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Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive
A vivid look at the ten key people who are maintaining some of the world's oldest and rarest cultural traditions.
Eliot Stein has traveled the globe in search of remarkable people who are preserving some of our rarest cultural rites. In Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, Stein introduces readers to a man saving the secret ingredient in Japan's 700-year-old original soy sauce recipe. In Italy, he learns how to make the world's rarest pasta from one of the only women alive who knows how to make it. And in India, he discovers a family rumored to make a mysterious metal mirror believed to reveal your truest self. From shadowing Scandinavia's last night watchman to meeting a 27th-generation West African griot to seeking out Cuba's last official cigar factory “readers” more than a century after they spearheaded the fight for Cuban independence, Stein uncovers an almost lost world.
Climbing through Peru’s southern highlands, he encounters the last Inca bridge master who rebuilds a grass-woven bridge from the fabled Inca Road System. He befriends a British beekeeper who maintains a touching custom of "telling the bees" important news of the day and crunches through a German forest to find the official mailman of the only tree in the world with its own address – to which countless people all over the world have written in hopes of finding love. These are just some of the last people on Earth still in touch with quickly vanishing rites. Let Eliot Stein introduce you to all of them.
Eliot Stein has traveled the globe in search of remarkable people who are preserving some of our rarest cultural rites. In Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, Stein introduces readers to a man saving the secret ingredient in Japan's 700-year-old original soy sauce recipe. In Italy, he learns how to make the world's rarest pasta from one of the only women alive who knows how to make it. And in India, he discovers a family rumored to make a mysterious metal mirror believed to reveal your truest self. From shadowing Scandinavia's last night watchman to meeting a 27th-generation West African griot to seeking out Cuba's last official cigar factory “readers” more than a century after they spearheaded the fight for Cuban independence, Stein uncovers an almost lost world.
Climbing through Peru’s southern highlands, he encounters the last Inca bridge master who rebuilds a grass-woven bridge from the fabled Inca Road System. He befriends a British beekeeper who maintains a touching custom of "telling the bees" important news of the day and crunches through a German forest to find the official mailman of the only tree in the world with its own address – to which countless people all over the world have written in hopes of finding love. These are just some of the last people on Earth still in touch with quickly vanishing rites. Let Eliot Stein introduce you to all of them.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published December 10, 2024
450 people are currently reading
16731 people want to read
About the author
Eliot Stein
5 books66 followersEliot Stein is a journalist and editor at BBC Travel. His forthcoming book for St. Martin's Press, Custodians of Wonder, is inspired by a column he created for the BBC called Custom Made in which he profiles remarkable people upholding ancient traditions around the world. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Wired, The Guardian, The Washington Post, National Geographic, The Independent, and elsewhere. He currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife and young son.
Follow the author on Instagram at: @Eliot.Stein
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 362 reviews
October 28, 2025
In a Nutshell: An astounding nonfiction work chronicling the endeavours of some “custodians of wonder”, people who are among the last few practitioners of their craft. Covers a variety of rare skills/jobs from ten countries, including one from India. Informative, insightful, dismaying, heartwarming. A beautiful book for those who still believe in the importance of traditions and want a ray of genuine hope in this fake/filtered world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Globalisation and modernisation have brought many benefits to humankind, no doubt. Unfortunately, a globalised world also ends up diminishing and even destroying localism.
In this age of digitization and outsourcing, there are so many skills that are either considered obsolete or abandoned for easier, machine-made options. Even for something as basic as cooking, every subsequent generation is opting for simpler recipes and faster cooking methods. (Myself included. I can't even imagine doing the laborious and time-consuming procedures involved in Indian cooking the way my mother does.) Research has shown that any practice/language with reducing adherents dies out within a couple of generations. So many of the features and beliefs and traditions that make us essentially us are getting diluted/extinct this way. Thankfully, there are still enough people around the world doing their best to save their traditions, some of which have just a handful of practitioners left.
We often hear about who was the first to do something. This book takes the opposite approach. Author Eliot Stein, an experienced journalist and editor at BBC Travel, ventured across the world in search of people who are among the last purveyors of their skillset. In the ten chapters that comprise this book, he brings to us not only an almost-lost skill/job, but also the thought process of the person who still does it diligently.
The ten entries we see in this book cover a range of skills, from relatively common-sounding ones such as cooking and painting to the unusual bee-talking and mirror-making. However, the level of artistry we see even in the common skills is beyond par. Some of the techniques mentioned in the book take hours to create and years to refine. The commitment level seen in these people is much beyond most of the human population.
Reading the way these artisans not only commit to their work but also try to ensure the continuity of its legacy is inspiring. It is really sad that these people are among the last few left who still do what they do. Even their attempts at spreading the knowledge of their skillset haven’t borne much fruit, but they strive ahead in hope.
The book is a labour of love and it shows on every page, through every interaction, every anecdote. There is so much heart and reverence in the writing that readers can feel the same intense emotions the author must have experienced while interacting with these talented yet humble people. I love how he focussed not just on the art and the artist, but also included the ethos of the country and its history/geography/politics as needed. This helps us get a well-rounded picture of the art and its present endangered status.
At the same time, the writing isn't biased towards the artist nor blind to contemporary problems. The presentation is clear about the challenges faced. There is neither a forced optimism nor a false ray of hope. Each chapter winds up with a wonderment at what was, and a wondering about what is to come.
The skills/jobs highlighted in this book come from, not surprisingly, the four continents with the oldest and richest histories in the world: Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America. I do not wish to detail what exact talents and job roles the book includes as I want you to discover them for yourself. So here’s a slightly vague feedback.
Of the ten skills/jobs in the book, only one left me somewhat underwhelmed as I couldn’t see the “wonder” in the skill depicted in that chapter; it just felt like a modified work profile of a common-enough task. The remaining were mind-blowing. My favourites among the artistic inclusions were the stories about an Incan grass-woven bridge, an Indian mirror (no bias here; it was an astounding chapter!), a rare Sardinian pasta, and original Japanese shoyu. The chapters highlighting each of these have the perfect balance of history and geography, modernity and traditionalism, despair and hope. But the chapter that touched my heart the most was the final one, tantalisingly titled "The Most Romantic Job in Europe". The “wonder” in this chapter was almost magical!
I truly, truly appreciate that the research for this book wasn’t done sitting at home. The author actually travelled to all these places, visited with the artisans, and took the efforts to understand their point of view, and even the perspective of those who might not agree with their approach. This authenticity of reporting is evident in every chapter.
How I wish the book had included photographs also! There are so many beautiful places and techniques and creations mentioned that I had to keep running to Google to visualise what I was reading. Even B&W photographs would have helped somewhat.
Overall though, my complaints are teensy. I absolutely relished learning not just about an art but also about people, creativity, and determination. This book honours the essence of humankind – our individuality that no AI can replicate.
Much recommended to all nonfiction readers interested in sociology, anthropology, history, geography, travel, culture, and biography.
Wait... let me reframe that, because some of those subjects will drive most readers away. 🤭
Much recommended to all readers who appreciate human creativity and acknowledge the importance of traditions.
4.25 stars.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Globalisation and modernisation have brought many benefits to humankind, no doubt. Unfortunately, a globalised world also ends up diminishing and even destroying localism.
