Bonus Episode 2: A Conversation with Author Anne H. Putnam about Breakups & Mending episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 6, 2026 · 28 MIN

Bonus Episode 2: A Conversation with Author Anne H. Putnam about Breakups & Mending

from Handmade History · host Sonia & Alicia

In this bonus episode, Alicia chats with author Anne H. Putnam about her newest book, Make Do and Mend, a breakup memoir. Grab your favorite handcraft and listen in to learn about kintsugi, the Japanese art of filling cracks with gold and silver; why Anne decided to self-publish this memoir; and how embroidery and mending helped guide her through a difficult time. Scroll to the end for a giveaway! More about Make Do and Mend: Radically vulnerable and illuminating, Make Do and Mend is perfect for anyone who's ever played one of Taylor Swift's heartrending breakup songs on repeat or talked a little too much about her ex on a first date. Anne Putnam has a doting British boyfriend, a job in book publishing, an East London flat with a water view—even a published book of her own. But, having never expected the fairytale, 28-year-old Anne has no reason to anticipate its abrupt ending. When her fiancé cheats and their wedding is canceled, she's knocked into a tailspin that takes out nearly everything that held her life together. She flees London for her hometown of San Francisco, which becomes the unstable base camp for the steepest uphill climb she's ever faced: a torturous game of will-they-or-won't-they with her ex. Slowly, painfully, and with a lot of snark and bravado, she claws her way back from depression, with the help of an assembly line of bad dates, her cohort of brilliant friends, and a lot of guidance from her annoyingly astute therapist. Ultimately, she faces one major decision: take back the one person who loves her most, or burn it all down and start over. A touching, and sometimes funny, tale of one millennial's journey through the ugly parts of heartbreak, Make Do and Mend examines the decidedly unsexy process of healing and post-traumatic growth. To celebrate the publication of Anne's book, we're doing a giveaway of both of her memoirs! Enter to win a copy of Make Do and Mend and Navel Gazing in three ways: Sign up at any level, free or paid, on Patreon! All of our members are automatically entered to win. Find us on Instagram--we are @handmadehistorypodcast! The giveaway post will be pinned at the top--just follow us and comment to win. Send us an email! Don't do social media? No worries! Just email us at [email protected] and mention that you'd like to win Anne's books. Check out Anne's website, where you can find all of her books and writing. And for more information, please visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com.  

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 6, 2026

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Bonus Episode 2: A Conversation with Author Anne H. Putnam about Breakups & Mending

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