Kevin Cochrane's The Potter's Keeper explores basic economics by following a little-considered yet key trend throughout human history: ceramics. By examining how ceramics were developed, used, and traded, the book teaches economics and the history of pottery by enthralling the reader with tales of days gone by.

The Potter's Keeper begins in 25,000 BCE, where Cochrane, a professor of economics, theorizes that the Neanderthals died out and Homo sapiens came to rule the day because the latter group figured out how to make ceramic pots, while the former did not. With ceramic pots, Homo sapiens had a way to trade food and other goods – because they could now be measured by the pot-load – and also had an impetus for developing a division of labor system, in which some people obtained food for the group while others worked on making or trading other implements. Neanderthals lacked both these skills, however, making theirs an “each Neanderthal hunts for him- or herself” group that could not survive in the long term, much less form a cohesive society. (Although Cochrane doesn't mention it, this theory conforms cleanly to Darwin's theories, which also propose that species in general, and human beings in particular, often have a greater chance of survival when they cooperate within the group.)

After its humble beginnings in a fictional yet plausible prehistory, The Potter's Keeper pushes forward in time, tracing the development and refinement of pottery through such high points in history as the Roman Empire, which developed the world's first landfill with a dump site containing millions of shattered ceramic vessels, and the Ming dynasty, where Chinese artists created and painted porcelain pieces of extraordinary beauty. The book also explores the effects on pottery in the American Civil War and during the Reconstruction period immediately after, when the potters who were once enslaved on Southern plantations had to enter the ceramics market as a whole, or perish. Cochrane even presents a view of a future in which ceramics – as components of spacefaring vessels that can withstand heat and pressure that would melt most metals – make travel into deep space a reality.

The Potter's Keeper is an engaging and thoroughly readable introduction to basic economics, as well as a unique tale exploring the history and art of ceramics. The book has a few flaws, including some awkwardly-phrased sentences and obviously poor production values, but these – most likely the mistakes of an inattentive editor – are easily overlooked by the pace and details of the stories within, both of which fascinate. A fun, quick read for students from middle school onwards or for anyone interested in pottery, history, or economics.

Reviewed on 10/20/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Dani Alexis Ryskamp

First of all, when I asked for this book to review I envisioned a chronological book about pottery, how ancient pottery was made, and historical facts about the society during that time.  In a sense, this is what the book is about but more importantly there is an underlying message of how pottery and ceramics have shaped and changed economics.  I had to step back and refocus on what I was going to get out of the book and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed.

One important fact that struck me was Cochrane's chapter about globalization.  We often hear the term that our world is getting smaller, but he says "The world isn't actually getting physically smaller, it's getting faster."  This is beyond the visual three dimensions but is in the fourth dimension of time.  Using eBay as an example, Cochrane reminds us we can view the item online today, order/pay for it tomorrow, and it could arrive the next day via air freight.  Gone are the days of pony express where it would take days, maybe even weeks or months to arrive.  Let's face it, we are in a very fast paced world where size of the world doesn't matter anymore.  It's all relevant. 

Unlike other books on economics, "The Potter's Keeper" allows the reader to see our progression with another set of eyes.  Using pottery and ceramics as the base, Cochrane's viewpoint is understandable and  plausible, and just gives enough information for us to form our own ideas and/or do more research. 

Reviewed on 06/27/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Irene Watson