Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work

· Sold by Penguin
3.9
21 reviews
Ebook
256
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

A philosopher/mechanic's wise (and sometimes funny) look at the challenges and pleasures of working with one's hands 

“This is a deep exploration of craftsmanship by someone with real, hands-on knowledge. The book is also quirky, surprising, and sometimes quite moving.” —Richard Sennett, author of The Craftsman


Called “the sleeper hit of the publishing season” by The Boston Globe, Shop Class as Soulcraft became an instant bestseller, attracting readers with its radical (and timely) reappraisal of the merits of skilled manual labor. On both economic and psychological grounds, author Matthew B. Crawford questions the educational imperative of turning everyone into a “knowledge worker,” based on a misguided separation of thinking from doing. Using his own experience as an electrician and mechanic, Crawford presents a wonderfully articulated call for self-reliance and a moving reflection on how we can live concretely in an ever more abstract world.

Ratings and reviews

3.9
21 reviews
A Google user
July 20, 2011
If you want a short version of the book, google the title and you will find the original essay that the book stemmed from. I found it very helpful for knowing what is was getting myself into. This review is mostly just thanks to MB Crawford for writing this. You articulated a struggle that I've felt for most of my life as i've been riding the divide between blue and white collar work. Bless you! I'm really looking forward to the fruit of this work! It'll be evident in my future, and my personal decisions. Thanks.
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About the author

Matthew B. Crawford is a philosopher and mechanic. He has a Ph.D. in political philosophy from the University of Chicago and served as a postdoctoral fellow on its Committee on Social Thought. Currently a fellow at the University of Virginia's Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, he owns and operates Shockoe Moto, an independent motorcycle repair shop in Richmond, Virginia.

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