Custodians of Wonder is well-written and highly informative while being completely readable. There is something interesting for everyone. The work that Stein is highlighting is vitally important to maintaining human cultures for future generations. Stein's work is a great place to get started with the subject and a great way to get people interesting in the topic.


Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

In this book, Stein travels the world visiting people who are keeping alive traditions or crafts that date back hundreds of years. Often these people are the last who are keeping the traditions alive. Everything from African instruments and Italian pasta to a Swedish Night Watchman and English Bee Talkers.

It feels like a really well written travelogue, combined with just enough history, and filled with unique artisans and traditions.

Some of the stories captured me more than others. As a reader, the lectores who read to cigar makers in Cuba was a favorite. But there wasn’t a single chapter that didn’t teach me something new or make me want to learn more.

I found this book hard to put down. The writing is engaging and the the author is gifted at pacing the introduction of information. He makes me care not only about the traditions, but about the people who are guarding them. I also found he had a rather dry sense of humor that I truly appreciate.

And as a bonus, the cover is lovely!

My thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary eARC of this book.

A really entertaining informative read ,a look at legends of old that are followed today.So well written so interesting I really enjoyed.#netgalley #st.martins

An absolutely delightful exploration of 10 endangered practices around the world, and the people working to keep the traditions alive.

This was marvelous! From a lace like pasta in Italy to a tree full of lovelorn letters in Germany, this was a wonderful read. I loved the focus on the people who are working to pass on these traditions, and the variety of the things humans want to protect.

The respect that Stein uses when talking to and with the people he’s interviewing was wonderful to read. You can tell the genuine interest he has in all of these different traditions, and the desire to showcase them not as a quirky gimmick, but as the threads that connect us across centuries and cultures.

If you’re a big fan of Atlas Obscura, I highly recommend giving this a shot!

My thanks to both NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this arc.

If you are curious about strange and unusual customs and traditions around the world and in remote places, this is the book for you. I was fascinated with the history and secrets held by very few people. The products and beliefs have been passed down through the ages and will someday be lost. I was especially fascinated with the chapter on beekeepers, though I did learn unknown facts from each chapter.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press

This book is truly amazing.I learned so much about the history of food about different things. I like how you do the short little stories about things we don't even think about. I am a chef professionally, and I learned so much about soy sauce pasta. And I'm glad these traditions are going on. Because modernization is not everything.. This would be a really good book to read in In In cooking schools through the history of food and english as well. There is a master program in Boston.I believe it's boston university. I I love the cooking history because it tells a story about people and how they adapt to their change, but to keep it going in.This modern world is so important because you can learn a lot how they had to do this just to survive. The one I really loved was the soy sauce.I never knew it was so important to these people and how this one family kept it going. Once you lose history you lose the meaning behind everything. Very well research book on different subjects. One in Germany that was interesting to how people relied on an old system of trying to get married.That was pretty fascinating. I think this is a great book.And I'm glad we spent the time doing it.And I thoroughly enjoyed it

Well, you will have to pardon the pun, but Custodians of Wonder by Eliot Stein is quite a wonder of its own. I went into this book with the expectation of learning about interesting traditions that are in danger of being lost, but I came out of it with not only that knowledge, but a great deal of knowledge about the cultures involved, the history of the geographic locations, and the unexpected feeling of investment in the future of the people Stein talked to.

I am a historian and anthropologist by training and trade, so I suspect I may be more of a kid in the candy store with this book than some; but I do truly believe that this is a wonderful book for anyone who want to find some unique beauty in this world. Even the couple of stories that I already had some insight on were broadened for me.

The other unexpected feeling I came out of this read with was one of connection. Even though the tasks and products in these chapters are specifically important to the cultures they are a part of, I couldn’t help but see how they have the potential to affect people outside of that sphere. Stein not only educates and entertains with his work; he give the reader hope in the strength and resilience of humanity.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Fascinating! This book is full of stories that you have never heard, but will love immediately. I think of my own life and traditions that have fallen to the wayside as I have gotten older. This book will give you hope. It also may make you re-think some of your own family traditions.

