Masonry, Carpentry, Joinery: The Art of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction in 1899.

Rear cover notes: "Paul Gapp, Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic for The Chicago Tribune, has this to say about Masonry, Carpentry, Joinery: When William L. Lavicka discovered a copy of 'Masonry, Carpentry, and Joinery, ' published in 1899, he fell in love with the book and wanted to share it with others. Having spent a long evening with the book, I can report that it is indeed a delight. Its old-fashioned but marvelously lucid prose by an anonymous author covers everything from 'how to lay up a brick wall' to the nuances of creating sturdy scarf joints. There are dozens of illustrations. As Lavicka puts it in an introduction: 'This is a book for all people who enjoy building. It is readable for the layman while offering special information to the professional. It is blunt and concise to the point of commenting on practiced methods of construction that are "cheap" as compared to those which are "first class." For the renovator, it helps both to anticipate problems and to develop step by step solutions for the reuse of older buildings. For the homeowner, it gives basic information on the structural particulars of his home.'"