Zen And The Art Of Knitting: Exploring the Links Between Knitting, Spirituality, and Creativity [Paperback]

Bernadette Murphy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002

This book explores what, arguably, everyone's grandmother always knew, that when passionate knitters become one with the craft, amazing things can happen. In Zen and the Art of Knitting, Bernadette Murphy explores how knitting fits into the larger scheme of life itself as meditation, creative expression, a gift to express love, a way to connect, and much, much more.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Bernadette Murphy explores the now-radical notion that in the smallest, most mundane gestures, we may find a kind of grace." -- David L. Ulin, anthology editor, Another City: Writing from Los Angeles

"Murphy reminds us how the slow gentle beauties of life are indeed within our grasp. A wise, illuminating book." -- Tara Ison, author, A Child Out of Alcatraz

"The book is full of lore, technical tips, colorful needle-wielding characters, and, ahem, plain old good yarns." -- Michelle Huneven, author of Round Rock and Jamesland

About the Author

Bernadette Murphy is an essayist, fiction writer, book critic, and a knitter of seventeen years. She is regularly published in the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, the San Francisco Chronicle, Newsday, and Book Magazine. Ms. Murphy, who teaches creative writing at the UCLA Extension Writers Program, lives in Los Angeles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Adams Media; Later Printing edition (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580626548
• ISBN-13: 978-1580626545
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,302 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Knitting to unwind, August 6, 2004

By 

Moira (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zen And The Art Of Knitting: Exploring the Links Between Knitting, Spirituality, and Creativity (Paperback)

My aunt taught me to knit when I was a little girl spending summers with her. My interest in the art has waxed and waned over the years as my children grew up and my career evolved. Now I'm in a place in my life where I find my interest in peace, serenity and spirituality is growing. This book has been a treasure for me. I haven't tried the projects, but I really enjoy the writing and the ideas. It makes me want to go teach knitting at the Boys and Girls Club. It makes me want to knit for charity (several of us "knitticts" have started making premie blankets, caps, booties to donate to inner city hospitals). It makes me want to open a yarn shop. It's encouraged me to have knitting projects available for "pick up" at all times. There is one by my rocker in the living room. One on the sunporch. One in my office for lunch and breaktime. One project road-tripped for 2,000 miles this summer. And one will fly to California with me for my son's wedding this fall. Bernadette Murphy has shown me that the process of knitting is just as important as the finished product and that was a very liberating concept for me. I keep a copy of Zen and the Art of Knitting on my nightstand (and one on my sun porch) because reading it is so calming to me. It really helps me unwind (pardon the pun) when I need to relax.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I am one of those "creative"types, December 10, 2003

By 

Dena R. Sigman "I eat books!!" (Denver, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Zen And The Art Of Knitting: Exploring the Links Between Knitting, Spirituality, and Creativity (Paperback)

Before writing this review, I looked over the others that had been written. It seems that many people are buying this book assuming that they will receive knitting tips, patterns, etc. Please review the title CLOSELY before purchasing the book; it says everything. I am a working mother, nurse, wife. For me, my time to craft {I crochet, knit, cross stitch} is my time to reconnect with myself and my inner dreams of spending my days making things for other people to wear and enjoy. Bernadette Murphy touched on this beautifully in this book. Enthralled with celebrities-well yeah, she lives near Hollywood, what do you expect? It's the same with anyone who lives in New York City! There have been many articles recently about women rediscovering their true feminine roots and this book explores this throughly. Unless you craft only for profit, and I mean, it can only mean profit for you, anyone who follows these arts are touched, spritually and mentally, by what their hands create. That is what this book is about.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reading!!!, July 3, 2003

By 

Sue Kneller (Portage, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zen And The Art Of Knitting: Exploring the Links Between Knitting, Spirituality, and Creativity (Paperback)

After reading this book, I not only noticed calmness and peace in my knitting but saw it in my whole life!!! The stories share other knitters views and reasons for knitting. I think everyone looks for the why and how in life, in some way, shape or form. Without having to buy a exercise machine, join the gym, meditate, or diet, this book will leave you with a sense of understanding life just a little bit more.

Sue Kneller