In this age of digitization and outsourcing, there are so many skills that are either considered obsolete or abandoned for easier, machine-made options. Even for something as basic as cooking, every subsequent generation is opting for simpler recipes and faster cooking methods. (Myself included. I can't even imagine doing the laborious and time-consuming procedures involved in Indian cooking the way my mother does.) Research has shown that any practice/language with reducing adherents dies out within a couple of generations. So many of the features and beliefs and traditions that make us essentially us are getting diluted/extinct this way. Thankfully, there are still enough people around the world doing their best to save their traditions, some of which have just a handful of practitioners left.
We often hear about who was the first to do something. This book takes the opposite approach. Author Eliot Stein, an experienced journalist and editor at BBC Travel, ventured across the world in search of people who are among the last purveyors of their skillset. In the ten chapters that comprise this book, he brings to us not only an almost-lost skill/job, but also the thought process of the person who still does it diligently.
The ten entries we see in this book cover a range of skills, from relatively common-sounding ones such as cooking and painting to the unusual bee-talking and mirror-making. However, the level of artistry we see even in the common skills is beyond par. Some of the techniques mentioned in the book take hours to create and years to refine. The commitment level seen in these people is much beyond most of the human population.
Reading the way these artisans not only commit to their work but also try to ensure the continuity of its legacy is inspiring. It is really sad that these people are among the last few left who still do what they do. Even their attempts at spreading the knowledge of their skillset haven’t borne much fruit, but they strive ahead in hope.
The book is a labour of love and it shows on every page, through every interaction, every anecdote. There is so much heart and reverence in the writing that readers can feel the same intense emotions the author must have experienced while interacting with these talented yet humble people. I love how he focussed not just on the art and the artist, but also included the ethos of the country and its history/geography/politics as needed. This helps us get a well-rounded picture of the art and its present endangered status.
At the same time, the writing isn't biased towards the artist nor blind to contemporary problems. The presentation is clear about the challenges faced. There is neither a forced optimism nor a false ray of hope. Each chapter winds up with a wonderment at what was, and a wondering about what is to come.
The skills/jobs highlighted in this book come from, not surprisingly, the four continents with the oldest and richest histories in the world: Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America. I do not wish to detail what exact talents and job roles the book includes as I want you to discover them for yourself. So here’s a slightly vague feedback.
Of the ten skills/jobs in the book, only one left me somewhat underwhelmed as I couldn’t see the “wonder” in the skill depicted in that chapter; it just felt like a modified work profile of a common-enough task. The remaining were mind-blowing. My favourites among the artistic inclusions were the stories about an Incan grass-woven bridge, an Indian mirror (no bias here; it was an astounding chapter!), a rare Sardinian pasta, and original Japanese shoyu. The chapters highlighting each of these have the perfect balance of history and geography, modernity and traditionalism, despair and hope. But the chapter that touched my heart the most was the final one, tantalisingly titled "The Most Romantic Job in Europe". The “wonder” in this chapter was almost magical!
I truly, truly appreciate that the research for this book wasn’t done sitting at home. The author actually travelled to all these places, visited with the artisans, and took the efforts to understand their point of view, and even the perspective of those who might not agree with their approach. This authenticity of reporting is evident in every chapter.
How I wish the book had included photographs also! There are so many beautiful places and techniques and creations mentioned that I had to keep running to Google to visualise what I was reading. Even B&W photographs would have helped somewhat.
Overall though, my complaints are teensy. I absolutely relished learning not just about an art but also about people, creativity, and determination. This book honours the essence of humankind – our individuality that no AI can replicate.
Much recommended to all nonfiction readers interested in sociology, anthropology, history, geography, travel, culture, and biography.
Wait... let me reframe that, because some of those subjects will drive most readers away. 🤭
Much recommended to all readers who appreciate human creativity and acknowledge the importance of traditions.
4.25 stars.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
July 22, 2024
As of this writing (22 July 2024), there are, by my count, 17 ratings or reviews of this book. Of these, 14 are identifiably by women, meaning, the accompanying photograph is of a woman and/or the given name is one of those typically given to women. (Of the rest, one man, two not certain.) This is hardly surprising, as Goodreads generally skews toward the distaff, yet I thought that this was worth pointing out to anyone who lands on this quiet corner of the ‘net because, well, I think that this book might make an excellent birthday or Christmas gift for the kind of bookish man that causes the publishing industry to crank out a seemingly inexhaustible supply of books about Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill.
I personally might, upon cursory examination, be taken to be a member of this cadre, having as I do gray hair, an obvious need for more exercise, a Long-Suffering Wife with many strong opinions, and a house bulging to the seams with books, both read and not. Nevertheless, I try to limit myself to one book about Lincoln or Churchill (as fascinating as they both are) every few years, because I feel that there's a lot to know in the world which is completely unconnected with L. and C.
To get to the point, I think that this book might be a nice change of pace for the gray-haired, voracious consumer of L.- and C.-related material, especially as one starts (OK, I mean, I start) to feel at a certain age that there are many once-familiar things worth preserving that are passing out of the world. This book is, to a certain extent, a catalog and travelog of ten of them. It is well-written and fun to read. It informs without being too serious. In short, a nice book to read (in my mind's eye, on a winter evening) when you are defying the siren call of the attention-deficit economy by remembering the part of the world that is passing, mostly unmourned, away from us.
I enjoyed some chapters more than others. I thought that the chapters on the last night watchman in Ystad, Sweden, and the last makers of a mysterious recipe for pasta in Sardinia were especially interesting, but the chapter on the last makers of a certain type of mirror in India stumbled a bit because the central conceit that these special type of mirrors somehow allowed you to gaze into your spiritual self didn't quite work.
The ways of the book marketing business are mysterious, but I noticed that (as of this writing) the expected publication date of this book is 10 December 2024, even though it has been made electronically available for review to certain cheapskates like myself many months in advance of that date. This late publication date seems to be sabotaging the possible usefulness of this book as a Christmas gift for the aforementioned gray-haired Lincoln/Churchill aficionado on your shopping list. If I'm understanding the book marketing business correctly, you should really get this book in front of the public's attention in September or October, at the latest, so they can get read by the underpaid staff of your courageous local independent bookstore before they, hopefully, receive a place of honor near the front door on a table labeled “New and Recommended for the Holiday Season!”
I guess that the immediately previous is (as I understand the Poles say) not my circus, not my monkeys. Still, this is a fun book and it would be a shame if it didn't get the attention it deserves.
I received a free electronic advance review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
I personally might, upon cursory examination, be taken to be a member of this cadre, having as I do gray hair, an obvious need for more exercise, a Long-Suffering Wife with many strong opinions, and a house bulging to the seams with books, both read and not. Nevertheless, I try to limit myself to one book about Lincoln or Churchill (as fascinating as they both are) every few years, because I feel that there's a lot to know in the world which is completely unconnected with L. and C.
To get to the point, I think that this book might be a nice change of pace for the gray-haired, voracious consumer of L.- and C.-related material, especially as one starts (OK, I mean, I start) to feel at a certain age that there are many once-familiar things worth preserving that are passing out of the world. This book is, to a certain extent, a catalog and travelog of ten of them. It is well-written and fun to read. It informs without being too serious. In short, a nice book to read (in my mind's eye, on a winter evening) when you are defying the siren call of the attention-deficit economy by remembering the part of the world that is passing, mostly unmourned, away from us.
