In Search of Pipe Dreams

Book excerpt: Stories of pipe-smoking's greatest craftspeople intertwine with advice and commentary in these essays on the art of pipe smoking. While exploring pipe craftsmanship worldwide, these writings combine tales of the author's visits to Europe's most prestigious pipe-makers with a look at pipe-smoking's history and the hobby's most famous practitioners, including Albert Einstein, Norman Rockwell, and Mark Twain. Interviews with Old World craftspeople provide insight into the delicate and personal craft of pipe-making, and a treatise on pipe-smoking's relaxing benefits intermingles with advice on how to smoke, buy, break in, clean, and use a pipe to cope with the frantic pace of the 21st century. Includes a 16 page color photo insert.