5 DIY books especially for women

My mum is extremely competent with tools. I have seen her wield hammers, sanders, drills and screwdrivers with the same ease she does a whisk. She raised 7 children while holding down a job and fulltime study. Two of my six sisters maintain their own cars. In fact, one has bought a few beat up ones and restored them herself. Both of them change their own tyres and oil and pump their own gas. As a child, dad encouraged us to play with fixing anything and everything that we wanted to. Seriously. This included his stereos and televisions and transistor radios. Never at any time, though, did that mean we could touch his Regal Valiant *rolls eyes* He didn't 'allow' us to help around the house and garage so much as he and mum encouraged it. When I moved away from home for the second time, my dad gave me a multi head screwdriver set as a gift. He said to me, "This will get you far." What he really meant was "It's up to you now." It was like a passing of the Handy (Wo)man baton. I didn't ever have to ask for fix-it help. (Don't get me wrong, though, this doesn't mean I won't ask for help if I need it - I totally will, and LOUDLY). My sisters and I have never adhered to what I call the Sleeping Beauty Syndrome. We are not waiting to be rescued. We will, in fact, rescue ourselves. (And, if we feel so inclined, we might rescue Prince (or Princess) Charming, too. But only if they have chocolate). That sense of independence and 'can do' attitude is second nature to me now. This is why it irritates me greatly when I go hardware shopping - as I did the other weekend - and find myself being treated like a ditzy girl. Sometimes, I don't know stuff. Sometimes, I'm even more clueless than the average person. I'm okay with that because I'm okay with being taught. What I'm NOT okay with is having men automatically assume that because I'm a girl, I'm a fluffy one. Oh honey, this is so not the case. I am nobody's fluffy anything. I may not know my way around a powertool, but never take that to mean I'm helpless. Show me. Teach me. Work with me. I guarantee I'll make more of an effort to know more/be more by starting with these books below, and you, mere male, can make more of an effort to take me seriously. Please and thank you :)




The girl's guide to DIY : how to fix things in your home without breaking your nails / Jo Behari & Alison Winfield-Chislett
A reference guide for doing your own household repairs and simple renovations. Suitable for modern girls who want to improve their homes without calling in a professional, it covers various basics, from preparing surfaces for painting and papering, using power tools with ease, choosing the right materials and simple plumbing.




In the driver's seat : a girl's guide to her first car / Erika Stalder and illustrated by Kunkamon Taweenuch
Women make up more than half of the drivers on the road, but most girls still don't know the difference between a lug nut and a dipstick. This engaging, comprehensive, and entertaining guide teaches girls to get intimate with their four-wheeled friends. Includes: Buying and insuring a Car Fixing minor problems Learning what's under the hood Choosing a mechanic Surviving emergency situations Styling your ride PLUS: Fun sidebars and statistics about women behind the wheel!


The little book of quick fixes for the home handywoman / Bridget Bodoano
Calling on that hunky neighbour to help you change a plug may have been what your mother did, but hey girls - times have changed! Nowadays you're far more likely to impress if you know your toggle fixings from your bradawl, your cross-head screwdriver from your Allen key and your drill bit from your hacksaw. And if you can paper round a light socket, hang a door, assemble a flat-pack and knock up a set of shelves in a couple of hours, then who knows? Maybe you don't need that man at all. What you do need though is this brilliant little book. Packed full of handy tips, useful facts and the quickest of quick fixes, it will be your guide to every home improvement job, big or small, that you're likely to want to tackle. Follow its practical advice, delve into its words of wisdom and before very long, you'll be the neighbourhood queen of DIY.


Richard Hammond's car confidential / Richard Hammond
Loaded with information and wit, this hilarious overview is a must-have for anyone even remotely interested in cars. Its topics include car and traffic etiquette, how to buy a car, how to avoid giving murderers a lift, the seven ages of the motorist from learning how to drive at 18 to driving the wrong way down highways at 80, a spotter's guide to motorists in the style of a World War II manual, customizing, the alternative guide to road rage, and even organizing that last journey--cool hearses to be buried in. Several top 10's are also listed, including the top 10 noble failures, remembering Chrysler's car for women, the "Femme," which came in one color--shocking pink--and a matching shocking pink handbag and lipstick. Lastly, a "What Not to Drive 2007" update covers all the new cars in a cut-out-and-keep guide--everything a driver needs to know. The odd, the mad, the bad, the curious, and the ridiculous are all here in this wonderful, witty, and incredibly useful compendium of all we ever needed to know about the modern world of driving.


Dare to repair : a do-it-herself guide to fixing (almost) anything in the home / Julie Sussman and Stephanie Glakas-Tenet ; illustrations by Yeorgos Lampathakis
This is NOT your father's home repair book! And it's not your husband's, your brother's, your boyfriend's, or the guy's next door. Dare to Repair is a do-it-herself book for every woman who would rather be self-reliant than rely on a super or contractor. No matter the depth of your pockets or the size of your home, a toilet will get clogged, a circuit breaker will trip, and a smoke detector will stop working. It's up to you how you'll deal with them -- live in denial, pay the piper, or get real and do it yourself. Dare to Repair demystifies these home repairs by providing information that other books leave out. In Dare to Repair, you'll learn how to: Take the plunge -- from fixing a leaky faucet to cleaning the gutters. Lighten up -- from removing a broken light bulb to installing a dimmer switch. Keep your cool -- from maintaining a refrigerator's gasket to changing the rotation of a ceiling fan. Get a handle on it -- from replacing a doorknob to repairing a broken window. Play it safe -- from planning a fire escape route to installing a smoke detector. Filled with detailed illustrations, Dare to Repair provides even the most repair-challenged woman with the ability to successfully fix things around the home. Once you start, you won't want to stop.