It was wonderful to pickup a book and feel as though I was immersed in a series on the Travel Channel. Eliot Stein did a remarkable job capturing each person's story and delivering it in a gripping way that keeps you turning the page. Just as much of our current stories stem from folklores and legends it was mesmerizing to hear the real-life stories of the last secret keepers.

This nonfiction work contains details about 10 customs and traditions from across the world and examines artisans from each location who are some of the last custodians of their art/trade/traditional practice. I appreciated that this work was not Euro-centric but still had a few entries from the west.

There’s an interesting chapter on Mali and a type of its traditional music as well as its oral history keeping and another chapter about (the first?) female alchemist to be taught the ratio to make the Aranmula Kannadi, which are metal mirrors traditionally believed to have magical properties. Other practices included include pasta making that “world famous” chefs can’t replicate, building woven bridges across mountains in the traditional Incan way, and folks who read books aloud in cigar factories in Cuba.

Each chapter focuses on the traditional practice and the artisan who is still keeping that tradition alive. There’s also quite a bit of history relating to the practice or the past people group from whom it originated. I appreciated that the author travelled to the places where these practices were occurring, interviewed the people involved, and included relevant cultural history. I learned so much from reading this work about topics that I never knew I wanted to know more about (I had no idea that the soy sauce we use today is nothing like the original soy sauce).

If you’re interested in history, anthropology, and/or traditional artisans and practices, then this is a must read. I enjoyed this one and greatly appreciate the amount of effort the author put into this work. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this work, which will be published December 10, 2024. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The perfect book for history lovers! This book is like walking through a museum from the comfort of your home.

Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this on and definitely learned a lot! In Custodians of Wonder, Stein tells the stories of 10 people around the world who have jobs that are the last of their kind. From the last Inca bridge master who weaves a new grass bridge every year, to the last Cuban cigar factor "reader", to one of the last women who knows how to make the rarest pasta in Italy, to the postmaster of the Bridegroom's Oak tree in Germany, these stories are so fascinating! Stein not only interviews these keepers of disappearing traditions but he also gives us a short history lesson revealing how these jobs came to be and what they mean to the current culture.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free eARC!

"Custodians of Wonder" is a captivating and enlightening travelogue that takes readers on a journey to discover the rich cultural traditions and the remarkable individuals who keep them alive. Author Eliot Stein, a BBC Travel journalist, weaves together an engaging narrative that explores ten unique cultural practices from around the globe, offering a rare glimpse into the vibrant tapestry of human experience.

From the intricate art of Persian calligraphy to the ancient craft of Andean textiles, Stein's vivid prose brings to life the passion and dedication of the custodians who safeguard these vanishing traditions. Through his immersive and heartfelt storytelling, he highlights the importance of preserving cultural heritage and the invaluable wisdom it holds for future generations.

"Custodians of Wonder" is an eye-opening and inspiring read that encourages readers to appreciate the diversity of human cultures and the enduring power of tradition. Stein's masterful blend of travel writing, history, and personal reflection makes this book a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the beauty and richness of our shared global heritage.

For each chapter, there are 3 sides provided: the story being told, the history behind that story, and the author's experience following that story. A very interesting, but very dense read, it was a slog to get through each chapter because when each chapter had a natural stopping point, the author just continued on. Although, I do appreciate understanding the history behind the tradition, I would have liked this book even more if the author, or even their editor, insisted on cutting down on bits and parts. I wish I could explicitly call out which bits and bobs, but it was such a long read that I can't even recall anymore. Otherwise, I found it entertaining and informative.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this book that looks at the arts, engineering and traditions of many different cultures and the few that try to keep them alive, fighting against indifference, cost saving ideas, and a lack of understanding.

