This was a formidable book, I thoroughly enjoyed myself getting acquainted with the atoms of all sorts of materials. I read it one chapter at a time, making sure to pace myself, as I did not want this gem of knowledge to be over too soon.

Both socially and scientifically, you'll be in for a treat and yes, this will be a perfect gift for any crafty or arty friend.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

‘Handmade’ provides an overview of the key materials from which we have crafted the modern world. Whilst I did enjoy this book, I found that the focus on anecdotes detracted from the examination of the materials explored throughout the narrative. I would have preferred a little more focus on the materials personally. That said, the anecdote does provide a degree of relatability and interest, so many readers may enjoy the more personal approach to the narrative. It certainly would appeal to readers of popular science that enjoy a more lighthearted approach. Overall, I would recommend ‘Handmade’ to anyone with an interest in engineering or materials science, or popular science.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A really interesting and insightful read. Not my usual so to book but I actually quite enjoyed this. Would recommend.

Interesting blend of popular science and memoir from a material scientist/author/broadcaster/trumpeter/standup comedian who manages to blend all these strands into interesting meditations on life and our relationship with the world around us, through the properties of materials that many people won't give a second thought to.
The section on plastics was enlivened with a potted biography of her grandfather, the wool and yarn chapter featured a UK road trip in a camper van, and all of this personal detail makes it easier to digest the sometimes complex descriptions of the materials themselves. If my attention ever flagged, an interesting digression or turn of events livened things up.

Keep going with this book, because you will almost certainly find out something you never knew before. The author studied Materials Science at university, which looks at the structures and properties of materials, and in this book explores how to actually make things with various materials. The materials vary from Steel to Wool, so there is a wide range of techniques and history covered. The author describes the processes very well (and with a good leavening of humour) so it is very visual, and I could see this an engaging television series. You do learn quite a lot about the author′s life throughout the book, since she is the one trying out the various processes over different stages of her life, which may not appeal to you if you just wanted neutral descriptions.

I started this review be saying ′Keep going′, because it did take me a while to get into it. I stopped and started the chapter on Glass several times, but the next chapter on Plastic was one of the most interesting in the book. And then in later chapters, connections between the materials begin to appear, which I found fascinating and sent me bouncing to and fro in the book. I′d never heard of Materials Science before this book, and I thought it was a very clever introduction for the lay person.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

Handmade: A Scientist’s Search for Meaning through Making by Anna Ploszajski

Much like catching a dropped stitch in my knitting, collecting animal-shaped ceramic pots and admiring my overflowing bookshelves: I love this book. Handmade A Scientist’s Search for Meaning through Making by Anna Ploszajski is a methodical-yet-quirky look at the places where art and science overlap.

After an unfortunate scuffle with a fabric bunny, Ploszajski turned her back on crafting and embraced material science. Also known as the discovery and creation of new materials. So far, so sciency. Yet it’s clear from the very first chapter (which finds the author performing science standup) that Ploszajski isn’t the kind of person to fence herself in. Throughout the Handmade she embraces the unusual and unfamiliar, throwing herself into blacksmithing, papermaking, stone carving, plastic sculpting, knitting and a host of other crafts.

As Ploszajski progresses through her ten chosen materials—stopping off to swim the Channel on a sugar high, learn to knit in a campervan called Alan Car and nearly have a crisis of confidence over a wooden spoon—she introduces her readers to a world that most of us take for granted. Why do we use glass for phone screens when plastic is stronger? Why don’t we talk about the way plastic saves lives and reduces food waste? Why do we have such affection for wood and how do the emotions we attached to materials alter the way we use them?

Back to my love of wool, clay and paper; not only is Ploszajski incredibly funny (think Mary Roach, but chatting about brass instead of bottoms), she’s also a hobbyist. Apparently willing to give most things a go, Ploszajski is the kind of writer who passes on her own enthusiasm to her readers. Am I going to learn how to play the trumpet? Probs not. But I could! And maybe after finishing this review I’ll give candle-making another try. Even if you don’t know anything about science, you’ll finish Handmade with a yearning to try something new. To make a bit of a mess. And, during a pandemic year where our hobbies are the only thing keeping many of us sane, that feels like a gift.

You might know Dr Anna Ploszajski from her ‘rial talk podcast, or her TED talk, or her various Science Showoff videos. I was lucky enough to catch one of her stand-up sets at EMF a few years ago and have been a fan ever since.

This is a surprisingly personal and autobiographical book – I was expecting a bit more of a dry textbook, but was excited to find out that it was so much more. At times it is frighteningly intimate, all the while relating the academic back to the personal.

