These days, I often despair over the state of the world, and worry that we are failing to preserve many of the most precious things around us. It was lovely and comforting, then, to pick up this collection of stories told by author Eliot Stein as he traveled the world exploring “ancient customs, profound traditions, and the last people keep them.” His collection, Custodians of Wonder, which will be published in early December 2024, is a perfect balm for times of despair.

Part travelog, part anthropology, part biography – and all heart, these ten stories are beautifully written and full of hope. I decided to take my time reading this collection – not because it was challenging to understand or uninteresting to read, but because I wanted to savor each story individually. It was a great decision, and one I recommend (if you have the time and opportunity for a leisurely read). As with any collection, I enjoyed some stories more than others (particular favorites included of mine included the stories about the night watchman and the one about the soy sauce).

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on December 10, 2024.

4 stars.

I was initially caught by the beautifully illustrated cover and title of this book, so felt intrigued to find out a little more.

Stein takes the reader on a fascinating global tour looking at various traditions and keepers of folklore which, although they are not linked in any way, they are incredibly interesting and thought provoking.

What I particularly enjoyed was the personal stories of the individuals who are Custodians of Wonder together with researched facts to support the background to the 'tradition'.

A beautifully written book which will make a great addition to any book collection or equally a perfect gift.

Thank you to #netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to preview this book. The only thing missing were photos, which would've made the read perfect.

#netgalley #wonders #tradition #folklore #books #reading

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of “Custodians of Wonder” by Eliot Stein. I was deeply moved by the wonderful way in which the author captured and respected each of the stories he presented. Some are so fascinating and moving but also saddening because you realize that inevitably, some of these traditions will likely fade away. Thanks to this author’s amazing work, however, they will not soon be forgotten.

Interesting topics, but are the really the LAST people with their individual knowledge? Yes, the knowledge is rare, but they are not alone. Much of the story is bogged down by big information dumps that you have to wade through.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

A captivating and beautifully written book that opened my eyes to the vast amount of knowledge I lack about the world, and the reality that many of these experiences may vanish forever. Eliot Stein's prose is clear, lyrical, and evocative. I found myself longing to explore every location, meet every individual, and learn everything possible. This book is a showcase of Stein's remarkable attention to detail, but it also meant I occasionally had to pause mid-chapter and return later, likely missing some nuances along the way.
Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly endorse this book as a brilliant concept executed wonderfully, and it will linger in my thoughts for quite some time.
This is a truly unique read. It delves into a multitude of cultures and regions around the globe that I have never had the chance to visit.
Discovering ancient customs and traditions was mind-blowing for me, as most of the content was completely new.
It is both informative and engaging, although I found that certain chapters captured my interest more than others.
If you're seeking a distinctive exploration of hidden and largely unknown aspects of the world, primarily known only to the locals, then this book is a fascinating choice.

Custodians Of Wonder, ancient customs profound traditions in the last people keeping them alive by Eliot Stein, from Cuban book readers that have the only Democratic job in Cuba to the only African Family keeping a musical in oral tradition alive and has been for hundreds of years, to a Middle Eastern family keeping an ancient secret for making a magical mirror and the only woman who does it, to so much more. This book is full of rare and odd traditions I had never heard of. The book was way more interesting than I first believed and I believed it to be super interesting it was so good I love learning new things in this book is full of things I didn’t know and I read a lot of books about ancient history and the societies that no longer exist when it comes to history whether it be ancient modern or contemporary I’m always afraid when getting a new book I will have heard the information in it before but this book was totally surprising and refreshing and it’s a book I definitely recommend. #NetGalley,#Saint Martin’s press, #EliotStein, #CustodiansOfWonder,

A fun look at global practices that are threatened by a lack of people to keep the tradition alive. The physical craft chapters were more successful than the ones that looked at practices, but overall, I really liked this, and I also liked the way that Stein makes sure his role in these interactions is clear.

I loved reading these 10 stories about the sole guardians of customs around the world. The author painted striking pictures of what life is like for these people who are the last of their line to maintain these ways of life. It's really sad to think that these customs that have lasted generations can die with them if they cannot find anyone to take over. Thank you to Net Galley for providing an advance reading copy of this book.

This was so delightful! Lots of interesting stories about absolutely fascinating people keeping alive traditions that I didn't even know existed. This should be a must-read for everyone!

Stein profiles people with rare or disappearing jobs from around the world and uses that as a springboard to talk about the surrounding history of the job and the area, but also talks a little bit about himself. I found the memoir aspects less compelling — I wanted to hear more about these interesting people with interesting jobs. Some profiles succeed more than others, but overall, I liked this. I particularly recommend the chapter on los lectores in Cuba (people who read news and novels to cigar rollers during their shifts), and the chapter on the "romantic" oak tree in Germany that ended up profoundly affecting the postal worker assigned to deliver letters there. Both of these chapters appeared in a previous form on BBC Travel, so I wonder if having extra time to percolate helped. Even if, overall, this wasn't love for me, ymmv.