In the house I grew up in, where my Mom still lives there is a shelf in the garage that is loaded with stuff my brother and I made when we were kids. There is a box, with a lock and lid that I made in cub scouts, along with a key holder that hangs on the wall. My mom still has the hook rugs my brother and I made, when we first moved to Connecticut. There is a clock made with Star Wars figurines my father made, I don't remember why. I made some of these things, was gifted some of these things, but I don't remember making them, nor when I got them. A query to my brother was returned with "???". These are simple crafts, things I could look up on youtube to find out how to do, or go to my local library as they seem to know everything. Who though could teach me how to make a Incan suspension bridge, so strong horses could walk across its span. Or a mirror so perfect that it reflects not only the appearance, but maybe the soul. Even a pasta so special, it makes up the important part of a religious ceremony, but is only made by four people on Earth. When these people are gone, these might, and most probably will be lost. And we as a civilization will be lacking something we didn't even know was important. Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive by traveller, journalist and chronicler Eliot Stein is a collection of essays about the last people to carry on traditions, and who enrich us all, even without knowing who are what they do.

Eliot Stein was struck by a realisation. There are many books on who is the first at something, but not many on the people who are the last. The last people to know things that were once vital to survival, or to the survival of others. The last who helped to enrich the mind, and fill the bellies. Stein decided to the hit the road, to travel to places where the last people are trying to keep their culture alive. From occupations like the last true watchman for a city in Sweden, a job so important it earned the enmity of a serial arsonist. A rope spinner who makes bridges that span huge crevasses, bridges as strong as some built by steel. A painter who paints entire billboards by himself, to create interest in films in Taiwan. Cookers of pasta so perfect, yet so complicated that a famous chef threw his hands in the air at a total loss to recreate. Mirror makers, and in Havana people who read novels, the news, and their own stories to rollers of the best known cigars.

This book was so much more than I expected. Funny, interesting, beautiful and in many places heartbreaking. The painter in Taiwan going blind from his lead paint, with a long standing crush on the woman who cuts his thinning hair. Fathers who wish their children could continue the traditions they are a part of, but knowing that might not be possible. Women talking charge and getting things done, be it in pasta or making mirrors. Soy makers who see that their lives are lacking, and want to give something back in both traditions and good taste. Stein is a very good writer, so good at explaining what makes this art, this job so important. What a people lose by not having it, and what we lose by letting the idea of saving money, throw something into the dustbin of history. Stein has empathy, lets the people talk, share, explain and in some places complain, but every word is important. I have my favorites in the collection, but there is something here for everyone. Or there should be.

A book for creative people. A book that makes one want to Crowdsource everything. What are we losing as a people when knowledge dies. We get the society we have now. A really great book for a lot of reasons. One of them being the writing. This is the first I have read of Eliot Stein, I can't wait to read more.

Custodians of Wonder by Eliot Stein is a fascinating book about ten remarkable people who are preserving unique and rare traditions all over the world, especially in area where heritage and culture are embedded into souls and hearts. The author had the privilege of traveling to meet with these people to learn more about their craftsmanship, labours of love, devotion, and their custodial jobs. Talk about a beguiling mission! Imagine being one of the very last to carry these secrets, hoping against hope someone will continue with them.

Amongst the stories which appealed to me most were food-related, especially that of the world's most difficult pasta which is created in Sardinia, aptly called "the threads of God". It is comprised of 256 gossamer threads formed by the magical touch of one woman's hands which took years to perfect in this culinary capital. Fermenting soy sauce goes back thousands of years in Japan but is rarely made in kioke structures these days.

Each story reveals treasures including the Mali balafon instrument played once a year, passed down from generation to generation in one family. The last watchman in Scandanavia has quite the job...including saving lives and property. "Telling the bees" is sweet and charming. My heart was hooked by "The Bridegroom's Oak", responsible for love matches with fairytale Germany setting and the only tree in the world with its own mailing address. I would love the job of delivering mail there!

