Axe in Hand: A Woodchopper’s Guide to Blades, Wood, and Fire

In her 20s, Coenen relocated to a small mountain town, where she worked on a family farm, doing everything from milking goats to chopping firewood. She later moved into a small cabin that used a wood stove for heating, which meant more chopping. These experiences inspired her to create this easy-to-read guide on everything related to axes and woodcutting. Coenen’s book covers the history of axes, axe anatomy, how to properly chop wood, and even restoring old axes. She also includes fun activities for readers to try, such as going to a riverbed and looking for a rock that could be formed into an axe, and offers LGBTQIA+ facts relevant to axes (e.g., the labrys axe, or double axe, was used in the 1970s as a symbol for lesbianism). The book’s color photos are crisp and helpful in supporting Coenen’s instructions. The steps are all simple to follow and well suited to beginners.