquillyn Smith (The Nester) helps readers find beauty in imperfection and freedom to take risks to create the home - and life - they’ve always wanted. This beautiful four-color book is full of photos and creative, easy ideas for arranging, decorating, and cultivating a welcoming home.

Myquillyn Smith is all about embracing reality - especially whe

60

The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook: 500 Vibrant, Kitchen-Tested Recipes for Living and Eating Well Every Day

America's Test Kitchen

4.1

America's most trusted test kitchen tackles a topic with serious staying power: the Mediterranean diet. This thorough yet user-friendly book brings the Mediterranean into the American home kitchen, with 500 amazingly flavorful yet surprisingly approachable recipes for everyday cooking.

There's a reason why people in the Mediterranean region are among the longest lived in the world--their diet, whic

61

Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre

Brett L. Markham

4.1

Mini Farming describes a holistic approach to small-area farming that will show you how to produce 85 percent of an average family’s food on just a quarter acre—and earn $10,000 in cash annually while spending less than half the time that an ordinary job would require. Even if you have never been a farmer or a gardener, this book covers everything you need to know to get started: buying and saving

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62

Made by Hand: Searching for Meaning in a Throwaway World

Mark Frauenfelder

4.1

From his unique vantage point as editor-in-chief of MAKE magazine, the hub of the newly invigorated do-it-yourself movement, Mark Frauenfelder takes readers on an inspiring and surprising tour of the vibrant world of DIY. The Internet has brought together large communities of people who share ideas, tips, and blueprints for making everything from unmanned aerial vehicles to pedal- powered iPhone c

63

Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods

Sandor Ellix Katz, Sally Fallon

4.1

Bread. Cheese. Wine. Beer. Coffee. Chocolate. Most people consume fermented foods and drinks every day. For thousands of years, humans have enjoyed the distinctive flavors and nutrition resulting from the transformative power of microscopic bacteria and fungi. Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods is the first cookbook to widely explore the culinary magic of fer

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64

DIY Lithium Batteries: How to Build Your Own Battery Packs

Micah Toll

4.1

Are you a hands on person? Do you prefer making things yourself? Are you working on a project that requires lithium batteries? If so, then this book is for you! We'll cover everything you need to know about lithium batteries. From choosing the right cells to designing a battery pack and building it yourself, this book includes all the steps for building safe, effective custom lithium battery packs

65

The Complete Joy of Homebrewing

Charlie Papazian

4.1

Charlie Papazian, master brewer and founder and president of the American Homebrewer's Association and Association of Brewers, presents a fully revised edition of his essential guide to homebrewing. This third edition of the best-selling and most trusted homebrewing guide includes a complete update of all instructions, recipes, charts, and guidelines. Everything you need to get started is here, in

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66

One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Projects; Look How Much You Can Make with Just One Yard of Fabric!

Patricia Hoskins, Rebecca Yaker

4.1

Discover all that you can make with just one yard of fabric! Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins offer 101 stylish projects that use a single yard of fabric to make clothes, accessories, baby items, and more. With simple step-by-step instructions that are accompanied by templates and pattern pieces, each project is designed to be completed in just a few hours. Get inspired and turn a yard of your f

67

Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism

Fumio Sasaki

4.1

Fumio Sasaki is not an enlightened minimalism expert; he’s just a regular guy who was stressed at work, insecure, and constantly comparing himself to others—until one day he decided to change his life by reducing his possessions to the bare minimum. The benefits were instantaneous and absolutely remarkable: without all his “stuff,” Sasaki finally felt true freedom, peace of mind, and appreciation

Recommended by Kyle Chayka.

Kyle Chayka

Sasaki not only describes how he cleaned out his apartment, but has a list of everything he earns, and suggests that you try to buy the same things. He tells you why you should live with only one low table instead of, you know, a dining room. So I think this book in particular presents a particular aesthetic and style that goes with ‘the minimalist lifestyle.’ [source]

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68

The Starch Solution: Eat the Foods You Love, Regain Your Health, and Lose the Weight for Good!