This is an enchanting book, and a perfect Christmas present! From Italy to Peru, to India, to West Africa, the author takes us into the hearts and hands of incredible craftspeople, some of the last of their kind. This book preserves their lives and skills in words, and makes us wander what else we are losing without knowing it existed in the first place.

This book is a journey around the globe, introducing you to fascinating aspects of cultures, traditions, history, and the dedicated individuals preserving long-held customs.

I love nonfiction books like this because they are not only informative and engaging, but they can also be enjoyed in one sitting or in small doses, as each section covers a different topic. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been savoring this book bit by bit, rather than rushing through it.

It’s quite poignant to realize how few people are left to keep some ancient traditions and customs alive. Many traditions have likely been lost over the years without our knowledge. This book shines a light on some of the traditions that are still remembered and maintained, with the hope that they will continue for many more years.

While I won’t repeat the traditions discussed in the book - you can read the synopsis for that - a few of my favorites include the world’s rarest pasta, the last Scandinavian night watchman, and the secret ingredient in Japan’s 700-year-old soy sauce recipe. Not every topic captivated me equally, and that’s perfectly fine. I still learned a great deal and deeply respect the extensive research and effort that went into each subject.

I believe any nonfiction enthusiast would appreciate this book, but it might be especially intriguing for those interested in cultural studies or anthropology.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for sending me an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
I found this book really fascinating and each of the chapters covered something completely new to me. Each chapter goes really into depth about one custom or tradition. I think they are best digested one chapter at a time as this is not a book to rush through. Thank you for sharing these little-known people to the world.

Although it was thoroughly researched, it didn’t flow particularly well from one topic to the next and was a bit stilted. Also, many of the sources did not seem as eminently qualified (and were not the end-all, be-all “last of their kind” authorities) as the author might have us believe. That took away from my enjoyment of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

While very well written and researched, this felt rather disjointed and some of the "custodians" seemed a stretch as the "last of their kind". I picked it up to learn about the Incan bridges in preparation for a trip to Peru, and that chapter lived up to my hopes. Not that the other chapters weren't good, but several did not hold my interest nearly as well.

A fsscinating look at ten people from various cultures maintaining practices that are dying out due to the
changes in the world and the lack of interest from younger people to take over, given the work and hardships
involved. No one knows what the future will hold for the traditions when these ten people pass.
#CustodiansofWonder #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

I adored this book, and I am envious of Stein for the far-flung places he has been able to go to and the stories he has been able to hear firsthand. It’s incredible to have so much history and tradition told directly by those carrying it on.

I learned so much from this book. For one, I have never tried real soy sauce – and now I really, really want to. I had some trouble at times grasping the concept of what was being described. From making su filindeu to building an Incan bridge, you have to see it to understand it. Luckily there are YouTube videos of these crafts to help you.

When I reached the chapter on telling the bees, I was skeptical and also thought it simply did not fit in the book because it’s not a learned craft and doesn’t require any special skill, but by the end of the chapter, Stein had me fully convinced of this ancient tradition and wanting to do it myself.

This book will become a classic. It’s one of the last portals we have into what life used to be like for centuries. I mourn for these dying customs and skills, so I can only imagine how the people from these cultures and the people themselves who are the last people alive participating in them must feel.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

I absolutely love learning new things, and this book, whew, hit the mark and then some. Compelling to read, each and every chapter is full of amazing, vividly detailed stories. I read this slowly, enjoying each chapter.

As I was reading this, I kept wishing I could send this to my dad for Christmas. He would have found this as fascinating as I did, and I know that we would have enjoyed talking about our favorite chapters.

This is one I’ll be buying a physical copy of for my own bookshelves.

A truly excellent book, and one I strongly recommend.



Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC

I liked that this book actually looked and found more offbeat individuals to interview and learn from than most books of this style. There are some very unique jobs in the world and you'll learn about some of them in here. I think this book could provide a number of possibilities for people writing fantasy novels to jump off from.

I received this book in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own.

A New York musician with west African roots. A bridge builder in the high Andes. A mirror maker in India. What do these people have in common? They, and others featured in this book are practitioners of ancient, and, in many cases, dying arts. The author traveled the globe to talk to these people about their lives, their skills, and what it means to their communities. The man in the Andes makes grass bridges in the ancient Incan tradition. The building of the bridge is a community affair, with the local populace coming together to gather the materials and braid the grass under his supervision. A woman in rural India is one of the few people who knows how to make valkannadi mirrors, an important component of many Hindu rituals. The musician is part of the African griot tradition of story telling and singing going back for centuries.
The author is respectful of the artists and artisans he talks to. He assures his subjects that he won't reveal anything without their stated approval (and one of those subjects smiles and tells him she didn't tell him everything, but she appreciates his promise). This book is a peek into world cultures, what they value, and what may be lost.
Recommended for medium to large public libraries, and where in interest in world cultures is high.