Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work Audiobook

" if you like doing things...read this one. really good. "

" Interesting premise, but I got lost in both the more philosophically grounded pieces of his argument and the more technical (gear head) aspects of the book. That he brought together two disparate vocabularies and bound them together in a relatively seamless whole is quite an accomplishment, but overall, just not for this reader. "

" I REALLY like what M Crawford has to say about the value of manual labor, and the amount of critical thinking it often really takes... and what it does to your being, which is something healthy... and the under-appreciation it endures. This man thinks so very deeply that I have to read this in pieces and let it sink in, then do some escapist reading and get back to it. But I think this is one of the most important philosophical books out there and should be on high school and college reading lists. "

" I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It 1) gave me a totally new appreciation for what it means to work as a craftsman, and in the manual trades generally; 2) made me question whether we are training too many people for work in the so-called "knowledge economy" so that they can just become mindless information economy factory workers; and 3) made me re-think my philosophy towards my own work. It's a strong argument for struggling and going slow and taking pride in the details and thinking about the larger context and community of work. Highly recommended. "

" This book was a lot harder-going than I expected. I didn't enjoy the book that inspired this though (Zen and the art of motorcycle maintaince) so perhaps it's not surprising. "

" While singing praises to physical, blue-collar work, Matthew B. Crawford can't help but take aim at the white-collar world. He doesn't make this a book about clash of the classes, which is perhaps a precarious point. Instead, he describes how manual work can be wholesome, meaningful, and truly productive, while the modern workplace can be silly, backward, and void of virtue. Crawford's assault on the the idea of a "creative class" is worth the read, as is his critique of Marxist ideas. However, I can't help but take notice of how Crawford spent his childhood in a California hippie commune, which, at least in my mind, is an environment of questionable morality. My own notion of a hippie commune seems similar to the way Crawford describes a modern office as a place that is slippery and deceiving, filled with squishy interpersonal demands and flawed structures. It is no wonder that Crawford prefers work that is straightforward with clear purpose and direct outcomes. While I believe our modern world needs more thinkers like Crawford, this book can sometimes come across as a letter to himself, justifying his professional choices. Then again, we might need this justification for ourselves. Pardon me while I go crank up the classic rock and change the oil in my car. "

" "People who ride motorcycles have gotten something RIGHT, and I want to put myself in the service of it, this thing that we do, this kingly sport that is like war made beautiful." "

" Some insights but too much hand waving for any argument to really come together. "

" I strongly agreed with many of his conclusions, yet felt that many of the arguments were somewhat weak and unsupported. "

" not as good as I had hoped. "

" This wasn't a particularly great read, but I completely agree with Crawford's analysis and message. "

" Interesting and thought provoking at times, but there are too many ways in which I strongly disagreed with the authors arguments to really enjoy it. I think he has some good points, but I didn't like the way the book was argued. "

" Explains why I like to DO (and not work in the cubicle) "

" Text is dense at times, but overall some great ideas in this book about the value of manual competence and the overvaluation of the modern higher education experience and the type of work it prepares you for. This book will probably become one of the more highly referred-to in my "read" list. "

" For bored with it and quit halfway through. "

" A bit preachy but a good message... "

" Valid argument and one that I agree with. However, I would not say there was anything "new" or ground breaking about the message. "

" Tremendous, interesting contemplation of labor, of satisfaction, of who we are. I will probably have to read this a few times to really get it. Thank you Matthew! "

" Great reading for gearheads and those who are tired of the rat race, but Crawford's narrative style is somewhat lacking. I wasn't pulled in except for brief phases when he recounted stories of his childhood. It's not a bad book at all, but it's not for everyone either. "

" Becomes a little bit pretentious at times, and a little outspoken, but well put together, coherent, makes good arguments, and doesn't talk down to the reader. "

" Excellent.this is a commentary on how a persons occupation might impact their level of life satisfaction. "

" Every person interested in education should read this book. "

" Terrific book! Hits a lot of points regarding what is satisfying as far as work and life. Made me want to go work on my motorcycle! "

" Funny, since the last book I read, 'The Big Short', the mortgage broker was mentioned as one doing soul-sucking (my words) work. "

" The stories he told were good, but the rest was academic filler. Topic was good and everything was true...we are losing the craftsman's touch in America. "