The subtitle of journalist Eliot Stein's volume of fascinating profiles of rare artisans--"Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping them Alive"--aptly captures the rare vocations of the 10 people profiled, several of which were adapted from stories he originally wrote for the BBC.
Each custodian's practice--most acquired through apprenticeship passed down through generations--takes years to master. Together, Stein's pieces create a mosaic of disappearing arts and lifestyles, some which portray artisans who have no clear heir to their expertise and wisdom, mostly due to the ways of modern life. He describes the larger-than-life creations of a movie poster painter in Taiwan; the quiet of Germany's Dodauer Forest, where a mighty 500-year-old oak brings lovers together; and a Sardinian pasta at the center of Italy's Feast of San Francesco, influenced by its place at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Custodians of Wonder demonstrates that it's impossible to appreciate the artistry of each without also understanding the origins of their work, so intrinsic to their birthplace, its geography and history. Stein traces the changes in Japan after World War II that contributed to a movement away from traditional techniques of making soy sauce, which involves "centuries' worth of black bacteria" and kioke cedar barrels, the construction of which has nearly vanished; and the history of Cuba through its cigar factory lectors--the people who have read newspapers and literature to the cigar rollers for more than 150 years.
Stein's 10 tales implicitly urge readers to slow down and absorb the astonishing world, beginning with the traditions one holds most dear. --Jennifer M. Brown