The sculpture of the human form has been a challenge to carvers since before the time of Michaelangelo. In “Fundamentals of Figure Carving”, master carver Ian Norbury provides a course of study for the carver that leaves nothing to guesswork. Beginning with a treatment of the special tools and equipment necessary when working with human forms, Norbury proceeds to the topic of appropriate timbers and then to the techniques of carving. Focusing heavily on the exact replication of the human form, the book is copiously illustrated with line and measured drawings, photographs and anatomical drawings. A series of projects are examined in great detail to illustrate the specific challenges and rewards carving the human figure. For the woodcarver, the sculptor, the student of art or the casual reader, Ian Norbury’s “Fundamentals of Figure Carving” is filled with insights that will prove invaluable.