Handmade

Creative Focus in the Age of Distraction

By: Gary Rogowski

Narrated by: BJ Harrison

Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

In an era when there are countless competing claims on one's attention, how does one find the internal focus to be creative? For master furniture craftsman Gary Rogowski, the answer is in the act of creative work itself. The discipline of working with one's hands to create unnecessarily beautiful things shapes the builder into a more complete human being.  

In the tradition of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Shop Class as Soulcraft, Rogowski's Handmade is a profound meditation on the eternal value of manual work, creativity, human fallibility, and the stubborn pursuit of quality work. Rogowski tells his life story of how he became a craftsman and how years of persistent work have taught him patience, resilience, tolerance for failure, and a love of pursuing beauty and mastery for its own sake.  

Part autobiography, part guide to creativity, and part guide to living, Handmade is an audiobook for craftspeople, artists, and anyone who seeks clarity, purpose, and creativity in his or her work - and it's the perfect antidote to a modern world that thinks human labor is obsolete.

©2017 Gary Rogowski (P)2019 Tantor

tedious and indulgent

I expected more straight-forward prose, but the author took 45 minutes to retell mostly pointless anecdotes of College, with no hint of more appealing content further in the book. At no point in the first hour or so, did the author communicate his purpose, nor provide any useful insight. I do not wish to invest my time listening to an aimless, indulgent, meandering, and largely pointless hour of navel-gazing. The author is somewhat obsessed with his idea of "mastery", and is quite proud of his abilities. Writing and storytelling are not areas he should boast too heavily. Concerning the audio book performance, at first the reader's high pitched and unsure voice was distracting, but then I realized his voice was a perfect match for the book, so I do feel the need to mark the performance higher.

I am asking for a refund.

self aggrandizing

I don't know if it was the tone or the content, but the author fell far short of humble. Not a bad message, but not a great book.

worth a read

The book has a meandering quality to it. Reminding me of something I'd write

Way better than expected!

Heard it three (3) times back to back. Found it very insightful and educational. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Finally!

Finally a book that made who I am clear and described why I am so nit picky and probably hard to work with. I’m not a woodworker, I’m a welder but hold myself to just as high of a standard as a seasoned woodworker.

Awesome

This photo was so good that I think it’s probably one of the greatest books ever written. I think it’s even better than “Zen in the item motorcycle maintenance”. Every artist should read it. Every craftsman should read it. Every student should read it. I wish it had been written and I had read it when I was a hungry young mind. Now I’m a hungry old mind and just glad that I found it.
I sent a copy to an Art professor of mine from college. It actually sounded like him speaking to me.
Gary is a great writer and the book was much more interesting than Thoreau’s work. The reader is excellent and the experience was nostalgic and beautiful.

Do you feel a need to create things?

If so, you’ll get this book. I paint and I could completely relate to the book and I enjoyed the narration. I found it relaxing and found myself nodding in agreement on many points.

Perfect pace for a busy world

The collection of stories and anecdotes throughout are simple and relatable. It is more a philosophy of work at the bench and how life is interwoven with it. This is not high action, but rather a rich walk in the shoes of a ordinary man who has mastered his art. It certainly encourages the less confident person to follow on in that regard. The life lessons are subtle and almost sink in through osmosis. There is an ease with the book that counters the pace of today and offers the reader a switchback to a more appealing track. Gary does not sugarcoat the challenges of a creative life but instead shares his approach to making the best of it and taking it easy on yourself while setting high standards. If you have listened to Gary’s podcast, ‘Splinters’, then it may take a while to accept the voice of the narrator but overall the performance is good.