L. Day Perry

Born in 1887 and known as Lafayette Day Perry, he wrote practical instructional books for readers who wanted to build, repair, or make things themselves.

His best-known work is Seat Weaving (1917), a guide to caning and weaving chair seats that remained widely available long after its first publication. He also coauthored Construction of Radio Receiving Sets in 1922, showing that his interests extended beyond traditional crafts into the fast-changing world of early home radio.

Later in life, his name appeared on Bird Houses (published in 1955, the year of his death). Taken together, his books suggest a writer focused on useful knowledge, patient explanation, and the satisfaction of making something with your own hands.