I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote! In substantive terms there is little difference between the two, but you may find it interesting to see what the editor altered.
Published version
Craftland: A Journey Through Britain's Lost Arts and Vanishing Trades
(James Fox, The Bodley Head, £25)
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A book that offers a glimpse into the way traditional crafts were practised before the Industrial Revolution, in a manner rarely found in economic history books. Each chapter draws the reader in by focusing on the people still engaged in these trades today, and their often unassuming workplaces. In many cases it's a tiny group, or even just one person keeping the tradition alive.
Why does this matter? Because these are stories of determination, resilience and of working with nature, rather than against it.
Students searching for alternative career pathways instead of the traditional academic routes will surely find within these pages a fascinating and well-drawn explanation of a craft or tradition that will serve to inspire them
My original version
You would be forgiven for imagining that this is going to be an irrelevant wade through a swamp of nostalgia, but nothing could be further from the truth. True, it gives a glimpse into the way traditional crafts were carried out before the Industrial Revolution in a manner that is rarely to be found in economic history books.
Each chapter draws the reader in through a focus on the people still engaged in these trades and their often-unassuming workplaces. In many cases, only one person or a tiny group is carrying on the tradition.
Why does any of this matter? Because these are stories of determination, resilience, and of working with Nature rather than against her.
Perhaps some students, looking for an alternative to the academic route, will find in these pages a craft that will spark their interest. Fox also provides an example of how nonfiction writing can be rendered fascinating.