A craftsman's legacy : why working with our hands gives us meaning

Select an Action

Title:

A craftsman's legacy : why working with our hands gives us meaning

Author:

Gorges, Eric, author.

Sternfeld, Jon, author.

Summary:

A book for makers, for seekers of all kinds, an exhilarating look into the heart and soul of artisans—and how their collective wisdom can inspire us all. "Despite our technological advances, we’re busier than ever, our lives more frazzled. That’s why the handmade object, created with care and detail, embodying a history and a tradition, is enormously powerful. It can cut through so much and speak in ways that we don’t often hear, or that we’ve forgotten." —Eric Gorges, from A Craftsman’s Legacy. In this joyful celebration of skilled craftsmen, Eric Gorges, a corporate-refugee-turned-metal-shaper, taps into a growing hunger to get back to what’s real. Through visits with fellow artisans--calligraphers, potters, stone carvers, glassblowers, engravers, woodworkers, and more--many of whom he’s profiled for his popular television program, Gorges identifies values that are useful for all of us: taking time to slow down and enjoy the process, embracing failure, knowing when to stop and when to push through, and accepting that perfection is an illusion. Most of all, A Craftsman’s Legacy shows how all of us can embrace a more creative and authentic life and learn to focus on doing what we love.

Edition:

Large print edition.

Contents:

Introduction: from our hands -- The battle for perfection -- Tearing up floors -- Focus -- Forethought -- Sacrifice -- Falling for bikes -- Respect -- The give and take -- Underwater -- Finding peace -- Discovery -- Tradition -- Shrinking the world -- Legacy -- Individuality -- A special kind of stupid -- Connection -- Purpose -- A craftsman's legacy -- Conclusion: Day one -- Appendix: featured craftsmen.

Physical Description:

321 pages (large print) ; 23 cm

Genre:

Large type books.

Subject Term:

Handicraft -- Philosophy.

Artisans -- Philosophy.

Author(s):

Sternfeld, Jon,

Publisher:

Thorndike Press, a part of Gale, a Cengage Company,

Publication Date:

2019

ISBN:

9781432870836

Publication Information:

Farmington Hills, Mich : Thorndike Press, a part of Gale, a Cengage Company, 2019.

Call Number:

LP 745.5 GORGES

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003453449	Large Print Nonfiction	745.5 GORGES	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

In this celebration of skilled craftsmen, Eric Gorges, a corporate-refugee-turned-metal-shaper, taps into a hunger to get back to what's real. Visiting with fellow artisans --potters, stone carvers, glassblowers, engravers, woodworkers, and more, Gorges identifies values that are useful for all of us: taking time to slow down and enjoy the process, embracing failure, knowing when to stop and when to push through, and accepting that perfection is an illusion. A Craftsman's Legacy shows how all of us can embrace a more creative and authentic life and focus on doing what we love.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Metalworker Gorges, who has profiled artisans of all stripes as host of the PBS series A Craftsman's Legacy, revisits some of his favorite interviews in this invigorating survey. He highlights woodworkers, blacksmiths, and even a maker of high-end blue jeans to learn about their approaches to and appreciation for their crafts. Without resorting to banal platitudes, Gorges weaves the various stories together to explore the philosophical aspects of working with one's hands. In discussing his own experiences as an artisan, Gorges illustrates the therapeutic qualities of craftsmanship: finding solace in the rhythmic thrum of a potter's wheel to ease the pain of his mother's recent death, and how working in his garage offered him safe harbor from debilitating panic attacks. Digressions on the very real dangers of many of these jobs, the challenge of determining price, and the often circuitous path many artisans take before finding their place (as well as the role of failure in that path), satisfyingly round out the book. This is an impressive and emotionally rich appreciation of the work often taken for granted. Agent: Alison Fargis, Stonesong. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Library Journal Review

Both this book and the PBS show of the same name, which is hosted by Gorges, are love letters to people who make things with their hands. Gorges visits some of his favorite makers, including a glass blower, a calligrapher, potters, a stone carver, and an engraver, as well as sharing his own work as a metalcrafter. His enthusiasm for handmade work is palpable though at times it's expressed in clichés. While he shows great respect and affection for the work of these makers, the book is most engaging when Gorges talks about his own journey into customizing motorcycles and the metalworking apprenticeship that lead to his own shop and television show. The author narrates; his years of experience as a TV host stand him in good stead. VERDICT Imperfect but enjoyable, this pleasant escape might just inspire listeners to try a new craft. Recommended for creatives of all types, fans of the show, and anyone who likes working with their hands.--Tristan Boyd, Austin, TX