This book was a revelation! I love the idea of keeping traditions and cultures alive, and the author found such different, interesting stories. I also loved how he traveled around the world speaking with people and showing what it was like, but there was also a good deal of fascinating history. I agree with the reviewer that said this should be a show, and while I don't normally watch live TV, I would absolutely watch a show where Eliot Stein shows us all these wonders.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

Lovely and fascinating book about people who keep "lost" arts alive. This is a great read and a good pick for people who are interested in craft.

Stein has traveled the globe in search of remarkable people who are preserving some of our most extraordinary cultural rites. He gives a look at 10 people who are maintaining some of the world’s oldest and rarest cultural traditions that was discovered in his travels. He introduces each person in the book. The author has uncovered an almost lost world. His memoir mixes traditions, rituals, and good food, adding up to an enjoyable read.

I received this as an ARC and I have neglected to review before publishing, not due to dislike but rather a lack of publishing time awareness. I rather enjoyed this compilation of unique things. I did not read straight through, but rather dipped in and out when I had time for one or two chapters. I am a curious person about so many things, so I felt this did a great job of exposing and explaining people and places unbeknowst to me in a fun and informative way.

Eliot Stern's CUSTODIANS OF WONDER was an introduction to places, people, and customs I never knew -- and reading of them in his excellent prose brought a richness and depth to my daily life, thinking of people writing to a tree and so many different individuals carrying on the ancient traditions. I am heartbroken to think of the manufactured replacing the handmade and the heartfelt crafts in the same way I despair over the fate of the bees, open spaces, and dark sky. Stein is a master storyteller, present and accessible as a person encountering incredible wonders and sharing them with us in a conversational, intelligent voice. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

In praise of those who keep traditions from extinction

What a relief it was to discover that I am not the only person who latches on to arcane or offbeat things to do as part of my travels! Author Eliot Stein is a travel journalist who wrote a column for the BBC called Custom Made which focused on finding and interviewing people around the globe who engage in an art or occupation that is firmly based in tradition but who may be the last people who will ever do it. As a person who when traveling to Belgium was determined to not only sample (lots and lots) of chocolate but also to seek out a place to buy handmade lace in Bruges, for example, I could not wait to read about the people interviewed by Mr. Stein as well as learn about what it was they did...and why. The book did not disappoint! From near-alchemist makers of a particular type of mirror in India to the last women in Sardinia who craft an amazingly intricate pasta, a man who in Peru who oversees the yearly crafting of the only remaining bridge (woven from plants!) that dates back to the Incas and the last night watchman in a small Swedish village, imbedded in each person's story is how their craft or occupation came to be, how its existence is woven into the history of their people, and how many such pursuits may be on the verge of extinction as modern civilization and technology encroach upon traditional life. Part travelogue, part sociological study, part biography, and part "things that make you go hmm", each story enthralled me and tempted me to add a few new trips to my wishlist. Every now and again the author gets a little deeper into the weeds than I felt I wanted to go, but not enough to stop me going on to finish each of the chapters. If you are someone who has enjoyed books (and in one case podcasts) by Mark Kurlansky, Aaron Mahnke and Frances Mayes, then you really must pick up a copy of Custodians of Wonder. If those authors don't strike a cord with you but you are prone to be fascinated by life's minutiae, again I highly recommend that you give this book a try. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me early access to a copy of this engaging read in exchange for my honest review.

Great experience with Custodians. The author’s ability to blend bygone artifacts and traditions into his spiritual journey is inspiring. Readers will also connect with the characters encountered in these obscure locations.

This was a delightful collection of history, traditions and people. One can feel love toward the world for all these people keeping the unique traditions alive. Who knew it could be so interesting? I especially liked the story of pasta in Sardinia.

What helped this collection of stories is that Mr. Stein told us honestly from his perspective and also gave the reader a short history lesson. The book had humor, wonder and appreciation. I appreciated that each story was separate and fairly short. It absolutely made me want to travel and is a great armchair travel book. Mr. Stein took the reader on a trip around the world and showed the reader world is so full on wondrous things! I do hope there will be another book by the author. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

I have not traveled very much, and with great certainty, I can say I would never even contemplate going some of the places this author went to research this book (the goat head story was way too much for me).
I did, however, really enjoy the parts of the book in which he told the stories of going to see or witness these amazing things.

