OT: Shopclass As Soulcraft

[ti_boi]

Anyone read the book? It is on my list. Today I spent a glorious hour changing some tubes and tires. Took my time. Felt relaxed. Something about that resonates. Discuss.

http://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inquiry-Value/dp/1594202230

[thenewguy11]

I read the book about a year ago. I really liked it and actually got it in my head to learn about frame building and possibly building myself a track bike or something. Ultimately, I have more hobbies than time and a little guy at home to take care of so I tabled it for now. But I think the idea of working with your hands and that everyone isn't cut out for the service economy is very valid and I think it's unfortunate that vocational training gets a bad rap.

[oldmill]

I thought it started off strong and raised a lot of very interesting points. But it seemed to devolve into a lot of repetition and unsubstantiated assertions, and ultimately it becomes monotonous. He probably could have dispensed with what he wanted to say in an essay, and the reader would have been better-served.

[Kane]

haven't read the book.
Our local company in No Cal is also called SOULCRAFT. The owner,
Sean (formerly of Salsa), is a master frame builder and his work is something to enjoy if you ever make it to the No Amer frame builders show. He was nice enough to re-weld the seat collar lug on my Ritchey hardtail.
Cheers.

Kane

[Fixed]

cool bobber imho the cat has nice t shirts too
imho
cheers

[bike22]

read the original essay, not the book: http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/shop-class-as-soulcraft

[dancinkozmo]

read the original essay, not the book: http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/shop-class-as-soulcraft

thanks for the linky :banana:

[BobbyJones]

I haven't read the book, but I've had this article about Crawford bookmarked:

http://www.newyorkreviewofideas.com/2009/06/let%E2%80%99s-get-physical/

[rwsaunders]

I had a great time and a lot of fun in the 8th, 9th and 10th grade, in wood and metal shop, because the instructor taught you that "your hands can be used for something beyond eating and grabbing girls". That was according to Mr. Wadlow, our esteemed instructor. Sadly, I think that most of the public schools have eliminated their shop class requirements.

[marle]

Anyone read the book? It is on my list. Today I spent a glorious hour changing some tubes and tires. Took my time. Felt relaxed. Something about that resonates. Discuss.

http://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inquiry-Value/dp/1594202230

I read it. Here's my take. He knows a lot about shop work but his office work experience is very narrow. Most folks do not get a PhD and work in a think tank Nor do most folks get a job as a tech writer. In either case I think he spent less than 3 years working for the Man.

It's also interesting that he quoted frequently from 'Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'. Read that.

[Brian Smith]

It's also interesting that he quoted frequently from 'Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'. Read that.

Agreed.
I love ZMM, and wanted Shopclass as Soulcraft to be great.
I haven't finished it, and nothing so far is compelling me to do so.
More than anything it reveals an empty niche in publishing called 'ZMM of the 'teens' but yet doesn't fill it as the publisher probably had hoped.

[daker13]

I thought it started off strong and raised a lot of very interesting points. But it seemed to devolve into a lot of repetition and unsubstantiated assertions, and ultimately it becomes monotonous. He probably could have dispensed with what he wanted to say in an essay, and the reader would have been better-served.

I agree. Some of the book is really strong, and I love the premise, but a lot of it is just dull or written in painfully bad quasi-academic prose. It isn't thorough enough to be a good thesis (he barely mentions Marx) or inspired enough to be a really good book for general readers. I really agree with his basic point, though, which has been a big idea in my own life in the past five years or so. I just wish the book was better, because it's no 'Walden.'