In addition to the blogs Hand Made Theory, Zeigarnika, and Greenjeans Blog that feature Richard Sennett’s The Craftsman, guardian.co.uk has two reviews and an article by Sennett himself.
The review that appeared in the Observer on February 17 says, “As in his previous books, Sennett ranges fluently across philosophy, literature, art, music and technology.” Meanwhile, the reviewer from the Guardian says, “Richard Sennett is a prime observer of society, an American, a
pragmatist who takes the nitty gritty of daily life and turns it into a
disquisition on morality…. He is an enchanting writer with important things to say.” For a taste of what he has to say, check out his article, “Labours of Love,” which appeared last month in the Guardian.
Sennett was also invited as a guest on The Diane Rehm Show, where he talked about everyone’s potential to be a craftsman. Listen to the show in Real Audio format here, or in Windows Media format here. If you want to hear more from Sennett, click here to listen to an interview with him on the Yale Press Podcast.
Defining craftsmanship far more broadly than “skilled manual labor,”
Richard Sennett maintains that the computer programmer, the doctor, the
artist, and even the parent and citizen engage in a craftsman’s work.
Craftsmanship names the basic human impulse to do a job well for its
own sake, says the author, and good craftsmanship involves developing
skills and focusing on the work rather than ourselves. In this
thought-provoking book, one of our most distinguished public
intellectuals 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.
View the table of contents, or read an excerpt from the book.
Fashion or Function?