I enjoyed some chapters more than others. I thought that the chapters on the last night watchman in Ystad, Sweden, and the last makers of a mysterious recipe for pasta in Sardinia were especially interesting, but the chapter on the last makers of a certain type of mirror in India stumbled a bit because the central conceit that these special type of mirrors somehow allowed you to gaze into your spiritual self didn't quite work.
The ways of the book marketing business are mysterious, but I noticed that (as of this writing) the expected publication date of this book is 10 December 2024, even though it has been made electronically available for review to certain cheapskates like myself many months in advance of that date. This late publication date seems to be sabotaging the possible usefulness of this book as a Christmas gift for the aforementioned gray-haired Lincoln/Churchill aficionado on your shopping list. If I'm understanding the book marketing business correctly, you should really get this book in front of the public's attention in September or October, at the latest, so they can get read by the underpaid staff of your courageous local independent bookstore before they, hopefully, receive a place of honor near the front door on a table labeled “New and Recommended for the Holiday Season!”
I guess that the immediately previous is (as I understand the Poles say) not my circus, not my monkeys. Still, this is a fun book and it would be a shame if it didn't get the attention it deserves.
I received a free electronic advance review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
January 12, 2025
What a fascinating book. Author Eliot Stein takes us all over the globe as he introduces us to some of the soon to be lost traditions and culture in world today. His trip around the world takes us to Italy, Germany, Taiwan, Peru, Japan, the UK, Scandinavia, Ghana, India and Cuba. He writes about the people who are keeping centuries old traditions alive and who are one of the very last people doing this work. Along the way we meet a cigar factory reader, a pasta maker, an oral history teller, a night watchman, a bee talker and many more. He infuses each chapter with historical and cultural details and blends into the story of those last people who are keeping these traditions alive, and what we will happen if nobody else steps in to master these traditions. Easy to read since each person/country/tradition has its own chapter, it is a book that makes us ponder the value of culture and tradition, as we move further into our sterile and globalized world! 4.5**** for me!!
April 21, 2025
Libby app, Overdrive was better
----
Would highly recommend, definitely want a physical copy for my shelves 👍🏼
Added some new things to my bucket list also!
Learned about places and traditions I didn't know existed and couldn’t get enough of :)
Books like this are the reason I love learning 💕
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Would highly recommend, definitely want a physical copy for my shelves 👍🏼
Added some new things to my bucket list also!
Learned about places and traditions I didn't know existed and couldn’t get enough of :)
Books like this are the reason I love learning 💕
August 2, 2024
Something for everyone. Custodians of Wonder reminds me of the books my kids loved when they were young; unusual facts that were fun conversation starters. I loved the collection of people the author chose to document. I think everyone will have a different favorite, mine was the magic mirror maker in India who's mirrors reveal one's true self.
I do wish the chapters were a little shorter, occasionally there was a little too much background and history I wanted more depth from the custodians, that said, this would be a great gift book for a curious friend.
I do wish the chapters were a little shorter, occasionally there was a little too much background and history I wanted more depth from the custodians, that said, this would be a great gift book for a curious friend.
January 21, 2025
In this one of a kind book, Eliot Stein takes readers on a trip to 10 countries around the world to meet people engaged in jobs or pursuits that are maintaining centuries old traditions within their cultures. These people are aging and often the last, or near to last practioner of their skill. Each chapter provides a history of the country or region, the development of the skill or practice and how the years have affected it.
Among my favorites are the “lectors” or readers of Cuba who read news and novels to the workers in cigar rolling factories of Cuba. Their history has fluctuated along with that of the country itself; I appreciated learning more about Cuba, past and present. Another is a chapter on talking to the bees and the history of informing them of what is happening in their keepers’ world, centered in Britain and New England. I’d heard of this but found it fascinating to learn more. And then there is the tale of the Bridegroom’s Oak in Eutin, Germany, a tree with its own postal address that matches people looking for love. In addition to these there are others written about people in Japan, Taiwan, India, Sardinia, Peru, Sweden, and Mali. In each case there is a tradition in peril because its last practioner(s) are aged and without a certain successor. And some are threatened by the modern world itself.
I believe that each reader will be captivated by their own mix of these tales, probably reflecting personal interests. I found several that were fascinating throughout while in a couple of cases the history didn’t interest me as much as the stories of the people. I recommend this collection for anyone interested in history, quirky stories of real people in this complex world and those interested in travel and meeting new people and exploring new places.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. This review is my own.
Among my favorites are the “lectors” or readers of Cuba who read news and novels to the workers in cigar rolling factories of Cuba. Their history has fluctuated along with that of the country itself; I appreciated learning more about Cuba, past and present. Another is a chapter on talking to the bees and the history of informing them of what is happening in their keepers’ world, centered in Britain and New England. I’d heard of this but found it fascinating to learn more. And then there is the tale of the Bridegroom’s Oak in Eutin, Germany, a tree with its own postal address that matches people looking for love. In addition to these there are others written about people in Japan, Taiwan, India, Sardinia, Peru, Sweden, and Mali. In each case there is a tradition in peril because its last practioner(s) are aged and without a certain successor. And some are threatened by the modern world itself.
I believe that each reader will be captivated by their own mix of these tales, probably reflecting personal interests. I found several that were fascinating throughout while in a couple of cases the history didn’t interest me as much as the stories of the people. I recommend this collection for anyone interested in history, quirky stories of real people in this complex world and those interested in travel and meeting new people and exploring new places.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. This review is my own.
July 16, 2024
A beautiful, well-written, compelling read that made me realize there is so much going on in the world that I don't know anything about, and also that some of those things have and may yet disappear forever.
Eliot Stein's writing is clear, lyrical, and evocative. I want to visit every place and meet every person, and know all the things. I did have to shave my rating down (I would rate it a 4.5 but only whole stars are allowed), only because each chapter was deceptively long. There were several times when I thought I was almost done with a chapter and it turned out to have quite a few more pages to go. This speaks to Stein's amazing attention to detail, but it did mean I had to stop in the middle sometimes and come back to finish the chapter later, which meant I probably lost some details as I went.
But I stand by this book as a fantastic idea and wonderful execution, and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an ARC of this book.
Eliot Stein's writing is clear, lyrical, and evocative. I want to visit every place and meet every person, and know all the things. I did have to shave my rating down (I would rate it a 4.5 but only whole stars are allowed), only because each chapter was deceptively long. There were several times when I thought I was almost done with a chapter and it turned out to have quite a few more pages to go. This speaks to Stein's amazing attention to detail, but it did mean I had to stop in the middle sometimes and come back to finish the chapter later, which meant I probably lost some details as I went.
But I stand by this book as a fantastic idea and wonderful execution, and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an ARC of this book.
August 25, 2024
Loved every page! The author blends history, culture, travel, and personal connection into each chapter. I learned so much about the world and gained a lot of conversation fodder. Stein writes eloquently and with love for all of the people and traditions he encounters. I can't wait to pass this on to family and friends. Thanks for the giveaway!