.It was very thoroughly researched, but I definitely lost interest in all the history parts with all the citations. I'm pretty much a fiction reader, but I wanted to give this a try. I do think that the book would have benefited from some photos of the amazing things he wrote about.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

I love this so much! I felt guilty about some things, is that weird. I love stories about real life people like this. This was beautiful.

Ten Chapters, each encompassing a different treasure from different parts of the world. Reads like a magazine article (and the author writes for travel magazines) and is great taken in small doses. Take with you on your next trip! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

If you like podcasts about travel and culture and learning, I think you'll also enjoy reading this book. A longer form than mere trivia, but not so intimidating as a deep dive, this book will take you on a journey across the world to meet the fascinating people behind the interesting, bespoke customs. A great coffee table gift for any readers and non-readers in your life.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Custodians of Wonder, Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive by Eliot Stein from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in order to read and give an honest review.

… I loved every minute of it. This book is a flawless blend of history with an anthropological eye, and memoir as we learn Stein’s personal thoughts on these individuals and their stories…

BBC Travel journalist and editor Eliot Stein takes the reader on a journey to meet ten unique and outstanding individuals whose life mission is to keep centuries-old traditions alive. From Balla Kouyatè and his ability to have mastered the balafon, an instrument that his family had mastered for generations, to Karl-Heinz Martens, the postman whose only stop on a route was the Bridegroom’s Oak that helped others but also caused him to reunite with a family member he had longed to meet. Each down-to-earth and heartwarming story shares how their family traditions had become their destiny and now their legacy.

After reading each chapter I couldn’t help but go online and journey down the rabbit hole of research to learn more about these customs and if I am being honest, I loved every minute of it. This book is a flawless blend of history with an anthropological eye, and memoir as we learn Stein’s personal thoughts on these individuals and their stories.

Well-written Stein weaves together a captivating tapestry which introduces the reader to cultures that seem so removed from our own, yet he manages to do it with finesse and class. Through each story we not only meet the custodian but learn about the history and significance of each tradition, getting insight into Stein’s own experiences, and thoughts as we go.

In our future focused modern world, it was a refreshing opportunity to learn about people who follow their destiny as a storyteller of their ancestor’s history and traditions giving us an opportunity to learn why they should matter to us today. As a person who is curious about traditions and all things anthropological, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

3.5 stars. Author and journalist Eliot Stein shines the spotlight on obscure traditions in this fascinating odyssey around the world. Readers witness ancient traditions and meet the few (if not last) people steadfastly keeping them alive. From a beekeeper who shares the news of the day with his hives to a tribe that handweaves a suspension bridge, Stein respectfully observes their work and marvels over their long-cherished history. This ode to the importance and long-lasting impact of tradition is well worth seeking out.

If ever a book needed pictures, this is the book! This is a collection of investigations into things that have a strong chance of disappearing, at least as they currently exist. I really wanted to know what that pasta looked like. I would have loved a photo of the ancient soy sauce barrels. My imagination fizzled out on recreating these things mentally. The stories are fascinating and I was jealous of the author's chance to commemorate them. If only he had taken his camera!

The Custodians of Wonder by Eliot Stein is an amazing book detailing the lives of those who may be the last of their kind. As a travel writer for the BBC, Stein has traveled around the world, lived and visited some very unique places. Here, he has gathered stories of the last few people to know how to make an incredibly difficult pasta, the last night watchman in Europe, old customs with bees, and more.

There is a little bit of something for every interest in the book, and I really enjoyed that each entry was not just a description of a craft or job. For each tradition we see a good bit into the history and culture of how and why it developed, a slightly more technical description of how it is currently accomplished, and why it's important for the community today. Stein’s writing makes you feel like you are there and invested in each place. My one small annoyance came in the bridge weaver chapter. From the descriptions, Stein has used braiding and weaving somewhat interchangeably when he probably should have been using spinning and twining to be more accurate in many places. But that is really just a small matter. What really stood out was that although the people involved are from many places with very different practices, they are all linked by their passion. Many could likely be taught the skills they have, but don’t have the time, persistence, or desire to spend years developing the skills to achieve the joy in the process that each of these subjects has.

This is a wonderful cozy book with some fascinating characters. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC.
4.5 stars

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 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, to Sweden's last nightwatchman keeping watch atop a church steeple. The stories and the people are fascinating! Stein not only interviews the custodians of the 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. I found all of the stories engaging, and learned a lot about customs and traditions different from my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-arc

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