John McDougall, Mary McDougall

4.0

A bestselling author’s groundbreaking eating plan that challenges the notion that starch is unhealthy

From Atkins to Dukan, the fear-mongering about carbs over the past few decades has reached a fever pitch; the mere mention of a starch-heavy food is enough to trigger a cavalcade of shame and longing.

In The Starch Solution, bestselling diet doctor and board-certified internist John A. McDougall, MD

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69

Furniture Makeovers: Simple Techniques for Transforming Furniture with Paint, Stains, Paper, Stencils, and More

Barb Blair, J. Aaron Greene, Holly Becker

4.0

Furniture Makeovers shows how to transform tired furniture into stunning showpieces. You'll never look at a hand-me-down dresser the same way again! The book offers 26 easy-to-follow techniques that can be applied to all different types of pieces, from bookshelves to desks: painting, applying gold leaf, wallpapering, distressing, dip dyeing, and more. In addition to the core techniques, author and

70

Love Real Food: More Than 100 Feel-Good Vegetarian Favorites to Delight the Senses and Nourish the Body

Kathryne Taylor

4.0

The path to a healthy body and happy belly is paved with real food fresh, wholesome, sustainable....

71

Deluxe Recipe Binder - Favorite Recipes

New Seasons

4.0

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72

The Year of Cozy: 125 Recipes, Crafts, and Other Homemade Adventures

Adrianna Adarme

4.0

From the author of the popular blog, A Cozy Kitchen, comes a beautifully photographed one-stop-shop book with all the recipes and projects you’ll need for some cozy inspiration this holiday season—and all year long. You’ll love Adrianna Adarme’s easy-to-follow instructions and will enjoy getting lost in her warm and comforting photographs. Organized by the months of the year and by categories as “

73

The Skinnytaste Air Fryer Cookbook: The Best Healthy Recipes for Your Air Fryer

Gina Homolka

4.0

74

The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor

Gina Homolka

4.0

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Get the recipes everyone is talking about in the debut cookbook from the wildly popular blog Skinnytaste

Gina Homolka is America’s most trusted home cook when it comes to easy, flavorful recipes that are miraculously low-calorie and made from all-natural, easy-to-find ingredients. Her blog, Skinnytaste is the number one go-to site for slimmed down recipes that you’d swear a

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75

Making Stuff and Doing Things: A Collection of DIY Guides to Just About Everything

Kyle Bravo

4.0

Kyle Bravo has assembled a comprehensive book along with dozens of other instructional articles that tell you how to do just about everything. Topics include getting active, direct action, gardening, how to make wine, homeschooling, fixing a toilet, audio phone patch, how to make envelopes, shoe repair, making rubber stamps, how to juggle, composting, DIY toothpaste, getting rid of fruit flies, gr

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76

A Hot Glue Gun Mess: Funny Stories, Pretty DIY Projects

Mr. Kate

4.0

In this beautiful paperback edition featuring French flaps, hugely popular lifestyle blogger, YouTube star, and designer Mr. Kate (Kate Albrecht) offers a stunning collection of step-by-step personal style and home projects—woven in with quirkily hilarious stories and anecdotes.

Do you dream of finding ways to infuse do-it-yourself projects into every aspect of your life and have fun doing it? From

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77

Reader's Digest Back to Basics: How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills

Editors of Reader's Digest

4.0

This how-to, user-friendly guide teaches self-sufficiency-covering all of life's essentials: shelter; alternative energy sources; growing and preserving food; home crafts; directions for making herbal remedies; and even home-grown entertainment.

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78

The Complete Tightwad Gazette

Amy Dacyczyn

4.0

At last--the long-awaited complete compendium of tightwad tips for fabulous frugal living!

In a newsletter published from May 1990 to December 1996 as well as in three enormously successful books, Amy Dacyczyn established herself as the expert of economy. Now The Complete Tightwad Gazette brings together all of her best ideas and thriftiest thinking into one volume, along with new articles never pu

79

The Art of Manipulating Fabric

Colette Wolff

4.0

The possibilities for three-dimensional manipulation of fabric - gathering, pleating, tucking, shirring, and quilting woven materials - are seemingly endless. To describe them all would be to describe the entire history of sewing.