April 13, 2025
Eliot Stein is a journalist who runs a BBC column called Custom Made, where he travels the world to find unique artisans and dying traditions; many of these same stories are explored in more depth in this eclectic book. For instance, Stein traveled to Sardinia to track down the last artisan making su filindeu, a complex pasta shape, to Taiwan to interview an artist who paints large-scale movie posters, and to Eutin, Germany where a hole in an old oak tree is a mailbox for lonely hearts seeking connection, akin to a newspaper classified section. There are also many vignettes that don't seem to have appeared in Custom Made, like traditions of English beekeepers, Kerala mirror artisans, and Cuban factory lectors (professional readers who read aloud newspapers and books to factory workers -- a role that I'm shocked has survived past the Walkman era). Stein tells these stories with a lot of sentimentality, sometimes bordering on the maudlin (similar to Nate DiMeo in The Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past - I was frequently reminded of that book while reading this one), expressing regret that many of these traditions will likely die out once the last people skilled in these traits are no longer around. I suppose I'm less sentimental, and my perspective is that many things aren't meant to last, for better or for worse. Still, definitely a very interesting read that would have broad appeal.
Further reading: obscure jobs
Drawn Testimony: My Four Decades as a Courtroom Sketch Artist by Jane Rosenberg | my review - another profession that seems to be a dying art
Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs edited by John Bowe, Marisa Bowe and Sabin Streeter | my review - a now-25-year-old book interviewing Americans about their jobs, many of which don't exist today due to technology and automation
My statistics:
Book 115 for 2025
Book 2041 cumulatively
Further reading: obscure jobs
Drawn Testimony: My Four Decades as a Courtroom Sketch Artist by Jane Rosenberg | my review - another profession that seems to be a dying art
Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs edited by John Bowe, Marisa Bowe and Sabin Streeter | my review - a now-25-year-old book interviewing Americans about their jobs, many of which don't exist today due to technology and automation
My statistics:
Book 115 for 2025
Book 2041 cumulatively
October 28, 2025
One of my absolute favorite books I have ever, ever read.
"Custodians of Wonder" continues my foray into the world of reading more nonfiction books that open my eyes, educate me on topics of interest, and broaden my worldview. "Custodians of Wonder" checked all three of those boxes in such a rich, beautifully written way.
Eliot Stein did such a great job with all ten of the stories, cultures, and customs presented in this book. A perfectly balanced combination of testimony from the people he's following, his own experiences, mixed with condensed yet comprehensive world history for all of the nations and regions he covers, along with elements of empathy and sentimentality that really tap into the humanity at the heart of this entire book. The combination of all of these elements, mixed with great pacing of introducing information and tying the information to that empathy and humanity made this book extremely engaging throughout.
I was so incredibly sad for this book to end. I put off finishing it for as long as I could. I am going to miss traveling through cultures and actively learning about the broader world that I am part of. This book made me so glad to be a human sharing the planet with other humans. It was a hopeful reprieve, an educational escape, and a journey around the world on the pages of this passionately written showcase of wonder.
"Custodians of Wonder" continues my foray into the world of reading more nonfiction books that open my eyes, educate me on topics of interest, and broaden my worldview. "Custodians of Wonder" checked all three of those boxes in such a rich, beautifully written way.
Eliot Stein did such a great job with all ten of the stories, cultures, and customs presented in this book. A perfectly balanced combination of testimony from the people he's following, his own experiences, mixed with condensed yet comprehensive world history for all of the nations and regions he covers, along with elements of empathy and sentimentality that really tap into the humanity at the heart of this entire book. The combination of all of these elements, mixed with great pacing of introducing information and tying the information to that empathy and humanity made this book extremely engaging throughout.
I was so incredibly sad for this book to end. I put off finishing it for as long as I could. I am going to miss traveling through cultures and actively learning about the broader world that I am part of. This book made me so glad to be a human sharing the planet with other humans. It was a hopeful reprieve, an educational escape, and a journey around the world on the pages of this passionately written showcase of wonder.
April 26, 2024
For many, reading is about having a transformative experience. It's about visiting another world or becoming immersed in a story that offers a literary escape.
It's rare that this happens in a non-fiction title. However, this is precisely what happens in Eliot Stein's magically realized "Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive."
In this lovely book, Stein transports us into different world's where remarkable yet remarkably simple people are maintaining some of the world's oldest and rarest cultural traditions.
These experiences happen around the globe and Stein somehow brings each world to life in a transformative way that makes us feel as if we've stumbled into this world ourselves to discover rare cultural rites and those who keep them alive.
We meet a man who continues to save the secret ingredient in Japan's 700-year-old original recipe for soy sauce.
We meet the Italian women who make the world's rarest pasta from the only women alive who know how to make it.
In one of my favorites, we enter the world of Scandinavia's last night watchman.
In another favorite, we are transported into the world of Peru's fabled Inca road system and those who help bring it to life season after season after season.
There are more.
"Custodians of Wonder" was a slow read for me, a rare literary experience where I sat back and allowed myself to soak in the worlds being created and the stories being told. I marveled at Stein's ability to find these stories and I marveled at Stein's ability to so vividly bring them to life. I imagined myself in these settings, no small feat for a wheelchair user who would likely have difficulty even accessing some of these locales.
As a film critic, I perhaps was most enchanted by the story of a Taiwanese artist who continues to create some of the world's most magnificently created film posters and billboards for the last theater to still use his craft that was once common throughout Taiwan.
But truthfully? I loved every moment of this reading experience even when I didn't quite resonate as much with the ritual (such as in a beautifully told story of the last cigar factory in Cuba).
Once in a while, I get lucky and find a book that just sneaks up on me with its charms and wonder. "Custodians of Wonder" offered just such an experience. I expected to learn and would have been satisfied with just such an experience, however, with "Custodians of Wonder" Stein truly brings to life that sense of wonder and in so doing creates what will be one of 2024's most fascinating and magical reading experiences.
It's rare that this happens in a non-fiction title. However, this is precisely what happens in Eliot Stein's magically realized "Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive."
In this lovely book, Stein transports us into different world's where remarkable yet remarkably simple people are maintaining some of the world's oldest and rarest cultural traditions.
These experiences happen around the globe and Stein somehow brings each world to life in a transformative way that makes us feel as if we've stumbled into this world ourselves to discover rare cultural rites and those who keep them alive.
We meet a man who continues to save the secret ingredient in Japan's 700-year-old original recipe for soy sauce.
We meet the Italian women who make the world's rarest pasta from the only women alive who know how to make it.
In one of my favorites, we enter the world of Scandinavia's last night watchman.
In another favorite, we are transported into the world of Peru's fabled Inca road system and those who help bring it to life season after season after season.
There are more.
"Custodians of Wonder" was a slow read for me, a rare literary experience where I sat back and allowed myself to soak in the worlds being created and the stories being told. I marveled at Stein's ability to find these stories and I marveled at Stein's ability to so vividly bring them to life. I imagined myself in these settings, no small feat for a wheelchair user who would likely have difficulty even accessing some of these locales.
As a film critic, I perhaps was most enchanted by the story of a Taiwanese artist who continues to create some of the world's most magnificently created film posters and billboards for the last theater to still use his craft that was once common throughout Taiwan.
But truthfully? I loved every moment of this reading experience even when I didn't quite resonate as much with the ritual (such as in a beautifully told story of the last cigar factory in Cuba).
