Why We Make Things and Why it Matters: The Education of a Craftsman - Hardcover

Peter Korn

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0224101099 ISBN 13: 9780224101097

Publisher: Vintage Publishing, 2015

Synopsis

Why do we make things? Why do we choose the emotionally and physically demanding work of bringing new objects into the world with creativity and skill? Why does it matter that we make things well? What is the nature of work? And what is the nature of a good life?Part memoir, part polemic, part philosophical reflection, this is a book about the process of creation and what it means to be a craftsman in a mass-produced world. For woodworker Peter Korn, the challenging work of bringing something new and meaningful into the world through one’s own efforts is exactly what generates authenticity, meaning, and fulfilment, for which many of us yearn. This is not a ‘how-to’ book in any sense, Korn wants to get at the ‘why’ of craft in particular, and the satisfaction of creative work in general, to understand its essential nature.How does the making of objects shape our identities? How do the products of creative work inform society? In short, what does the process of making things reveal to us about ourselves? Korn draws on four decades of hands-on experience to answer these questions eloquently in this heartfelt, personal and revealing book.

About this title

About the Author

Peter Korn is the founder and executive director of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, a nonprofit school in Rockport, Maine. A furniture maker since 1974, he is also the author of several howto books, including the bestselling Woodworking Basics: Mastering the Essentials of Craftsmanship. His furniture has been exhibited nationally in galleries and museums.

Review

What a superb book this is. The measure of its excellence is such that, the central premise being so clearly intelligent, so engagingly correct, it would still prove a worthwhile read even if its execution had been a letdown. As it is, the perfectly planned prose and stylish design could elevate Peter Korn s account of his life and career, as a craftsman (a furniture maker) to the status of a modern classic. This is one cool piece of work. --The Times (UK)

Drawing on his decades of experience handcrafting fine furniture, Korn s previous books have primarily focused on teaching woodworking to neophytes, including the best-selling Woodworking Basics (2003). In this inspired departure from such how-to guides, Korn explores the fundamental reasons why he and other artistically inclined hobbyists and professionals passionately devote themselves to their craft, often for little recognition or monetary gain. Against the backdrop of a consumer marketplace saturated with machine-manufactured goods, Korn asks readers to consider what makes creative work so rewarding, what the nature of those rewards actually are, and what making things can reveal about our deeper nature. In answering these questions, Korn describes his own life as a crucible of self-discovery, recounting how his middle-class Philadelphia upbringing led to carpentry work, then designing furniture, then teaching woodworking, and finally to founding a furniture-making school in Maine. Written with as much attention to polished prose as the author gives to his woodworking, Korn s book is a stirring testimonial for self-fulfillment through craftsmanship, whatever form it takes. --Carl Hays --Booklist

Here, furniture maker Korn shifts from how-to guides to a more philosophical approach to woodcraft. [...] This book documents Korn's personal philosophy, interweaves art and existence, and is based on a strong belief in his work.[...] An uplifting title for artisans, novice or skilled, who will benefit from the ideas of a kindred spirit. --Library Journal

Edition details

• Publisher: Vintage Publishing
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0224101099
• ISBN 13: 9780224101097
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 192