Imagine the scent of fresh-cut wood filling the air, tools humming with purpose in a cluttered Scottish workshop. That's where Callum Robinson grew up, shadowing his father—a master woodworker whose hands shaped not just timber, but lessons in patience and pride. Ingrained: The Making of a Craftsman pulls you right into this tactile world through Callum's own voice in this unbridged Audible audiobook.
Every craftsman dreams of forging their own path. Callum did just that, leaving the family shop to chase bigger projects, assembling a team, and crafting exquisite bespoke pieces for clients who valued quality. But success is fragile. When his business teetered on the brink—team gone, dreams deferred—he faced the raw truth: what endures when the orders dry up? This memoir doesn't sugarcoat the grind; it lays bare the doubts, the late nights planing wood, and the quiet fear of irrelevance in a throwaway world.
Returning to the bench, Callum rebuilds with intention. He planes oak into tables that families will gather around for generations, dovetails joints that whisper of skill passed down. Each chapter pulses with the rhythm of mallet on chisel, revealing how wood grain mirrors life's twists—strong under pressure, beautiful in its flaws. Blending memoir with nature writing, he spotlights local trees, the feel of bark under fingers, and why a handmade chair beats mass-produced flatpack every time.
In our fast-scroll, instant-buy era, Ingrained is a breath of forest air. It shows how working with your hands anchors you, fosters community through shared tools and timber, and counters consumerism with objects meant to last. Picture commuting with earbuds in, absorbing tales of sawdust and legacy—suddenly, that wooden desk at home feels alive with possibility. Or gift it to a friend pondering their own craft; it's the spark for weekend whittling or a full workshop revival.
National bestseller and Carnegie Medal longlistee, this audiobook isn't just about woodworking—it's a meditation on inheritance, responsibility, and seeing the poetry in a plank. Let Callum's story grain into your thoughts, urging you to cherish the made-by-hand world around you. (Word count: 412)