Once in a while, I get lucky and find a book that just sneaks up on me with its charms and wonder. "Custodians of Wonder" offered just such an experience. I expected to learn and would have been satisfied with just such an experience, however, with "Custodians of Wonder" Stein truly brings to life that sense of wonder and in so doing creates what will be one of 2024's most fascinating and magical reading experiences.
December 21, 2024
Eliot Stein’s Custodians of Wonder takes readers on an unforgettable voyage across continents to meet the last keepers of some of humanity's most endangered cultural practices. These custodians safeguard the echoes of history—be it the delicate needle-made lace of Burano or the ancient, grass-woven bridges of the Inca Empire. Stein artfully juxtaposes the beauty of these traditions with the somber reality of their decline, resulting in a work that is equal parts celebration and elegy.
This non-fiction marvel has garnered widespread acclaim. While the book is a treasure trove of meticulously chronicled tales, it also warrants critical reflection on areas where Stein’s narrative choices could have been more dynamic.
Thematic Brilliance: Preserving Humanity’s Soul
At its heart, Custodians of Wonder is a love letter to cultural diversity. Stein portrays these vanishing traditions not merely as artifacts of human creativity but as reflections of the soul of humanity itself. His exploration of these crafts illuminates profound themes:
- Cultural Fragility: Each chapter underscores how globalization and modernity erode unique identities, leaving behind a homogenized world.
- Human Resilience: The custodians Stein profiles demonstrate extraordinary determination in the face of irrelevance, exemplifying humanity’s innate drive to preserve beauty.
- Interconnectedness: The book beautifully ties the concept of cultural preservation to environmental sustainability, reminding readers that our traditions are inseparable from the landscapes that birthed them.
The Stories: An Intimate Portrait of Humanity
Stein’s greatest achievement lies in his storytelling. Each chapter profiles a remarkable individual, weaving personal anecdotes with historical insights. Here are some highlights:
1. The Last Inca Bridge Master
This chapter is an ode to the Q’eswachaka bridge in Peru, where Victoriano Arizapana continues the 500-year-old tradition of weaving bridges from grass. Stein’s vivid descriptions transport readers to the dizzying heights of the Andes, making this segment a standout. However, at times, the narrative feels overly stretched, with tangential historical details overshadowing the emotional core of Victoriano’s story.
2. The Living Libraries of West Africa
Stein's profile of Balla Kouyaté, a griot preserving oral histories, is one of the book’s most compelling chapters. It highlights how oral traditions transcend generations. Yet, Stein could have delved deeper into the socio-political implications of preserving oral history in a digital age.
3. Italy’s Rarest Pasta
Stein introduces readers to a lone woman making su filindeu in Sardinia—a dish so rare it’s become a culinary myth. The chapter blends humor, nostalgia, and culinary wonder, though it occasionally leans into romanticized stereotypes of rural Italy.
Writing Style: A Dance Between Poetry and Journalism
Stein’s prose is immersive, often poetic. His ability to balance journalistic precision with lyrical storytelling is commendable. For instance, his description of shadowing Scandinavia’s last night watchman reads like a Nordic noir novel. However, this strength is also a double-edged sword. At times, the florid language risks overshadowing the content, creating a narrative that occasionally feels self-indulgent.
Critiques: A Celebration with Caveats
While Custodians of Wonder is a masterful work, a few aspects invite critique:
- Lack of Depth in Analysis: Stein presents fascinating anecdotes but rarely interrogates the broader implications of cultural extinction. A deeper exploration of globalization’s double-edged sword would have elevated the book.
- Underexplored Voices: While the custodians themselves shine, Stein’s narrative often centers his perspective. Amplifying the voices of his subjects could have provided a richer, more authentic tapestry.
- Structural Repetition: The book’s chapter-by-chapter formula, while engaging, begins to feel predictable halfway through. A deviation in narrative structure could have added variety.
Final Verdict: A Wonder Worth Preserving
Eliot Stein’s Custodians of Wonder is a poignant reminder of humanity’s creative genius and the fragility of cultural identity. While it stumbles in fully grappling with its themes’ complexities, its storytelling prowess ensures that readers are both enlightened and emotionally moved.
This non-fiction marvel has garnered widespread acclaim. While the book is a treasure trove of meticulously chronicled tales, it also warrants critical reflection on areas where Stein’s narrative choices could have been more dynamic.
Thematic Brilliance: Preserving Humanity’s Soul
At its heart, Custodians of Wonder is a love letter to cultural diversity. Stein portrays these vanishing traditions not merely as artifacts of human creativity but as reflections of the soul of humanity itself. His exploration of these crafts illuminates profound themes:
- Cultural Fragility: Each chapter underscores how globalization and modernity erode unique identities, leaving behind a homogenized world.
- Human Resilience: The custodians Stein profiles demonstrate extraordinary determination in the face of irrelevance, exemplifying humanity’s innate drive to preserve beauty.
- Interconnectedness: The book beautifully ties the concept of cultural preservation to environmental sustainability, reminding readers that our traditions are inseparable from the landscapes that birthed them.
The Stories: An Intimate Portrait of Humanity
Stein’s greatest achievement lies in his storytelling. Each chapter profiles a remarkable individual, weaving personal anecdotes with historical insights. Here are some highlights:
1. The Last Inca Bridge Master
This chapter is an ode to the Q’eswachaka bridge in Peru, where Victoriano Arizapana continues the 500-year-old tradition of weaving bridges from grass. Stein’s vivid descriptions transport readers to the dizzying heights of the Andes, making this segment a standout. However, at times, the narrative feels overly stretched, with tangential historical details overshadowing the emotional core of Victoriano’s story.
2. The Living Libraries of West Africa
Stein's profile of Balla Kouyaté, a griot preserving oral histories, is one of the book’s most compelling chapters. It highlights how oral traditions transcend generations. Yet, Stein could have delved deeper into the socio-political implications of preserving oral history in a digital age.
3. Italy’s Rarest Pasta
Stein introduces readers to a lone woman making su filindeu in Sardinia—a dish so rare it’s become a culinary myth. The chapter blends humor, nostalgia, and culinary wonder, though it occasionally leans into romanticized stereotypes of rural Italy.
Writing Style: A Dance Between Poetry and Journalism
Stein’s prose is immersive, often poetic. His ability to balance journalistic precision with lyrical storytelling is commendable. For instance, his description of shadowing Scandinavia’s last night watchman reads like a Nordic noir novel. However, this strength is also a double-edged sword. At times, the florid language risks overshadowing the content, creating a narrative that occasionally feels self-indulgent.
Critiques: A Celebration with Caveats
While Custodians of Wonder is a masterful work, a few aspects invite critique:
- Lack of Depth in Analysis: Stein presents fascinating anecdotes but rarely interrogates the broader implications of cultural extinction. A deeper exploration of globalization’s double-edged sword would have elevated the book.
- Underexplored Voices: While the custodians themselves shine, Stein’s narrative often centers his perspective. Amplifying the voices of his subjects could have provided a richer, more authentic tapestry.
- Structural Repetition: The book’s chapter-by-chapter formula, while engaging, begins to feel predictable halfway through. A deviation in narrative structure could have added variety.
