Book excerpt: For a woodworker, there's nothing more satisfying than building a project that adds beauty and function to a busy home: the stunning cutting board used every night in the kitchen, the elegant and helpful end-table next to the bed, or the handsome coffee table that proudly serves in the living room. Ultimately, it's the handmade pieces of furniture that become the family heirlooms for generations to come. With Handmade Furniture by Rafael Nathan, a professional cabinetmaker and the former co-publisher of Australian Wood Review, woodworkers of all skill levels will discover 21 beautiful projects that will be a welcome and proud addition in any room in the house. Ranging from boxes and trays to tables and cabinets, the stylish yet straightforward projects require only a limited number of hand and power tools and will enhance a woodworker's joinery abilities as they progress from biscuits and dowels to dovetail and mortise and tenon joints. With the thoroughly documented, expert step-by-step instructions, and the helpful cutting lists, illustrations, and photographs, woodworkers from new to old are guaranteed to successfully build handmade furniture that will last a lifetime.