The craft reader

The Craft Reader was published in 2010 by Bloomsbury Academic, serving as a comprehensive anthology that consolidated essential historical and theoretical texts concerning craft. Edited by Glenn Adamson, a prominent scholar and curator known for his rigorous approach to the field, the book was conceived to provide a definitive resource for students, practitioners, and academics. It addressed a growing scholarly interest in the intersection of material culture, art history, and the sociology of making, filling a void for a singular, organized compendium that traced the evolution of craft thought from the nineteenth century to the early twenty-first century.

The design of the volume reflects its utility as a primary reference tool, prioritizing clarity and scholarly accessibility. Adamson curated the selections to highlight diverse viewpoints, ranging from the Arts and Crafts movement to contemporary post-modern critiques. Upon its release, the book was well-received by the academic community, praised for its balanced curation and its ability to lend intellectual rigor to a discipline that was often marginalized in traditional art historical canons. It remains a standard reading in design history curricula globally.