Member Review

I usually sum up what the book I read is about in my own words, but the book's description is perfect: "Eliot Stein has traveled the globe in search of remarkable people who are preserving some of our most extraordinary cultural rites." It's a book about the people who are struggling to keep ancient traditions alive in a world that doesn't seem to have room for them, and it is Stein's attempt at getting the word out about them, if only to be a record of their existence.
It's amazing the things that are getting lost to time simply because people don't have the patience and care to learn them. I'm including myself in that because I would love to be able to do some of the things Stein discusses in this book, but know I could never. They're art forms and customs that the fast pace of modernity is leaving behind, and Stein's admiration for those who do their best to keep them alive is palpable and contagious. It also comes with in-depth explanation of their origins and their history in a way that's easy to digest and infinitely fascinating. You will walk away with not just an appreciation for these "custodians," you'll also get a lot of very random pieces of information to make you feel smarter.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the educational read!