In Our Hands

A Maker's Manifesto for Changing the World Through Creative Practices

Contributors

By Bonnie Smith Whitehouse

Formats and Prices

On Sale
Sep 29, 2026
Page Count
240 pages
Publisher
Running Press
ISBN-13
9798894142883

Price

$14.99

Price

$19.99 CAD

A manifesto for creative renewal and change rooted in the belief that crafting can return us to our shared humanity and ignite a quiet revolution shaped by our own two hands—perfect for readers of Wintering, Big Magic, and Your Brain on Art. 

In a world that demands so much more of us than we can possibly give, where political tensions strain our sense of safety and belonging, In Our Hands offers an embodied return to ourselves. In the wake of personal grief and societal upheaval, author Bonnie Smith Whitehouse found refuge, transformation, and community in the simple yet profound act of crafting. Drawing inspiration from Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, Martha Beck’s Beyond Anxiety, Tricia Hersey’s Rest is Resistance, and Katherine May’s Wintering, In Our Hands weaves together personal stories, practical guidance, and meditative reflections on how crafting—be it knitting, painting, collaging, lettering, or any handmade art—can become a tool for resilience and liberation in uncertain times.

At its heart, In Our Hands is a compassionate manifesto for crafting space for ourselves in a troubled world. To make things with our hands is to participate in creation and, therefore, hope. When we create—especially in moments of pain or disempowerment—we remember that we belong to a lineage of those who have used their hands to claim and shape their lives. Through crafting, we are beckoned to slow down, listen inward, create not just objects but autonomy and legacy, and spark a quiet revolution of peace, connection, and liberation.

Woven with stories from literature, mythology, history, as well as research from the emerging interdisciplinary science of NeuroArts, In Our Hands shows us how and why making and sharing what we make with our hands is part of the great work—and great joy—of being human. Whether you’re a lifelong crafter or just beginning, In Our Hands offers a way to embrace your own creative impulses and curiosities, connect with others, and reclaim the joy and freedom that comes from crafting with intention.  

  • "A poetic and powerful manifesto on the healing force of creative love. With a rare blend of passion and expertise, Bonnie Smith Whitehouse invites readers to awaken curiosity, imagine new possibilities, and rediscover the deep truth that when our hands create, our hearts heal. This is a book the world needs now more than ever." 
    Becca Stevens, Founder of Thistle Farms, CNN Hero of the Year, and author of Love Heals and Practically Divine
  • "Bonnie Smith Whitehouse offers us refuge in a world of military aggression, capitalist oppression, and quotidian devastation. In Our Hands presents us with a series of habits, rituals, and invitations that enact the divine spark of our human spirit... and preserves the fragile web of our humanity." 
    Cheryl Glenn, author of Rhetorical Feminism and This Thing Called Hope

Photo of Bonnie Smith Whitehouse. Bonnie is wearing a flower crown and a white top, smiling at the camera

Bonnie Smith Whitehouse

About the Author

Bonnie Smith Whitehouse, PhD, is a writer and professor who studies storytelling, creativity, contemplation, and wonder. She is the author of Nautilus Award winner Afoot and Lighthearted: A Journal for Mindful Walking, Seasons of Wonder: Making the Ordinary Sacred Through Projects, Prayers, Reflections, and Rituals, and Kickstart Creativity: 50 Prompted Cards to Spark Inspiration. A lifelong Episcopalian, she has spent more than twenty years as a lay leader of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Chapel at Vanderbilt University. Bonnie is a professor of English and the director of the honors program at Belmont University, and she lives in Nashville with her family.

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