In "The Art of manipulating Fabric," Colette Wolff has set herself just this task, and she succeeds brilliantly. Working from the simplest possible form - a flat piece o

80

Ugly's Electrical References, 2026 Edition

Charles R. Miller, Daniel Sandefur

4.0

Ugly’s Electrical References, 2026 Edition is the essential on-the-job reference tool for electrical industry professionals. The 2026 Edition provides the most pertinent, up-to-date information used by electricians, including updated NEC code and table change information; mathematical formulas; NEMA wiring configurations; conduit bending guide; ampacity and conduit fill information; transformer an

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81

Make Something Good Today

Erin Napier

4.0

From Ben and Erin Napier, the stars of the hit HGTV show Home Town, comes Make Something Good Today, a memoir that tells us all to seek out the good in life, celebrate the beauty of family and friends, and prosper within our communities because everything we need in life to be happy, is within our grasp.

Long before their hugely popular TV show, an expanding family, or demolition day on their dream

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82

Domino: The Book of Decorating: A Room-by-Room Guide to Creating a Home That Makes You Happy

Deborah Needleman, Sara Ruffin Costello, Dara Caponigro

4.0

Domino: The Book of Decorating cracks the code to creating a beautiful home, bringing together inspiring rooms, how-to advice and insiders' secrets from today's premier tastemakers in an indispensable style manual. The editors take readers room by room, tapping the best ideas from domino magazine and culling insights from their own experiences. With an eye to making design accessible and exciting,

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83

The Big-Ass Book of Crafts

Mark Montano, Auxy Espinoza

4.0

The Big-Ass Book of Crafts is packed with ideas for sprucing up your living space; concocting fabulous, all-natural body products; designing your own unique stationery; and creating countless other crafts that will convince your friends and loved ones that you're the secret love child of Martha Stewart (only much, much cooler).

Forget crocheted doilies and itchy knit sweaters--TLC's While You Were

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84

Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A Do-It-Ourselves Guide

Scott Kellogg, Stacy Pettigrew, Juan Martinez

4.0

The tools you need tocreate self-sufficient, ecologically sustainable cities

“A surprisingly effective model for connecting people with dreams to the resources they need.” —Austin Chronicle

With more than half the world’s population now residing—and struggling to survive—in cities, we can no longer afford to think of sustainability as something that applies only to forests and fields. We need sustai

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85

Understanding Wood Finishing: How to Select and Apply the Right Finish

Bob Flexner

4.0

For more than 18 years, Bob Flexner has been inspiring woodworkers with his writings and teachings on wood finishing. Now, from this best-selling author comes the long-awaited and completely updated second edition of UNDERSTANDING WOOD FINISHING the most practical, comprehensive book on finishing ever published.

The first edition of UNDERSTANDING WOOD FINISHING has sold hundreds of thousands of cop

86

Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners

Suzanne Ashworth, David Cavagnaro, Kent Whealy

4.0

Seed to Seed is a complete seed-saving guide that describes specific techniques for saving the seeds of 160 different vegetables. This book contains detailed information about each vegetable, including its botanical classification, flower structure and means of pollination, required population size, isolation distance, techniques for caging or hand-pollination, and also the proper methods for harv

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87

Making an Impression: Designing Creating Artful Stamps

Geninne Zlatkis

4.0

Popular illustrator and stamper Geninne Zlatkis has a passion for nature and color that distinguishes her work. These 20 beautiful projects--including cards, an embellished journal and tote, and decorative wall pieces--provide the keys to Geninne's creative process and image-making process. In addition to technique-specific primers with step-by-step photos of the essentials, Making an Impression i

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88

The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair: With 350 Projects and 2300 Photos (Black & Decker)

