Why do some jobs offer fulfilment while others leave us frustrated? In this inspiring and persuasive book, Matthew Crawford brings to life the immense psychological and intellectual satisfactions of making and fixing things, arguing that the skilled manual trades may be one of the few sure paths to a good living.

Exploring the intense focus of ice-hockey players, the flow of a cook in their element, and the inherited craft of building pipe organs, the author argues that in order to flourish, we need to return to lives where we establish meaningful connections with objects and the people around us.