Member Book Club: May 2026

Heritage Crafts member book club meets once a quarter.

Spring Meeting: 18 May 2026

Where: Zoom (Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/HMgnzlBDSLSaLf8MaNxv8w)

Spring book is The Glassmaker by Tracey Chevalier. 

You can find the book online or in most bookstores. An audiobook version is available on Audible and Spotify. If you are having trouble finding the book, please email [email protected].

The questions below are there for you to consider when reading The Glassmaker if you wish to enhance your reading experience before the book club meeting. We will chat about some of the questions, but the group conversation will not be forced to stay strictly on these questions.

Things to think about:

Gender and Craft: How would you describe the glass making culture of Murano? How did the perceived value of Orsola’s glass practice change throughout the book?

Making and Time: What do you think of the author’s treatment of time in the story? Did this narrative choice impact your understanding of glass skills and mastering a craft? How or how not?

Tradition and Adaptation: Do you think the level of isolation for the Murano glass makers helped or hindered their industry and makers? How do you think the Rosso family balanced the need to innovate for the glass market while staying true to their workshop legacy?

Do you see any connections with Chevalier’s fictional treatment of the Murano glassmaking community to other craft communities in the UK today? How or how not?

Happy reading!