M.D.) Black & Decker Corporation (Towson

4.0

89

House Hushing: The Simple Method to Declutter and Decorate for a More Peaceful Home (Cozy Minimalist Design Inspiration for Your Tidy Home)

Myquillyn Smith

4.0

YOUR HOME CAN BE BOTH SIMPLE AND SOULFULIf you've ever found yourself in an endless loop of decorating and decluttering, you're not alone.We've been told that a peaceful home means a nearly empty home. But peace isn't found in emptiness; it's found in intention.Myquillyn Smith, the original voice behind House Hushing, will help you create a simple, storied home full of personality, without being o

90

Skinnytaste One and Done: 140 No-Fuss Dinners for Your Instant Pot(r), Slow Cooker, Air Fryer, Sheet Pan, Skillet, Dutch Oven, and More: A Cookbook

Gina Homolka

4.0

NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER

IACP AWARD FINALIST - NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE KITCHN AND MINDBODYGREEN

For your Instant Pot(R), electric pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, multi-cooker, Dutch oven, sheet pan, skillet, and more--140 healthy and delicious recipes that are big on flavor and low on calories and cleanup.

Skinnytaste One and

91

One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey

Richard Louis Proenneke

4.0

To live in a pristine land unchanged by man...to roam a wilderness through which few other humans have passed...to choose an idyllic site, cut trees and build a log cabin...to be a self-sufficient craftsman, making what is needed from materials available...to be not at odds with the world but content with one's own thoughts and company.

Thousands have had such dreams, but Richard Proenneke lived t

92

How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing

KC Davis LPC

4.0

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93

The Guerilla Art Kit: Everything You Need to Put Your Message Out into the World

Keri Smith

4.0

We are living in a golden age of self-expression. The explosion of user-created content on blogs and social networking sites moved Time magazine to name "You" their 2006 person of the year. But while we may be spending a lot more time in virtual worlds, we have not lost the urge to make our physical world more meaningful. By leaving art and ideas in public places, you can affect someone's day, cha

94

Cabin Porn: Inspiration for Your Quiet Place Somewhere

Zach Klein

4.0

Rural escapes for those yearning for a simpler existence, by the creators of the wildly popular tumblr Cabin Porn.
Created by a group of friends who preserve 55 acres of hidden forest in Upstate New York-Cabin Porn began as a scrapbook to collect inspiration for their building projects. As the collection grew, the site attracted a following, which is now a huge and obsessive audience.

The site featu

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95

Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More

Katrina Rodabaugh

4.0

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96

Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware Hacking

Nicolas Collins

4.0

97

The Encyclopedia of Country Living, 50th Anniversary Edition: The Original Manual for Living off the Land & Doing It Yourself

Carla Emery

4.0

98

DIY Hydroponic Gardens: How to Design and Build an Inexpensive System for Growing Plants in Water

Tyler Baras

4.0

With practical information aimed at home DIYers, author Tyler Baras (Farmer Tyler to his fans) shows exactly how to build, plant, and maintain over a dozen unique hydroponic systems, some costing just a few dollars to make.

No soil? No sunlight? No problem. A hydroponic growing system gives you the power to grow plants anywhere. Even if you live in an area where water is scarce, a hydroponic syste

99

Medical Medium Celery Juice: The Most Powerful Medicine of Our Time Healing Millions Worldwide

Anthony William

4.0

Everything you need to successfully tap the amazing healing power of celery juice--and press the reset button on your body--in a concise, practical how-to guide from the Medical Medium.

Celery juice detox is the hottest topic in Anthony William's global online community--and for good reason. According to Anthony, celery juice is an unsung superfood with an incredible ability to create sweeping impr

100

Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook: Over 300 Recipes for Plant-Based Eating All Through the Year

Del Sroufe

4.0

"Forks Over Knives," both the documentary and companion book, appeared on the scene in 2011 with an astonishing but simple claim: Following a fully plant-based diet can save your life. By avoiding meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and emphasizing whole, unrefined plant foods, millions of people have begun to notice staggering improvements to their physical fitness, weight, blood sugar and cholesterol level