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The Craftsman

Written by: Richard Sennett
Narrated by: Sean Runnette
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Publisher's Summary

The Craftsman explores the relation between the hand and the head. Richard Sennett argues that working with physical things stimulates people to think. Craftsmanship, says Sennett, names the basic human impulse to do a job well for its own sake, and good craftsmanship involves developing skills and focusing on the work rather than ourselves. The computer programmer, the doctor, the artist, and even the parent and citizen all engage in a craftsman's work. In this thought-provoking book, Sennett explores the work of craftsmen past and present, identifies deep connections between material consciousness and ethical values, and challenges received ideas about what constitutes good work in today's world.

The Craftsman engages the many dimensions of skill - from the technical demands to the obsessive energy required to do good work. Craftsmanship leads Sennett across time and space, from ancient Roman brickmakers to Renaissance goldsmiths to the printing presses of Enlightenment Paris and the factories of industrial London; in the modern world he explores what experiences of good work are shared by computer programmers, nurses and doctors, musicians, glassblowers, and cooks. Unique in the scope of his thinking, Sennett expands previous notions of crafts and craftsmen and apprises us of the surprising extent to which we can learn about ourselves through the labor of making physical things.

©2008 Richard Sennett (P)2018 Tantor
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Deserves to be Essential Reading

I took a craft discipline in school and The Craftsman has been considered essential reading by lots of crafts theorists, at least when adjacent to the world of fine art. I had some things I didn’t totally buy, especially the romantic, materially productive form of craft he kinda assumes as all encompassing. If you’re interested in an interesting continuation of the concepts here, read the article Transient Craft by Helen Holmes.

But, all in all, this is essential reading for a reason. It lays so much good groundwork for critical analysis of the world through craft and it’s very easy to read. Narrator was great too. Easy to listen to, never got annoying.

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