Final Verdict: A Wonder Worth Preserving
Eliot Stein’s Custodians of Wonder is a poignant reminder of humanity’s creative genius and the fragility of cultural identity. While it stumbles in fully grappling with its themes’ complexities, its storytelling prowess ensures that readers are both enlightened and emotionally moved.
January 31, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
A gorgeous look at dying customs around the world, told by the practioners themselves, and what it means when we let these parts of our world go. The rapid growth of technology and communication both speeds up the decline of the traditions and exposes them to a wider audience to appreciate. While maintaining a realistic view of the future, it also remains hopeful that this simple act of recording their practices will help prolong their lifespan. It feels like a more personable version of something like Ripley's Believe it or Not, exploring something strange to us but in a way that respects the other culture and tries to gain an understanding of it.
A gorgeous look at dying customs around the world, told by the practioners themselves, and what it means when we let these parts of our world go. The rapid growth of technology and communication both speeds up the decline of the traditions and exposes them to a wider audience to appreciate. While maintaining a realistic view of the future, it also remains hopeful that this simple act of recording their practices will help prolong their lifespan. It feels like a more personable version of something like Ripley's Believe it or Not, exploring something strange to us but in a way that respects the other culture and tries to gain an understanding of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2025
What customs will disappear in the next 100 years? Completely fascinating look into several cultural traditions and the last people doing them.
August 25, 2024
I adored this book, and I am envious of Stein for the far-flung places he has been able to go to and the stories he has been able to hear firsthand. It’s incredible to have so much history and tradition told directly by those carrying it on.
I learned so much from this book. For one, I have never tried real soy sauce – and now I really, really want to. I had some trouble at times grasping the concept of what was being described. From making su filindeu to building an Incan bridge, you have to see it to understand it. Luckily there are YouTube videos of these crafts to help you.
When I reached the chapter on telling the bees, I was skeptical and also thought it simply did not fit in the book because it’s not a learned craft and doesn’t require any special skill, but by the end of the chapter, Stein had me fully convinced of this ancient tradition and wanting to do it myself.
This book will become a classic. It’s one of the last portals we have into what life used to be like for centuries. I mourn for these dying customs and skills, so I can only imagine how the people from these cultures and the people themselves who are the last people alive participating in them must feel.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.
I learned so much from this book. For one, I have never tried real soy sauce – and now I really, really want to. I had some trouble at times grasping the concept of what was being described. From making su filindeu to building an Incan bridge, you have to see it to understand it. Luckily there are YouTube videos of these crafts to help you.
When I reached the chapter on telling the bees, I was skeptical and also thought it simply did not fit in the book because it’s not a learned craft and doesn’t require any special skill, but by the end of the chapter, Stein had me fully convinced of this ancient tradition and wanting to do it myself.
This book will become a classic. It’s one of the last portals we have into what life used to be like for centuries. I mourn for these dying customs and skills, so I can only imagine how the people from these cultures and the people themselves who are the last people alive participating in them must feel.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.
April 2, 2025
An enjoyable read! I learned that honey is the only food to never spoil, and I especially enjoyed the last chapter that was set in Germany.
A couple gems of writing that I appreciated:
Waldeinsamkeit - the literal definition of "forest loneliness" belies the true feeling of this quintessentially German concept: an enlightened sense of self that can only be achieved by being alone in the woods. It's the romantic idea of the lonely wanderer. It's very German to find connectedness in the forest. In the aloneness, you will find a true connection to yourself and to other living things. That's the interesting thing: you go to be alone and put your faith in the spirit of the forest in order to find something or someone.
After leaving Germany, I was struck by how much Heimat I'd been harboring. I missed how low the German clouds seem to descend each November, shrouding the country in a dreary, delirious dream that doesn't lift until spring. I missed Germans' startling self-awareness, their sense of who they are and who they'll never be again. But above all, I missed Germans' romantic relationship with nature. It's a national trait that seems to defy every German stereotype of stiffness and order, and it's simultaneously confusing and confounding. How can the same rule-abiding nation that sends each household a 4-page manual explaining how to properly separate your recyclables ALSO fund Lord of the Flies-style "forest schools"?
A couple gems of writing that I appreciated:
Waldeinsamkeit - the literal definition of "forest loneliness" belies the true feeling of this quintessentially German concept: an enlightened sense of self that can only be achieved by being alone in the woods. It's the romantic idea of the lonely wanderer. It's very German to find connectedness in the forest. In the aloneness, you will find a true connection to yourself and to other living things. That's the interesting thing: you go to be alone and put your faith in the spirit of the forest in order to find something or someone.
After leaving Germany, I was struck by how much Heimat I'd been harboring. I missed how low the German clouds seem to descend each November, shrouding the country in a dreary, delirious dream that doesn't lift until spring. I missed Germans' startling self-awareness, their sense of who they are and who they'll never be again. But above all, I missed Germans' romantic relationship with nature. It's a national trait that seems to defy every German stereotype of stiffness and order, and it's simultaneously confusing and confounding. How can the same rule-abiding nation that sends each household a 4-page manual explaining how to properly separate your recyclables ALSO fund Lord of the Flies-style "forest schools"?
April 18, 2025
A delightful nonfiction read best enjoyed in small doses - 1 chapter at a time. Some of the chapters can be a bit dense with historical details but I loved learning about all ten of these rare customs and traditions and the people behind them. Here are two great quotes to give you a sense of the book.
“So often, we hear stories about the first person to do something: the innovators, the pioneers, the ones who move us forward. But rarely is there a whisper for the last person to carry on a tradition, or a pause to look back and consider how these rites have shaped us and the places we come from. Instead, these gorgeous, irrational, gentle things humans do that make the world so inexorably fascinating often die a silent death, and it's only after they vanish that we realize what has been lost.”
“In an age when everything has seemingly been explored and explained, and where cynicism so often overshadows curiosity and wonder, these cultural custodians remind us how much there still is to discover, and invite us to fall back in love with the world.”
“So often, we hear stories about the first person to do something: the innovators, the pioneers, the ones who move us forward. But rarely is there a whisper for the last person to carry on a tradition, or a pause to look back and consider how these rites have shaped us and the places we come from. Instead, these gorgeous, irrational, gentle things humans do that make the world so inexorably fascinating often die a silent death, and it's only after they vanish that we realize what has been lost.”
“In an age when everything has seemingly been explored and explained, and where cynicism so often overshadows curiosity and wonder, these cultural custodians remind us how much there still is to discover, and invite us to fall back in love with the world.”
July 25, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this book! It’s full of lovely, sometimes sad or bittersweet stories, of people around the world who are upholding traditions and customs that are slowly dying out. Each person’s story is treated with care and includes the history behind how the tradition came to be practiced, which I thought was really impactful. This really was so sweet, each story was very moving and drew me in right away.
January 10, 2025
I am admittedly exactly the nerdish scholar who adores this premise- nearly unknown personal stories of some of the last individuals keeping traditions alive that give the world its secrets and wonder. The author being a BBC journalist who can write very very well is icing on my cake. Not a page turner, but a book that I do believe gifts the reader a more magical glimpse/ perspective of the world.✨🫶🏼❤️Wonderful. The final chapter had me applauding👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
June 4, 2025
Great book.
Talks about Mali Empire in Africa, Soy Sauce, reading in Cuban Cigar factories, night watchmen in Europe, Honeybees and a few more.
