The Craftsman

Even someone who has never heard the name Richard Sennett or read one of his books is familiar with his thoughts. Sociologists are rarely famous, even if they are better thought of as “public intellectuals,” as in Sennett’s case. He belongs to the small group of thinkers who coin terms that make it into our regular vocabulary and are essential to describe the modern world. In The Craftsman, Sennett looks for solutions to the problems of modern work organization while everyone is still dreaming of the inexhaustible possibilities of the Internet. Sennett returns to major subjects: experience, authority, and autonomy. It also reads prophetically when Sennett points out that we need to radically question ourselves if sustainability and resource-conserving treatment of our planet are not to remain hollow phrases. For TOC Publishing, from the founding to today, Sennett’s reflections in The Craftsman have been cornerstones of our approach. TOC follows the desire to make books excellent in every way, to value people’s knowledge and skills, but also to give ourselves room: for dedication – an old-fashioned but beautiful word. It is, therefore, no surprise that TOC was founded between printing presses and typesetting boxes.