BRANSON, Gary D.

(Gary Branson)

PERSONAL: Male.

ADDRESSES: Home—Minneapolis, MN. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Firefly Books Ltd., 66 Leek Crescent, Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 1H1, Canada.

CAREER: Home contractor; Family Handyman, senior editor; freelance writer.

WRITINGS:

Home Maintenance & Repair: Walls, Ceilings, Floors, T. Audel (Indianapolis, IN), 1977.

The Complete Guide to Remodeling Your Basement: How to Create New Living Space the Professional Way, Betterway Publications (White Hall, VA), 1990.

(With Hillary D. Swinson) The Complete Guide to Barrier-free Housing: Convenient Living for the Elderly and Physically Handicapped, Betterway Publications (White Hall, VA), 1991.

The Complete Guide to Lumber Yards and Home Centers: A Consumer's Guide to Choosing and Using Building Materials and Tools, Betterway Publications (White Hall, VA), 1991.

The Complete Guide to Recycling at Home: How to Take Responsibility, Save Money, and Protect the Environment, Betterway Publications (White Hall, VA), 1991.

The Complete Guide to Floors, Walls, and Ceilings: A Comprehensive Do-It-Yourself Handbook, Betterway Publications (White Hall, VA), 1992.

The Complete Guide to Manufactured Housing: The Affordable Alternative to Stick-built Construction, Betterway Publications (Cincinnati, OH), 1992.

(With others) Popular Mechanics 101 Quick Home-Improvement Tips, Hearst Books (New York, NY), 1992.

The Complete Guide to Log and Cedar Homes: All about Buying, Building, Decorating, and Furnishing Log, Cedar, and Post & Beam Homes, Betterway Publications (Cincinnati, OH), 1993.

Popular Mechanics 125 Ways to Handle and Prevent Home Hazards and Emergencies, Hearst Books (New York, NY), 1994.

Gary Branson's Home Repairs and Improvements on a Budget, Betterway Publications (Cincinnati, OH), 1994.

Home, Water & Moisture Problems: Prevention and Solutions, Firefly Books (Buffalo, NY), 2003.

Solving Home Plumbing Problems, Firefly Books (Buffalo, NY), 2004.

SIDELIGHTS: A former home contractor and a long-time writer and editor of magazine articles on home repair, Gary D. Branson is also the author of numer-ous books for homeowners in need of advice. Branson's books cover such matters as putting in a new floor or roof, remodeling a kitchen or basement, or even building your own log home from start to finish. Other works discuss methods for improving home safety and for dealing with home emergencies. Solving Home Plumbing Problems is an "excellent introduction to the most commonly encountered plumbing problems and projects," according to Library Journal contributor Jonathan Hershey. It allows even inexperienced do-it-yourself homeowners to tackle not only simple problems such as cleaning drains but also such complex tasks as installing a working sprinkler system. As part of this instruction, he provides a short course in soldering pipes, tips on safety, and an introduction to wells and septic systems. He also "uses over a hundred easily-followed diagrams to outline repairs," noted a Bookwatch contributor. In a related title, "Home, Water & Moisture Problems: Prevention and Solutions," Branson addresses some of the most common complaints of homeowners, from wet basements to leaky roofs, with both simple fixes and more complicated renovations. "If you buy only one DIY book this year, this should be it," commented Library Journal reviewer Jonathan Hershey.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Bookwatch, September, 2004, review of Solving Home Plumbing Problems, p. 1.

Library Journal, December, 2003, Jonathan Hershey, review of Home, Water & Moisture Problems: Prevention and Solutions, p. 160; September 1, 2004, Jonathan Hershey, review of Solving Home Plumbing Problems, p. 178.