The book feels like a multi-part YouTube series. It has lots of fascinating places and local characters, and exciting adventures hitting things and breaking them. It doesn’t require too much background knowledge in physics to understand what’s going on. Famously, Stephen Hawking was told that every equation in “A Brief History of Time” would halve sales and Dr Ploszajski seems to have taken that advice on board. It could benefit from a few illustrations – I found it a bit hard to visualise exactly how hexagonal sheets of molecules might actually look, for example.

Some of the chapters covered material I was already familiar with, but she always found a new angle to interest me. It’s a beautiful book about the structure of “stuff” – but it also so much more than that. Science isn’t just white-coated boffins stuck in a lab. It is real people, doing amazing things, doing boring things, doing unusual things – all trying to make sense of our little planet.

It isn’t a textbook – it is a manifesto for diving into the world and getting your hands messy.

Brilliant!

Handmade is both an informative manual and a memoir. Anna Ploszjski takes us through the history of a range of materials commonly used in crafts and gives details on the manufacture and creative uses of the products. it is a highly accessible and easy-to-read book. Running parallel to this is a memoir about the connection of these materials to both her family and her life including her PhD work and her personal accomplishments. I am sure that we will be reading more from Anna in the near future.

This was a lovely mix of science and experiences. The material science element was explained clearly and easily, and it being sprinkled throughout the book in between the authors own experiences made it easy to digest. It also meant that there was no danger of the infamous info dump!

What I really loved was the accounts of her experiences getting to know the materials outside of the lab, going to creative workshops and getting hands on. It kept me more interested in the book than something that was purely scientific would have done.

I also appreciated how this book was structured. A chapter for each material made it easy to work through - I'd read a chapter or two a day and come back the wanting to know about the next material. Surprisingly, the chapters on plastic and sugar were my favourite - which I think is because of the personal significance it held for the author.

It was a really enjoyable read, and I will probably come back and re read specific chapters several times!

Overall this was an interesting book, and if you want to understand more about the materials in our everyday lives, then this is the book for you.

This is a brilliant book where art and science collide. Materials scientist, super swimmer and trumpet player, Dr Anna Ploszajski, explores glass, plastic, steel, brass, clay, sugar, wool, wood, paper and stone. She has a go at crafting with them by hand, to understand them better. These are all materials which have significance for her, as well as huge importance to human history. The book is a mixture of memoir and science, with some history and travel. It reminded me of Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik and indeed I think they must be colleagues. The tone of the book is both informative and amusing. It's also heartfelt and very personal.

I'm interested in science but unfortunately I don't have the right kind of brain to understand even the simplest explanations of why materials behave as they do. Despite this, I liked Dr Ploszajski's lively descriptions, most memorably of electrons being like cakes on rafts. The chapter I enjoyed the most was the one about brass, which discusses the history and making of trumpets. Like the best kind of science lesson, this book is fun yet educational, with a friendly teacher who's passionate about her subject.

I would have liked to see some photos, but maybe they will be included in the finished book. Thank you to the publisher Bloomsbury for the advance copy.

[Note - this review will be posted on my blog on 3rd May]

We look at objects, materials and ‘stuff’ everyday, but how much do we actually know about it? I can definitely say my knowledge on the everyday items and objects in my life was sorely lacking.

The author - Anna Ploszajski has a great way of writing and communicating science, and it was one of those effortless popular science books which caters for the masses as well as appeals to the hardcore science lovers.

Glass, plastic, steel, brass, clay, sugar, wool, wood, paper and stone are all stars of the show in this book, with a dedicated chapter on each of these amazing materials. How they’re made, how they feature in our lives and the author having a go at getting involved in the processes of each material. Fun to read!

The author is very personable and I love her style of writing. The book is written in a very well balanced way, being a perfect mix between the hardcore science and experiences and life of the author, with a little bit of humour thrown in. I personally love books like this as it not only has an element of learning something new, but also details what it’s like in the field on a personal level and felt like a story of the authors tales and experiences too.

It’s such an interesting field; I’m amazed at how the things I look at everyday I know next to nothing about. I thought ‘yeah, I know a fair amount on physics’ as I love reading about this subject however when it comes to material science, this lesser known field was something my knowledge was not overly extensive. So I learnt a lot reading this. I’ll now definitely have a new appreciation for the ‘ordinary’ things around me!

I had the pleasure of reading this book recently, and I simply must commend the author.
This book offers so much more than a simple account of how everyday materials are made.
This title also offers a personal experience of PhD, with its highs and lows, as well as quick wit and good history lessons.
What was particularly enjoyable is the fact that a first-hand account of various craftsmanship by author.
Finally, Anna explains complicated science in the book in a very digestible language, which is another strength of hers as a writer and as a scientist.
I can highly recommend this title, as it is not only factually accurate but also very entertaining. It is suitable for scientists and non-scientists, and I am sure there will be something for everyone to enjoy in this book.