I read this mini review on Relevant Magazine’s online newsletter today. I thought it was interesting. There does seem to be a return to creation, making tangible things with our hands, and placing value on those who do. It’s another way of keeping life a little bit more local in the midst of our global society!
I haven’t read this book yet…it’s now on my list.
From Relevant Magazine….
7. Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work, by Matthew B. Crawford
A philosopher/mechanic, Michael Crawford explores the benefits, both for the individual and for the community, of the manual trades in Shop Class as Soulcraft. Drawing on his own experience as an electrician and a motorcycle mechanic, as well as the experiences of other craftsmen he encounters, Crawford challenges the prevalent assumption that college is for everyone and articulates the difference between the “knowing how” required of the trades and the “knowing what” stressed in the modern American education system. “Practical know-how,” Crawford argues convincingly, “is always tied to the experience of a particular person. It can’t be downloaded, it can only be lived.” Shop Class as Soulcraft is an especially salient read in today’s economic environment and calls us to reconsider how good work is defined in 21st century America.
—Sara Sterley lives near Indianapolis, IN and regularly contributes book reviews to RELEVANT.
