Lost Crafts: Rediscovering Traditional Skills: Amazon.co.uk: Una McGovern: Books

Review

A fascinating book which will inspire everyone, whether as a practical guide or just a brilliant read. There are things here which I have always wanted to try out - and now I can!

(Miranda Krestovnikoff, presenter of BBC's Coast )

A wonderfully informative catalogue of the kind of knowledge we are losing but would be wise to preserve.

(Zac Goldsmith, environmentalist )

This is a great book which everyone should read. Although some of these crafts may be associated with a bygone era, they are as relevant today as they have ever been and there is something for everyone to learn. Hours of amusement!

(Jimmy Doherty, presenter of BBC's Jimmy Doherty's Farming Heroes )

It's a treasure... a lovely book, full of fascinating information and useful advice. Splendid on hedge-laying - I am now hooked on Hooper's hedge hypothesis - and on threatening an unproductive fruit tree with an axe. However, I am worried that each time I pick it up it falls open at 'Milking a cow'. I have no cow: is the book trying to tell me something?

(Adam Hart-Davis, writer and broadcaster )

A blend of social history and practical instruction, this handsome book will have you
coopering, whittling and smocking in no time. McGovern makes the dream of never shopping again seem like a reality, and teaches a sobering lesson about the extent to which, until recently, the things we had were made by us or by people we knew, so we valued them more and wasted them less.

(Melissa Katsoulis, The Times Christmas Books 2008: Back to basics, The Times )

From arts to crafts, here's a perfect Christmas present for the credit crunch. Una McGovern's Lost Crafts: Rediscovering Traditional Skills is a serious book telling you how to set about all those things you have been paying other people to do, such as beekeeping, coppicing, milking a cow, skinning rabbits, pickling, smoking and making cider, lemonade, butter, cheese, jam and marmalade.Of course, most of these are easier done in the country than the inner city, including foraging for wild food - berries, nuts and mushrooms. You are advised to pick black-berries before September 29 because that is when the devil is supposed to urinate on them. On reflection, choose recipients of this present carefully.

(Christopher Hudson, The Daily Mail "The pictures worth 1,000 words: Illustrated Books Round Up" )

In an era when we are re-thinking our habits because of the rising costs of food and fuel, a revival of traditional ways of life has perhaps never been so relevant.
(The Scots Magazine )

Beautifully illustrated, this is a timely publication as more of us are looking to relearn the simple, practical skills that will help us towards more sustainable living.

(Devon Life )

A delightful new book
(Geoff Ward, Mysterious West Podcast Week 75, Western Daily Press )

[A] terrific book, which I've been reading avidly. I strongly recommend it, and also the new companion volume, Lost Lore, which covers a variety of clever everyday stuff, not all of it absolutely needed every day.

(John-Paul Flintoff, The Sunday Times )

Review

A fascinating book which will inspire everyone, whether as a practical guide or just a brilliant read. There are things here which I have always wanted to try out - and now I can! -- Miranda Krestovnikoff, presenter of BBC's Coast A wonderfully informative catalogue of the kind of knowledge we are losing but would be wise to preserve. -- Zac Goldsmith, environmentalist This is a great book which everyone should read. Although some of these crafts may be associated with a bygone era, they are as relevant today as they have ever been and there is something for everyone to learn. Hours of amusement! -- Jimmy Doherty, presenter of BBC's Jimmy Doherty's Farming Heroes 20081106 It's a treasure... a lovely book, full of fascinating information and useful advice. Splendid on hedge-laying - I am now hooked on Hooper's hedge hypothesis - and on threatening an unproductive fruit tree with an axe. However, I am worried that each time I pick it up it falls open at 'Milking a cow'. I have no cow: is the book trying to tell me something? -- Adam Hart-Davis, writer and broadcaster 20081119 A blend of social history and practical instruction, this handsome book will have youcoopering, whittling and smocking in no time. McGovern makes the dream of never shopping again seem like a reality, and teaches a sobering lesson about the extent to which, until recently, the things we had were made by us or by people we knew, so we valued them more and wasted them less. -- Melissa Katsoulis, The Times Christmas Books 2008: Back to basics, The Times 20081128 From arts to crafts, here's a perfect Christmas present for the credit crunch. Una McGovern's Lost Crafts: Rediscovering Traditional Skills is a serious book telling you how to set about all those things you have been paying other people to do, such as beekeeping, coppicing, milking a cow, skinning rabbits, pickling, smoking and making cider, lemonade, butter, cheese, jam and marmalade.Of course, most of these are easier done in the country than the inner city, including foraging for wild food - berries, nuts and mushrooms. You are advised to pick black-berries before September 29 because that is when the devil is supposed to urinate on them. On reflection, choose recipients of this present carefully. -- Christopher Hudson, The Daily Mail "The pictures worth 1,000 words: Illustrated Books Round Up" 20081212 In an era when we are re-thinking our habits because of the rising costs of food and fuel, a revival of traditional ways of life has perhaps never been so relevant. -- The Scots Magazine 20090201 Beautifully illustrated, this is a timely publication as more of us are looking to relearn the simple, practical skills that will help us towards more sustainable living. -- Devon Life 20081201 A delightful new book -- Geoff Ward, Mysterious West Podcast Week 75, Western Daily Press 20081201 [A] terrific book, which I've been reading avidly. I strongly recommend it, and also the new companion volume, Lost Lore, which covers a variety of clever everyday stuff, not all of it absolutely needed every day. -- John-Paul Flintoff, The Sunday Times 20090923

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Customer Reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars

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32 of 32 people found the following review helpful

Well written and researched, a pleasure to read and a bargain. 21 Jan 2009

By Mr. R. Wood

Format:Hardcover

The book covers around 100 crafts with about 3 pages each. I expected it to be superficial and poorly written, the sort of thing you get in the local paper.

In fact each craft gets a very accurate and concise summary with interesting anecdotes. The range chosen is interesting and the author clearly has a deep personal understanding and interest in many of the crafts described, or maybe she is just a very good researcher and writer.

As someone who has worked full time in the traditional crafts for 15 years and read everything that has been written from Cobbet and Morris to Yanagi, Leach and Pye I still learnt quite a few things from this book. I particularly enjoyed the section on traditional boat building, despite working in woodland crafts and before that traditional forestry I could not fault the sections on copicing, hedge laying green wood crafts, clogmaking etc. I read the first and only plausible explanation I have seen of how to tickle a trout and good descriptions of eel catching too.

The book is not as deep as Dorothy Hartley's 1939 classic "Made in England"
but is probably much better suited to the modern reader.

I would heartily recommend it and shall be buying several copies as gifts, good price for a nice hardback too.

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

Lost Crafts 23 Mar 2009

By Loida

The book is excellent. Very good quality paper and cover. Beautiful photos. It shows briefly the main things to know about an endless list of crafts, and their history. Of course, as the list is so long, it doesn't go into full detail, so if you want to practice some of these crafts, you'll still need to look for a bit more detail somewhere else, but it does show the basics quite clearly. Great to have and look at!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Crafts in Brief 28 Aug 2010

By John Grimbaldeston

Format:Paperback

I bought this because I work as a voluntary helper in a Museum of Country Life and am occasionally asked questions on subjects I know little about, and so this handy reference is ok, if a little superficial, and lacking further explanatory illustrations after an original one; the description of clog making, for instance, needs further illustration, especially pictures of the various tools of the clogger. It is, though, nicely produced and wittily written, and in the most part complements the exhibits and their interpretive panels and so serves its purpose for me: it is just a little thin on its own.