Handmade

by Anna Ploszajski

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Handmade: A Scientist’s Search for Meaning through Making is an interesting monograph in the Sigma series, on materials and how they're utilized by Dr. Anna Ploszajski. Released 27th June 2023 by Bloomsbury on their Sigma imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback and ebook format. (Other editions available in additional formats). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is emphatically *not* a tutorial or crafting guide. What it is, is a materials scientist's exploration of materials and how their characteristics relate to their use and suitability to craft different purposes. The author is meticulous and clearly knowledgeable and goes into depth about the physical properties of each material she covers. The writing is not academic,

The book is arranged into chapters by subject: Glass, Plastic, Steel, Brass, Clay, Sugar, Wool, Wood, Paper, and Stone. The work is not too technical for laypeople to understand and the chapters are not annotated. There is a cross referenced index with live hyperlinks in the back of the book. 

The style is chatty and accessible. I found the information and history interesting.This would make a good choice for public library acquisition, maker's groups, materials science and popular science readers.

Four and a half stars - with the codicil that readers pick it up forewarned. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.