Two Turtle Doves: A Memoir of Making Things

by Alex Monroe

Revealing how a small curious boy in Suffolk turned into an internationally famous jewellery designer Two Turtle Doves is the story of a life spent making things.

Growing up in 1970s Suffolk in a crumbling giant of a house with wild, tangled gardens, Alex Monroe was left to wreak havoc by invention. Without visible parental influence, but with sisters to love him and brothers to fight for him, he made nature into his world.

Creation became a compulsion, whether it was go-carts and guns, cross-bows and booby-traps, boats, bikes or scooters. And then, it was jewellery.

From full-out warfare waged against the local schoolboys to the freedom found in daredevil Raleigh bike antics to the delicacies of dress-making and the most intricate designs for jewellery, Two Turtle Doves traces the intimate journey of how an idea is transformed from a fleeting thought into an exquisite piece of jewellery. It is about where we find our creativity, how we remember and why we make the things we do.

'This is a tremendous book. A generous story of making, looking, travelling and growing up' Edmund de Waal

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Art, Memoir

240 pages, Hardcover

First published March 13, 2014

Reviews

[Martin Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

As this is an ARC, the actual copy that I have read is a paperback edition of this forthcoming hardback (set for release on 13 March 2014). This is the story of a well known jeweller and how he goes about his business intertwined with autobiographical extracts from his years of adolescence into early adulthood. It doesn't sound particularly enthralling, but the author/jeweller (whilst himself admitting that he has had help with the writing) seems to be a natural in the skill of storytelling. He has certainly had an eventful upbringing and the way that the various scrapes that he has got himself into over the years (some of his own making, but several that were not) have been described alongside the way in which various jewellery items and selections have been devised makes for glorious reading. (Thank goodness that health and safety is not (or was not?) enforced for boys growing up. The author demonstrates his skills from an early age, in ways you would not think for a future jeweller! From the glamourous world of Paris to the countryside of Suffolk, this makes for an excellent book that has been a privilege to read.

[Louise Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book would be interesting from the point of view of jewelry design and construction, but it was so much more. It was a beautiful telling of a childhood in all its joys and fears and the process of growing to maturity as a person and as an artist. It's quite well written and a real inspiration. I recommend it without reservation.

[Bianca Nogrady · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful book. I felt like I was perched on Monroe's shoulder as he worked, listening to his thoughts, riffling through his memories and watching him distill a little part of himself into his jewellery. This book really was an unexpected gem.

[Bee Operanto · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating book, and true mixture of childhood memories, along side the fundament of craftsmanship,and the world of inspiration each craftman taps into,to present day, a must read to any young craftsperson wanting to make their way through craft.

[Tessa L roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considering I'm not usually a fan of non-fiction, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is beautifully written and reads like a bed-time story rather than an auto-biography.

[Lynda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn’t draw me in, too much minor detail....

[Sue Heaser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favourite books. I make jewellery and have sailed on the Suffolk coast for many years so lots to empathise with. I loved his gritty, truthful story of growing up.

[Simon Pockley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a maker of things too. So I was interested in how Alex Monroe would describe the process of bringing an idea into physical form. I found the shifts into memories of childhood endearing and relatively seamless. ut for some reason unknown to me I did not find this book particularly compelling or revelatory. Charming in parts yes, but almost journeyman like in the way in which it proceeded. I felt I needed to go deeper into the fault lines of making small such small things.

[DonutKnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

The intertwined relationship between real life and one’s artistic craft ❤️

[Fiona Buckland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this, great insight into his childhood and life making jewellery.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drawn to this book because it was about a metal smith, I found the stories of Monroe growing up in rural England enchanting. The parents practiced benign neglect, so common in the '70's. The boys were able to build all sorts of contraptions from crossbows to bicycles. Initially I found Monroe's jewelry too fiddly and delicate. After reading the book, I'd quite like one of his bee pendants. I also learned how Indian artists create such delicate, filigreed work.

[Lynne Easy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, a touch of Swallows & Amazons relating to the childhood stories and totally related to the freedom of growing up in the 70's although Alex was far more dangerous than me. Great mix of childhood memories and then story of Alex's struggle to become a jewellery designer.

[Tina Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always like to read books set in areas I am familiar with. This one had the added interest of a man showing how his past has shaped his present and also influences what he makes.

[Mariane Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is bizarre. I don’t remember reading this but I gave it 5 stars