Pages

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Making As Meditation (even, sometimes, medication!)

Decided last night to upgrade my world--by paying for ad-free You Tube.  What a difference--to watch tutorials without having to stop and watch AI-generated commercials for a salt-cure that will melt pounds away, presented by the magic of AI by a young Oprah.  Or so-called doctors advising you on gut health and gadgets galore.

Even if you never plan to bind a book, if you want a meditative experience right in your own bedroom, with or without a dog to cuddle, check out Mr. Agassi binding books.  In a beautiful Italian-looking book-bindery, this man--who grew up binding books with his father--has no frills, no music, no mass-produced tools.  His tools are as authentic as his teaching style: brass bars for weights (I use large soup cans); simple knives, and a genuine antique book press any book binder would almost-die for.

He takes his time.  No rushing, no speed-ups.  It's all done in real time.  You simple sit back and watch his hands do magic while he explains what he's doing.  A true master of book-craft, Ido Agassi is precise in every move, a generous teacher.

Sea Lemon is one of several Asian book-makers.  Their hands move like dancers.  They are not forever dropping the needle on the floor, as I am.  With soft music in the background, no words are necessary as you just watch the smooth movements of needles moving through beautiful paper until, voila!, a book is complete.

If you're feeling stressed or exhausted by news and noise and traffic, watching book-makers make books is great medicine!


No comments: