The Craftsman

Name: The Craftsman
ISBN: 9787532769964

理查德·桑内特 / 李继宏Shanghai Translation Publishing House · ChinaNov 2018

4.1

Word count: 184K words
Chapters: 17
ISBN: 9787532769964

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Summary

The Craftsman explores a basic human impulse: the desire to do a job well for its own sake. Though the word "craftsman" evokes a way of life that vanished with the coming of industrial society, Sennett argues that the domain of the craftsman is far broader than skilled manual labor; today's programmers, doctors, parents, and citizens all need to understand the value of the craftsman's spirit. Widely regarded as the author's magnum opus, this book by one of today's leading public intellectuals examines the work of craftsmen past and present; it links manual labor to ethics and morality, and it questions today's accepted standards for judging good work. In The Craftsman, Richard Sennett ranges across time and space, from brickmakers in ancient Rome to goldsmiths in the Renaissance, from Paris print shops to London factories. History has drawn a false line between practice and theory, craft and expression, craftsman and artist, maker and user; modern society has still not escaped the grip of this historical legacy. Yet the lives of earlier craftsmen and their craft also reveal ways of using tools, organizing work, and thinking about materials that offer us practical models for how to let skill guide our lives.

Editor's review

Richard Sennett's The Craftsman is not a how-to guide to specific manual techniques but a profound work of social philosophy. Drawing on wide learning, the author weaves together history, sociology, philosophy, and personal observation to explore how the basic human impulse of craftsmanship shapes our material world, our social relations, and even our sense of self. For Sennett, craftsmanship centers on an enduring commitment—the inner desire to do a job well for its own sake—a spirit found not only in the hands of potters or carpenters but also in the work of programmers, doctors, artists, and even parents. The book's appeal lies in how it breaks down traditional boundaries between mental and manual labor, art and craft, theory and practice, inviting readers to reconsider the nature of "work" and "creation." In a modern society that prizes efficiency and results above all, Sennett's reaffirmation of process, focus, skill formation, and the value of "slow, careful work" feels especially precious and thought-provoking. Reading this book is more like a mental workout: it invites us to ask how, in an increasingly automated and standardized world, we can preserve and cultivate that focused, ever-refining "craftsman's spirit," and thereby build more meaningful lives and a healthier society.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in sociology, philosophy, and the ethics of work who want a big-picture understanding of the meaning of labor and creation
Educators, managers, and trainers seeking inspiration for sparking others' inner motivation and professionalism
People in any profession who feel uncertain about the value of their work and long to recover focus and a passion for craft
Readers who enjoy interdisciplinary thinking and connecting historical cases and philosophical reflection with contemporary reality

Not a good fit for

Pragmatic readers hoping for step-by-step handicraft instructions or technical tutorials
Readers seeking light, entertaining reading who find theoretical or reflective content demanding

Reading tips

Don't rush; slow down and pause to think where Sennett draws on rich historical cases (such as medieval goldsmiths or Linux development)
As you read, try connecting the book's concepts (such as "inner narrative" and "the dialectic of skill") with your own daily work or hobbies, and reflect on them in parallel
For deeper understanding, read alongside other works by Sennett, such as The Fall of Public Man, or Hannah Arendt's discussion of "labor," "work," and "action"

About the publisher

Shanghai Translation Publishing House China · Founded in 1978

Shanghai Translation Publishing House is a Chinese publisher oriented mainly toward translation and publishing. Its publications cover foreign literature, world classics and classic works, as well as social culture, folk literature and classical poetry. The database contains 2,618 titles, including Never Let Me Go, Les Misérables (2 volumes), Don Quixote (illustrated collector's edition), The Complete Comedies of Molière (4 volumes), The Complete Novels of Kafka (3 volumes), The Collected Works of Dostoevsky (9-volume set), Reason and Persons, and Oedipus Rex (Translation Classics). Its author resources include foreign writers such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Victor Hugo, Cervantes and Molière, as well as translators such as Zheng Kelu, Sun Jiameng, Li Jianwu and Zhang Kun. The publisher has brands such as "Translation Classics Selections" and "Translation Documentary," and emphasizes translated works in foreign literature and the humanities and social sciences, while also publishing bilingual dictionaries and foreign-language educational books. Public information is limited; the above is based on the book information in the database.

版权信息
致谢
序章作为自身制造者的人类
第一部分匠人
第一章烦恼的匠人
第二章作坊
第三章机器
第四章物质意识
第二部分匠艺
第五章手
第六章形象的说明书
第七章刺激性工具
第八章阻力与模糊
第三部分匠艺活动
第九章质量至上的工作
第十章能力
结语哲学作坊

FAQ

How is this book different from the popular "craftsmanship spirit" bestsellers on the market?

This is not an inspirational or management book and offers no success-study template. It is a work of social theory with a deep scholarly foundation; its concept of "craftsmanship" is more fundamental and philosophical, aimed at analyzing the psychological mechanisms, social conditions, and ethical value behind this human activity. Both its intellectual depth and its theoretical system are more complex and rigorous.

Can readers without a background in sociology or philosophy understand it?

Sennett's prose is clear and his examples vivid; although it engages with theory, it is not an obscure academic monograph. General readers can certainly grasp its core ideas. Keep an open mind and focus on the questions it raises rather than getting stuck on every term—the historical stories and real-world observations in the book are illuminating in themselves.

What practical guidance does this book offer for contemporary life?

It offers an important perspective for countering the restlessness, alienation, and short-termism of modern society. By understanding the "craftsman's spirit," we can re-evaluate our relationship with work and, while pursuing efficiency and results, learn to appreciate process, cultivate deep focus, and pursue inner standards—gaining more satisfaction and dignity from our labor. This applies to any profession and any area of life.

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About the author

理查德·桑内特 Author

Richard Sennett is an important contemporary social and cultural critic whose work has been substantially translated for Chinese readers, with eight of his books held in this collection. From The Fall of Public Man and its later companion on public life and the private sphere, to Flesh and Stone, which examines the interplay of body and city in Western civilization, and The Craftsman and Together: The Rituals, Pleasures and Politics of Cooperation, which explore craft, collaboration and social bonds, his writing spans sociology, urban studies and cultural history. He typically approaches abstract questions through concrete experience and historical material, in a style that combines scholarly depth with readability, and he has influenced a wide readership in social science and cultural studies. Public information is limited, so biographical details are not elaborated here.

李继宏 Author

Li Jihong is a Chinese translator devoted to introducing foreign literature to Chinese readers. Public information about him is limited, and details such as his nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly documented. Judging from the twenty-four works recorded in the library, his focus has been on bringing classics and popular works of the English-speaking world to Chinese readers. His representative translations include The Kite Runner, The Complete Novels of Jane Austen, Animal Farm, The Old Man and the Sea, The Little Prince, and Maugham's The Moon and Sixpence, covering novels, fables, and philosophical prose. These works are mostly categorized as foreign literature, classics, and world masterpieces, with some touching on social science and social culture. His translations are known for their readability, bringing Western narratives from different eras closer to contemporary Chinese readers and exerting considerable influence in popularizing the classics.