Really enjoyed.
Ancient traditions that are disappearing.
Talks about Mali Empire in Africa, Soy Sauce, reading in Cuban Cigar factories, night watchmen in Europe, Honeybees and a few more.
Really enjoyed.
Ancient traditions that are disappearing.
July 28, 2025
A collection of Stein's world travels to meet people who are the last to keep a tradition alive. From a modern Incan bridge weaver, to rare pasta varieties, to hand painting movie posters in Taiwan.
March 6, 2025
This was so interesting and fun and COZY while also being bittersweet. I learned so much and went down so many fun rabbit holes. The stories restored some hope in humanity and connected old histories and traditions with the modern world. I absolutely loved reading this!
August 12, 2025
Excellent concept and heartwarming stories. The subject matter was researched well and put me in my feels. The storytelling was a bit slow, but I appreciated all the details and historical context. The author did a great job with this!
July 10, 2025
A collection of fascinating stories featuring fascinating people with loads of history and world culture thrown in. So, basically my idea of the perfect book.
And someone needs to write a novel based on the last chapter, because it's just beautiful.
And someone needs to write a novel based on the last chapter, because it's just beautiful.
April 23, 2025
This is the most dad-est of books there ever was. It truly felt like a collection of articles your dad would read about and recount to you the next time they saw you.
December 14, 2024
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! Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this book.
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! Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this book.
September 7, 2025
I really enjoyed this one 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!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free eARC!
February 10, 2025
Eliot Stein travels the world interviewing people who are some of the last people keeping a custom or tradition alive. He explores 10 traditions - everything from how they began, the cultural significance, and the person who's currently still keeping that tradition alive. It's everything from a very unique musical instrument, a sacred pasta recipe, to the mailman who delivers mail to a tree in the German woods and beekeepers who continue to practice of "telling the bees." As some reviews I read mentioned, Stein often gives a LOT of background or history. While some history is necessary, I do think it could have been cut down more and the reader still gotten the gist. Overall, I did really like the book - some traditions more than others. I also found myself googling some of the traditions to see what exactly these things looked like. I think a few pictures could have helped too. Stein does a good job of exploring the concept of tradition and why some traditions are worth keeping despite advances in technology. A unique and interesting book.
Some quotes I liked:
"According to modern tests conducted by MIT professor and structural engineer Dr. John Ochsendorf, the Q'eswachaka's four base cables can support 9,388 kilograms - or roughly 110 men spaced evenly apart. And unlike the arched stone bridges of Europe, the Inca's grass-woven creations could quickly be cut as a defensive measure to avoid advancing armies, and then rebuilt. In some cases, the very sight of these engineering wonders was enough to force foreign clans to surrender...They stitched cotton and alpaca wool between layers of leather to make armored helmets and body suits that were lighter and nearly as strong, pound for pound, as Spanish steel. These quilted garments were so effective at stopping fired arrows that conquistadors adopted them during the conquest and reported leaving battles with so many projectiles lodged into them that they looked like porcupines...The Inca even communicated in fiber, relying on a sophisticated system of colored-and-spun knotted cords called quipus to store information. These intricate necklace-looking webs could hold hundreds of strings and record decimals up to 10,000. In the absence of a written language, the Inca used quipus for everything from documenting family genealogy and sending military orders to measuring state taxes and taking the census." (p. 73-74)
"'Sardinia is one of the richest grain cultures in the world, and each of its 377 villages and towns has their own unique type,' said Michelin-starred Sardinian chef Roberto Petza, who has dedicated his career to spreading awareness of Sardinian ingredients and documenting the island's rural pasta traditions. 'There are roughly 700 types of pasta in all of Italy. In Sardinia alone, there are 500, and that is a direct result of our history of invasions and mixing those influences with our own recipes.'" (p. 109)
"Scientists have found that the way individual bees work together in the hive is similar to how individual neurons function in the human brain, and the colony's collective decision-making has all the hallmarks of our most harmonious societies." (p. 186)
"Over the next 14 years, Gonzalez Martinez would go on to write 18 more novels in notebooks and stationary, just so she could read them aloud to the factory's 130 workers. None of them are published. Instead, after cooking dinner, cleaning the house, and putting her daughter to bed, the reader would get to work writing in longhand until 2:00 a.m. and then recite each chapter to her audience later that day before she's finished writing the book. 'Based on their reactions as I read it, I'd change the plot to surprise them or create an ending I thought they'd really like,' she said. 'In a way, the workers became like my editors.'...Then in 2003, after 14 years of only sharing her writing with her colleagues at the leaf-stripping factory, the lector learned that one of her books was finally going to be published...Gonzalez Martinez has since gone on to publish nine children's books in Cuba, winning four national awards for her work." (p. 212-13)
Some quotes I liked:
"According to modern tests conducted by MIT professor and structural engineer Dr. John Ochsendorf, the Q'eswachaka's four base cables can support 9,388 kilograms - or roughly 110 men spaced evenly apart. And unlike the arched stone bridges of Europe, the Inca's grass-woven creations could quickly be cut as a defensive measure to avoid advancing armies, and then rebuilt. In some cases, the very sight of these engineering wonders was enough to force foreign clans to surrender...They stitched cotton and alpaca wool between layers of leather to make armored helmets and body suits that were lighter and nearly as strong, pound for pound, as Spanish steel. These quilted garments were so effective at stopping fired arrows that conquistadors adopted them during the conquest and reported leaving battles with so many projectiles lodged into them that they looked like porcupines...The Inca even communicated in fiber, relying on a sophisticated system of colored-and-spun knotted cords called quipus to store information. These intricate necklace-looking webs could hold hundreds of strings and record decimals up to 10,000. In the absence of a written language, the Inca used quipus for everything from documenting family genealogy and sending military orders to measuring state taxes and taking the census." (p. 73-74)
"'Sardinia is one of the richest grain cultures in the world, and each of its 377 villages and towns has their own unique type,' said Michelin-starred Sardinian chef Roberto Petza, who has dedicated his career to spreading awareness of Sardinian ingredients and documenting the island's rural pasta traditions. 'There are roughly 700 types of pasta in all of Italy. In Sardinia alone, there are 500, and that is a direct result of our history of invasions and mixing those influences with our own recipes.'" (p. 109)
"Scientists have found that the way individual bees work together in the hive is similar to how individual neurons function in the human brain, and the colony's collective decision-making has all the hallmarks of our most harmonious societies." (p. 186)
"Over the next 14 years, Gonzalez Martinez would go on to write 18 more novels in notebooks and stationary, just so she could read them aloud to the factory's 130 workers. None of them are published. Instead, after cooking dinner, cleaning the house, and putting her daughter to bed, the reader would get to work writing in longhand until 2:00 a.m. and then recite each chapter to her audience later that day before she's finished writing the book. 'Based on their reactions as I read it, I'd change the plot to surprise them or create an ending I thought they'd really like,' she said. 'In a way, the workers became like my editors.'...Then in 2003, after 14 years of only sharing her writing with her colleagues at the leaf-stripping factory, the lector learned that one of her books was finally going to be published...Gonzalez Martinez has since gone on to publish nine children's books in Cuba, winning four national awards for her work." (p. 212-13)
August 29, 2024
Within seconds - seriously, seconds - of finishing this book, I had Google pulled up to learn more about several of the stories told here. You will want to do the same.
