The naturally curious readers are the ones that will seek out books like Eliot Stein's Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive. In this book, Stein tells the story of ten little known practices from all around the world that are on the brink of extinction. From Cuba to Germany to Japan, Stein takes the reader on a series on adventures, each a lesson in history and culture.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book set all over the world. Each chapter details a custom or tradition that is not only not very well known, but also in danger of disappearing forever, most of them due to the small number of people still living who can perform a specific skill. There are the women of Sardinia with the incredible ability to make su filindeu, a type of pasta that is so intricate and delicate and beautiful that it has been called "the threads of God." Then there are the djelis of Mali who play the balafon while narrating tales. And even movie poster painters in Taiwan, an art form that is dying out if only because of the increased use of digital printing and computer graphics. With each chapter, Stein gives a thorough history of not only the curious tradition, but the region and people's history, while also including personal stories from the people he was able to learn from.
My Verdict: With ten different traditions to explore, in ten different locations around the world, there are at least a couple of these chapters that each reader will find engaging and fascinating. It could even inspire would-be travelers to visit some of these places, though for a few of these locations, getting there will take some doing. I am personally curious about the "The World's Rarest Pasta" in Sardinia. While it is clear that Eliot visited each of these places and was able to interview a fair amount of people, it is also clear he did his research, and worked hard to look into traditions that were truly rare and not widely known. Putting ten of them in one book works well, but some of these may merit to have their own publication.
Favorite Chapter: I have already mentioned "The World's Rarest Pasta" as one of my favorites, but my actual favorite is "The Only Democratic Job in Cuba," which talks about lectores, the people who read the news and even works of fiction out to the workers in the Cuban cigar factories. I also enjoyed "Scandinavia's Last Night Watchman."
Recommended Reading: I have not read many other books that travel the world like this one did, so I will recommend both The Impossible City by Karen Cheung, and Dancing with the Devil in the City of God by Juliana Barbassa.
