Allen & Unwin Craeft book Art & design English 352 pages

The lost traditions of medieval crafts, from weaving to bee-keeping, thatching to basket-making, from the popular TV historian.

In a period of meaningless mass manufacturing, our growing appetite for hand-made objects, artisan food, and craft beverages reveals our deep cravings for tradition and quality. But there was a time when craft meant something very different; the Old English word craeft possessed an almost indefinable sense of knowledge, wisdom, and power. In this fascinating book, historian and popular broadcaster Alex Langlands goes in search of the mysterious lost meaning of craeft. Through a vibrant series of mini-histories, told with his trademark energy and charm, Langlands resurrects the ancient craftspeople who fused exquisite skill with back-breaking labour - and passionately defends the renewed importance of craeft today.

Dr. Alex Langlands is a British archaeologist and historian. He is a lecturer in medieval history at Swansea University and a regular presenter for BBC and Channel 4. His current and ongoing TV projects include Full Steam Ahead (BBC Two) and Britain at Low Tide' (Channel 4). He lives in Wales with his wife, two children, chickens, and bees.