The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History
** A RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK ** ‘Fascinating . . . The history of the world through the eye of a needle . . . I recommend this book to anyone’ THE SPECTATOR‘A charming, absorbing and history that takes us on a journey from the silk roads to sportswear, from ruffs to spacesuits
** A RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK **
‘Fascinating . . . The history of the world through the eye of a needle . . . I recommend this book to anyone’ THE SPECTATOR
‘A charming, absorbing and history that takes us on a journey from the silk roads to sportswear, from ruffs to spacesuits . . . I devoured this quietly feminist book’ SUNDAY TIMES
‘Joyful and beautiful’ NATURE
‘Will make you rethink your relationship with fabric’ ELLE DECORATION
All textiles begin with a twist. From colourful 30,000-year old threads found on the floor of a Georgian cave to what the linen wrappings of Tutankhamun’s mummy actually meant; from the Silk Roads to the woollen sails that helped the Vikings reach America 700 years before Columbus; from the lace ruffs that infuriated the puritans to the Indian calicoes and chintzes that powered the Industrial Revolution, our continuing reinvention of cloth tells fascinating stories of human ingenuity.
When we talk of lives hanging by a thread, being interwoven, or part of the social fabric, we are part of a tradition that stretches back many thousands of years. Fabric has allowed us to achieve extraordinary things and survive in unlikely places, and this book shows you how — and why.
With a cast that includes Chinese empresses, Richard the Lionheart and Bing Crosby, Kassia St Clair takes us on the run with escaped slaves, climbing the slopes of Everest and moonwalking with astronauts. Running like a bright line through history, The Golden Thread offers an unforgettable adventure through our past, present and future.
Bestsellers 2021
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Poor production quality When I read a book I am fussy about font size and the quality of the paper – either of them can ruin a book. In this particular case its cousin ‘the secret lives of colour’ was top notch in both elements. Why then for this book have they had to go for the cheapest paper possible? It really is false economy
interesting – but lacking essential illustrations This is an interesting book covering the history of various fabrics including silk, linen, cotton, wool and various artificial fabrics. I found the most interesting sections to be the ones about the modern fabrics used in space exploration and sports. Throughout, however, the lack of illustrations is a real drawback with paintings and artefacts described but not illustrated. It does appear that the publisher has put this out as cheaply as possible – the whole production of the book – no dust…
engaging read I have only just started reading this but am already deeply engaged by the content and organisation of the book. The entire book seems to me to be very thoroughly researched with chapters covering a wide range of hstorical periods in a variety of geographical locales. The style is chosen to make the book an enjoyable, easy read and yet one from which the reader emerges with a deep grasp of the relevance of fabric and its associated technologies to social and economic history. I thoroughly…