Why We Make Things and Why it Matters

Why do we choose the emotionally and physically demanding work of bringing new objects into the world with creativity and skill? Why does it matter that we make things well? What is the nature of work? And what is the nature of a good life? Whether you''re honing your craft or turning your hand to a new skill, discover the true value in what it means to be a craftsman in a mass-produced world. Part memoir, part polemic, part philosophical reflection, this is a book about the process of creation. For woodworker Peter Korn, the challenging work of bringing something new and meaningful into the world through one''s own efforts is exactly what generates authenticity, meaning, and fulfilment, for which many of us yearn. This is not a ''how-to'' book in any sense, Korn wants to get at the ''why'' of craft in particular, and the satisfaction of creative work in general, to understand its essential nature. How does the making of objects