Harare Review of Books

211 pp. September 23, 2025, Broadleaf Books. Non-fiction.

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I’m definitely a dabbler; curiosity drives me to try lots of things. I got to thinking about what all those things have been: making and selling chocolate cake slices with my sister many years ago (was a lot of fun); crochet (small business for a while, until my hands got sore); knitting socks (failed); exploring all kinds of art media (ongoing); coding (never got started); graphic design (actually made money) and illustration; making zines (starts, and stops, and I’m still fascinated); braiding hair (my sister was a beneficiary); playing squash (lasted one semester); gel printing and linocut; and on, and on.

(And then there are all of the things I want to try, which I won’t list here—in the spirit of keeping my motives pure—to make sure it’s for me, and not for social media.)

In this book, Walrond takes us on a journey through amateurism by sharing all of the things she tried on her own journey to becoming the best amateur she could be in stuff she put on a list, with the help of community—friends, family and advisors—along the way. As she says, the point is how all of the things you try will expand your life, whether you get great at them or not. And in the process, you learn so much about yourself and your place in the world. She’s put her money where her mouth is and recorded it all in the book: from paddle boarding/surfing to sailing, pottery to scuba diving, and more. Walrond also gathers here excellent stories from other people, as well as the opinions of a variety of experts to support her theories.

What a delight! It’s not a book that feels like it takes itself too seriously, and is wonderfully commonsensical. It’s also frequently funny (Walrond has a wry sense of humour). In Defense of Dabbling should inspire you to pick up that thing again that you got so discouraged about, or to try that other new thing that’s been intimidating you. It’s doing so for me: I’m thinking all the time now about stuff to put on my own new Dabble List, and I’m excited.

Refreshing, and very highly recommended for anyone who wants a new way of looking at their life.

Many thanks to Broadleaf Books and Edelweiss for early DRC access.

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