My new book is out! Made by Hand is about the fun and fulfillment I got from making my own stuff. I wrote about my not-always-successful attempts to do things like raise chickens, keep bees, grow and preserve food and make my own musical instruments.
Made by Hand is published by Portfolio / Penguin, who described it like this:
DIY is a direct reflection of our basic human desire to invent and improve, long suppressed by the availability of cheap, mass-produced products that have drowned us in bland convenience and cultivated our most wasteful habits. Frauenfelder spent a year trying a variety of offbeat projects such as keeping chickens and bees, tricking out his espresso machine, whittling wooden spoons, making guitars out of cigar boxes, and doing citizen science with his daughters in the garage. His whole family found that DIY helped them take control of their lives, offering a path that was simple, direct, and clear. Working with their hands and minds helped them feel more engaged with the world around them.
Frauenfelder also reveals how DIY is changing our culture for the better. He profiles fascinating “alpha makers” leading various DIY movements and grills them for their best tips and insights.
Here are a few advance reviews:
• “This is a must-read book. Mark has lovingly and candidly documented the complex, myriad, intangible and often very tangible rewards of grabbing the world with both of your hands, and learning how it works.” — Adam Savage, Mythbusters
•”…this is one of the most inspiring book for do-it-yourself’ers that I’ve ever read.” Shane Speal, Cigar Box Nation
• “Made By Hand is a wonderfully inspiring read and makes turning to a make-centric way of life feel not only approachable, but utopian.” — Jaymi Heimbuch, Treehugger
• “Made by Hand an absolutely fascinating read.” — Jon Mueller, 800CEOREAD
• “…not only was I entertained I was educated on a wide range of topics!” — Recycled Crafts
• “Frauenfelder has been at the center of the emerging maker movement, chronicling its rise as an economic force. Here, he describes a parallel evolution: his own embrace of making, as he applies the lessons he’s been learning to his own life. It’s as inspiring as it is entertaining. You’ll never look at your lawn the same again!” — Chris Anderson, Editor in Chief, Wired
• “Why do otherwise well-adjusted people take to raising chickens in Studio City? What sort of contrarian spends a lot of time and money to kill his own lawn? These may be the projects of one quirky individual, but they point to something universal and true. Human beings find their proper home not in large-scale corporate structures but in the struggle for individual agency. You have to admire the doggedness with which the individuals in Made By Hand try to render their own world intelligible.” — Matthew B. Crawford, author of Shop Class as Soulcraft
• “Frauenfelder believes — as do I — that the DIY ethic is only partly about the things you produce. It’s also about learning how to learn, about connecting with others who share your interests, and about taking pride in your accomplishments. … I think the book is great, and I encourage you to pick up a copy if you’re at all interested in DIY.” — J.D. Roth, Get Rich Slowly