Why We Make Things and Why It Matters
The Education of a Craftsman

Quotes

“The bulk of the book is crafted like a fine rocking chair. It challenges us to look both inward and outward. It champions the idea that working with one’s hands can foster perseverance, focus, and patience—qualities that spill into other aspects of our lives. And in an era when shop classes are disappearing, and art classes are among the first to be cut, the book reminds us that if we want whole people, we need to educate and respect head, heart, and hands.” Minneapolis Star-Tribune

“Takes readers on a journey both spiritual and personal.” Publishers Weekly

“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.” 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

“Peter Korn writes that his work as a furniture-maker tries to accomplish three goals: integrity, simplicity, and grace. Fortunately, these qualities are also what distinguish his writing. In this book, he gives the reader an almost tangible sense of what it takes to be a creative craftsman, a homo faber, a maker of things, which is one of the central elements of the human condition. But he does much more than that: he explores what the search for self and for belonging entails in our rapidly changing times.” Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of Creativity: The Psychology of Discovery and Invention

Awards

• Maine Literary Award