Description

Britain was once a craft land. For generations what we made with our hands shaped our identities, built our communities and defined our regions. Craftland chronicles the vanishing skills and traditions that used to govern every aspect of life on these shores.

‘Impassioned and inspiring’ SUNDAY TIMES ** BOOK OF THE WEEK **

‘Full of stories of crafts and craftspeople and communities, and creativity over the ages. Wonderful’ MICHAEL MORPURGO

‘Beautiful, eye-opening and surprisingly moving – a treat to treasure’ LUCY WORSLEY

From the Isles of Scilly to the Scottish Highlands, James Fox travels the length of Britain to seek out the country’s last great craftspeople.

Stepping inside the workshops of blacksmiths and wheelwrights, cutlers and coopers, bellfounders and watchmakers, we glimpse not only our past but another way of life: one that is not yet lost and might still shape our future.

For as long as there are humans, there will be craft. It is all around us, hiding in plain sight, animating even the most ordinary things. Fox shows that Britain is still a craft land, if only we have eyes to see it.

‘Extraordinary … will leave you awestruck’ XAND VAN TULLEKEN

‘Brimming with fresh news and seasoned with hope. I read it in two gulps with delight’ ANDREW MARR

Publisher Review

An impassioned and inspiring account of the extraordinary men and women still doing traditional artisanal work in Britain * Sunday Times, *Book of the Week* * Craftland is a book that shimmers with love for a dwindling world of meticulous, patient labour … Lyrical … Deftly written and well researched * Guardian * A beautifully crafted book – akin to the beautifully crafted objects it describes … What a treat to discover facts and stories that feed the heart and prove that craft is as ever present as it has forever been — Kate Malone, ceramist This hugely absorbing book is so full of stories of crafts and craftspeople and communities, and of creativity over the ages. It’s such an important story to tell and told so compellingly. Wonderful — Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse Beautiful, eye-opening and surprisingly moving – a treat to treasure — Lucy Worsley, author of Jane Austen at Home It is so rare to come across a book brimming with fresh news and seasoned with hope. James Fox uncovers a largely hidden history which is still alive all around us today. I read it in two gulps with delight — Andrew Marr, author and journalist A dazzling combination of evocative prose and meticulous research, Craftland is an impassioned undertaking and novel portrait of the country’s past and how we might rethink our future — Kate Bryan, art historian This extraordinary book is essential reading. It will leave you awestruck at the complexity and persistence of the crafts that shaped our world, and inspired to engage more deeply with our vanishing material world of objects and skills. Anyone who has ever felt a disconnection from modern life will find themselves irresistibly drawn in — Xand Van Tulleken Meet the weavers, watchmakers and wheelwrights keeping Britain’s noble craft traditions alive … Fox effortlessly persuades the reader about the superiority of all things crafted. From willow pots to watches, these handmade items are all treasures in their own right, stamped with the crafter’s own individuality and a bit of their soul * Daily Mail *