Josh Bowman talks with Matthew K. Michels OblSB, who is a professional bookbinder and writer, and the owner of Black Cowl Bindery. He is also an Oblate of the Order of Saint Benedict associated with Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
In addition to talking about the craft of bookbinding, we also discuss the idea of human scale, running a small business, common arts education, the trades, vocation, virtue, localism, Westerns, beer, and more! It's also painfully obvious that you're listening to two Midwesterners.
Check out Black Cowl Bindery at https://www.blackcowlbindery.com/
We mentioned and highly recommend Matthew Crawford’s book, Shop Class as Soulcraft, though we apologize for getting the name wrong. (We said “shop craft” instead): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/301618/shop-class-as-soulcraft-by-matthew-b-crawford/
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0:00 Introduction
1:56 What a Bookbinder Does
5:48 How He Got Started
10:00 Common Arts Education
16:15 Why Tradesmen Should Read
19:36 Glorifying God Through the Trades
25:10 Small Business
34:17 Local Connections
39:31 Westerns and Masculine Virtue
46:55 Where to Learn More