Eliot Stein's Custodians of Wonder provides a look at ten international, historical traditions and customs, and those who keep them alive - the custodians. The structure of his narrative is not easily classified, which is part of what makes this book so special. It's part-memoir, part-history, part-anthropology, and part-biography. Stein was able to weave together the elements of each story in such a way that transcends a typical recount. After the first chapter, I really took my time with this book, because it was so clear from the start that each chapter deserves one's full attention and curiosity.
When writing about cultures so far removed from your own, it can be a long, complicated dance of trying to figure out what information to include, what to leave out, and, perhaps most important, the tone to take in your prose. Each chapter has the same structure: an introduction to the primary custodian and their tradition, a substantial history of the region & importance of the respective tradition, Stein's experience engaging with and learning of the tradition, and some closing remarks about the fleeting future of the tradition and its cultural implications. I swear, as I was reading this book, I would think to myself "So.. what about this? Why this?" Not long after, most of the questions I had were explored. Though this is the first work by Stein that I've read (he's a journalist at BBC), it is very clear to me that he's an experienced cultural journalist, and I could tell that he put serious work into what exactly to include in each chapter.
One of the aspects of this book that I loved most was the absolute delicacy and grace that Stein assigned to each custodian, culture, and tradition. There's a lot to be learned from this book - not just about a specific, special tree in Germany, Sardinia's most prized dish, or the last night watchman in Scandinavia, but also what it means to put home and history above yourself. In an age where so many of us are possessed by the individual (ourselves), it can be difficult to imagine a life where we put a collective past and practice above our own interests. The introduction to this book, which I returned to several times while reading, did a brilliant job of contextualizing each tradition within the global stage at large, but even more so, reminded us why such traditions are so important to our present human experience and have been for centuries. It was humbling and it was grounding.
My criticisms of this book are minor. While the introduction was fantastic, I would have liked to learn more of Stein's methods when it came to researching this book - the travel, the language barriers, any difficulties, etc. While each chapter includes some anecdotes about his time travelling to each place, I wish we got to learn more of the steps that got us to this book. Additionally, I think a conclusion would have served the book well; however, I can imagine that a lot of what was written in the introduction would also show up in a conclusion. Also, I wish some photos and maps were included. Since I read an ARC of this book, the publisher may be saving images for the final printed edition, but I am not sure. Regardless, taking the extra step to Google wasn't too bad at all.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is naturally curious and wants to learn more about cultures different than their own. I think a lot of us read both fiction and non-fiction to escape our own turbulent times, and this is a perfect book to do so. While Stein does not shy away from some of the negative prospects in each story, the tone of this book is positive, encompassing, and very compelling. Reading this was one of the best experiences this year.
Thank you very much to St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.
Eliot Stein's Custodians of Wonder provides a look at ten international, historical traditions and customs, and those who keep them alive - the custodians. The structure of his narrative is not easily classified, which is part of what makes this book so special. It's part-memoir, part-history, part-anthropology, and part-biography. Stein was able to weave together the elements of each story in such a way that transcends a typical recount. After the first chapter, I really took my time with this book, because it was so clear from the start that each chapter deserves one's full attention and curiosity.
When writing about cultures so far removed from your own, it can be a long, complicated dance of trying to figure out what information to include, what to leave out, and, perhaps most important, the tone to take in your prose. Each chapter has the same structure: an introduction to the primary custodian and their tradition, a substantial history of the region & importance of the respective tradition, Stein's experience engaging with and learning of the tradition, and some closing remarks about the fleeting future of the tradition and its cultural implications. I swear, as I was reading this book, I would think to myself "So.. what about this? Why this?" Not long after, most of the questions I had were explored. Though this is the first work by Stein that I've read (he's a journalist at BBC), it is very clear to me that he's an experienced cultural journalist, and I could tell that he put serious work into what exactly to include in each chapter.
One of the aspects of this book that I loved most was the absolute delicacy and grace that Stein assigned to each custodian, culture, and tradition. There's a lot to be learned from this book - not just about a specific, special tree in Germany, Sardinia's most prized dish, or the last night watchman in Scandinavia, but also what it means to put home and history above yourself. In an age where so many of us are possessed by the individual (ourselves), it can be difficult to imagine a life where we put a collective past and practice above our own interests. The introduction to this book, which I returned to several times while reading, did a brilliant job of contextualizing each tradition within the global stage at large, but even more so, reminded us why such traditions are so important to our present human experience and have been for centuries. It was humbling and it was grounding.
My criticisms of this book are minor. While the introduction was fantastic, I would have liked to learn more of Stein's methods when it came to researching this book - the travel, the language barriers, any difficulties, etc. While each chapter includes some anecdotes about his time travelling to each place, I wish we got to learn more of the steps that got us to this book. Additionally, I think a conclusion would have served the book well; however, I can imagine that a lot of what was written in the introduction would also show up in a conclusion. Also, I wish some photos and maps were included. Since I read an ARC of this book, the publisher may be saving images for the final printed edition, but I am not sure. Regardless, taking the extra step to Google wasn't too bad at all.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is naturally curious and wants to learn more about cultures different than their own. I think a lot of us read both fiction and non-fiction to escape our own turbulent times, and this is a perfect book to do so. While Stein does not shy away from some of the negative prospects in each story, the tone of this book is positive, encompassing, and very compelling. Reading this was one of the best experiences this year.
Thank you very much to St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.
October 30, 2025
In the world there are still just a handful of people who know how to make or fix certain things. Whether it is a grass bridge over a gorge in Peru, a type of rare Italian Pasta or an aging mailman who delivers love letter to a tree in a German forest, people who can do shit are going away and dying off.
I learned so much from this book and my learning and this book is amazing. Eliot Stein, the author of this book, throws himself into these experiences that very few people ever see let alone learn how to do. He becomes friends with these “Custodians.” You can tell Stein loves these people and it comes through in the writing.
The gist of this book is to bring light to some skills only a few people have. It also discusses how these custodians that have these skills are dying off. They are already old and these custodians are not sure who will take over their job. Typically, it’s a family member who is “slated” or eyed to do the job. But kids are so “connected” now, many don’t want to follow in their parent’s footsteps. There is more interest in the unknown than to do what generation their family members have done for years. Many of these children are actually apprenticing to learn the rare skill and they still don’t want to do it.
I know you should read this book so you too can appreciate the rare craft and skill of these artisans while they are still around.
I learned so much from this book and my learning and this book is amazing. Eliot Stein, the author of this book, throws himself into these experiences that very few people ever see let alone learn how to do. He becomes friends with these “Custodians.” You can tell Stein loves these people and it comes through in the writing.
The gist of this book is to bring light to some skills only a few people have. It also discusses how these custodians that have these skills are dying off. They are already old and these custodians are not sure who will take over their job. Typically, it’s a family member who is “slated” or eyed to do the job. But kids are so “connected” now, many don’t want to follow in their parent’s footsteps. There is more interest in the unknown than to do what generation their family members have done for years. Many of these children are actually apprenticing to learn the rare skill and they still don’t want to do it.
I know you should read this book so you too can appreciate the rare craft and skill of these artisans while they are still around.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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