I live part time in a European country with many tangible and intangible UNESCO world heritage sites and am struck by their valued tradition. We notice when they disappear and I am pleased with preservation efforts.

If you enjoy learning more about our world, especially lesser-known history, this is for you.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this enchanting book.

This is a dense book, but it is packed with information. The overwhelming humanity of this book is what sells it through - the legacy, the personal moments, the connection. My interest level varied greatly with the topic that each person what the last keeper of, but the variety should ensure that there is at least one that will capture the reader's attention/interest.

Chapter 1: The Living Libraries of West Africa
Chapter 2: Scandinavia's Last Night Watchman
Chapter 3: The Last Inca Bridge Master
Chapter 4: The World's Rarest Pasta
Chapter 5: The Mirror That Reveals Your Truest Self
Chapter 6: Asia's Last Film Poster Painter
Chapter 7: Where Bees Are a Part of the Family
Chapter 8: The Only Democratic Job in Cuba
Chapter 9: The Man Trying to Save Japanese Food
Chapter 10: The Most Romantic Job in Europe

I think this might have been better in a different medium - audio or full documentary - but for the very least the documentation of these last of the last is worth recording and witnessing.

Tradition and legacy are at the root of Custodians of Wonder. Each chapter recounts a cultural tradition, some of which have been in existence for centuries, that are slowly going extinct as modern technology replaces the need. I loved learning the stories/histories behind each tradition. As someone who has spent a lot of time in Latin America, the Inca bridge made of reeds that are as strong as steel, really resonated with me. For many centuries prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, the Inca built and maintained many of these bridges that spanned the deep valleys of the Andes. Unfortunately, there is only person who is the "engineer" with this knowledge to preserve the knowledge.

This book not only took me to various, remote places in the world but helped me better understand the importance of maintaining one's culture.

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Ten stories about different customs and traditions from around the world. Many are of a dying piece of cultural history because there isn't anyone of the next generation to carry on the work, or, in the case of a couple, it's trending out of style. Some stories are more interesting than others, but it all depends on what the reader finds the most interesting. Some of the stories seem to go on and on with boring facts, but the facts do create a framework for the overall structure of each story. In general, a fascinating read.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed taking my time with this one. I’d recommend it to anyone, particularly those who are expanding upon their art and cultural studies, those who are completing their “around the world” reading book lists, places you desire to visit, and students, especially for those looking for topics of interest in various subject matter for a book report.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advance readers copy via access to the galley for free through the NetGalley program.

The Story
Fine arts lost to industrialization. And those who are custodians of ones kept and the legacy story to tell.

Preservation of 10, which I will list for those curious about additional interest:

Chapter 1: The Living Libraries of West Africa
Chapter 2: Scandinavia's Last Night Watchman
Chapter 3: The Last Inca Bridge Master
Chapter 4: The World's Rarest Pasta
Chapter 5: The Mirror That Reveals Your Truest Self
Chapter 6: Asia's Last Film Poster Painter
Chapter 7: Where Bees Are a Part of the Family
Chapter 8: The Only Democratic Job in Cuba
Chapter 9: The Man Trying to Save Japanese Food
Chapter 10: The Most Romantic Job in Europe

Each chapter goes into great depth about the guardians and stewardship. Tells historical context, the art form itself, perspective, and importance for the communities. Offers both local and observed experiences and perspective.

The local traditions of past times and how they may and may not be carried out today.

It's dense, so I definitely took my time and cherished each story telling of artistic quality and culture in this one.

The Writing
Loved the opening of chapter quotes.

Inclusion of etymology of words and various translations.

Great use of statistics.

I spent a lot of time also reading through some of the source material.

I was fascinated and I will look forward to more from this author.

Blog post: https://ericarobbin.com/custodians-of-wonder-ancient-customs-profound-traditions-and-the-last-people-keeping-them-alive-by-eliot-stein/