Ingrained The Making of a Craftsman

– Shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize 2025 for Nature Writing

"A debut that's both a paean to the art of woodworking and a memoir about creative endeavours."
– Observer

"Robinson's prose is humorous and macho, taking its lead from the gruff, sensual delivery of food writer Anthony Bourdain [...] But wood, in all its facets, remains at the heart of his writing. Robinson is poetic about the pageant of ash, beech and pine but also pragmatic."
– Financial Times

"A gem of a book [...] a hymn to family and living a life you love [...] Callum is the virtuoso with words that he is with woodcraft. His book is intimate, elegant and soulful; it is an ode to nature's gift of wood and how the deftness of the artisan can shape it into something wonderful."
– Annie Brown, Daily Mail

"When [Robinson] rolls out the names of trees [...] it's as mesmeric as Edward Thomas listing wildflowers. Which is apt, because Robinson is a fine writer, sometimes poetic"
– Maggie Fergusson, Spectator

"A 'Best Book of 2024': This memoir honors not just the art of carpentry but the passion of labor itself [...] a call for all of us, whatever we do, to do it with passion and care."
– New Yorker

"Natural, never over-polished, accessible, and finely wrought."
– Esquire

"Ingrained is a beautifully written memoir which sheds light on the delicate skill of a craftsman [...] if this makes it sound as if this book is only of interest to carpenters, think again. This memoir is a delightful read, engaging, page-turning and touchingly revealing."
– Scottish Field

"A profound and intimate memoir written in stylish prose that grows on you like the smell of freshly sawn timber. Instantly, it deserves a place among woodworking classics like The Village Carpenter, The Wheelwright's Shop and Woodland Crafts in Britain."
– Robert Penn, author of The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees

"Honest, original and true – written like a good novel, with that very rare merit of exploring the doubt and criticism necessary for any great art or craft, be it writing or carpentry."
– Lars Mytting, author of Norwegian Wood and The Sister Bells Trilogy

"A delightful book about the art of craft; a hard-carved woodworking romance written with tenderness and an almost sensual attention to detail. I can smell the resin and the soft, fresh sawdust. I can feel the bite of dense grain beneath the blade. Quite magical."
– Cal Flyn, author of Islands of Abandonment

"Original. Rare. As beautiful as trees [...] A masterpiece"
– John Lewis-Stempel

"This magnificent debut isn't just an ode to the craft of carpentry, but the art of writing. Robinson's chiselled, elegant prose is the sound of a bright new voice in non-fiction. His memoir brings to life the heartwood in trees, families, and a young man making his way in the world with an inspiring integrity. This is essential reading for any artist who might be losing their way."
– Sophy Roberts, author of The Lost Pianos of Siberia

"An inspirational story about the meaning of work and making. It is a book that will change careers and lives. I absolutely love Ingrained. Gorgeous, elegant, wise, cross-grained. I wish I'd written it myself Ingrained is a delight to read: deliciously indulgent and a work of pure craft poetry."
– Rebecca Struthers, author of Hands of Time