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Threads of Life

A History of the World Through the Eye of a Needle
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( 2,186 ratings, 412 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Threads of Life by Clare Hunter, the author explores the history and significance of sewing and embroidery across different cultures and eras. This insightful journey reveals how needlework has been a medium for storytelling, protest, and personal expression, weaving together stories of individuals and communities who have used textiles to define their identities and heritage. The book richly illustrates the impact of this art form on society and its powerful role in human connection and creativity.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the hidden stories textiles can tell across history and culture. The author explores how fabric has been used in various ways, from acts of resistance to tools of identity and memory. It's perfect for those who appreciate discovering the impact of art and crafting on the human experience.

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A Sunday Times bestseller and Radio 4 Book of the Week, Threads of Life is an evocative and moving book about the need we all have to tell our story.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK

For the mothers of the disappeared in 1970s Argentina, protest was difficult. Every Thursday they marched in front of government buildings wearing headscarves embroidered with the names of their lost children. Through sewing, they found a way to campaign.

In Tudor England, Mary, Queen of Scots was under house arrest and her letters were censored, so she sewed secret treason into her needlework to communicate with the world outside.

From the political propaganda of the Bayeux Tapestry and First World War soldiers with PTSD, to the maps sewn by schoolgirls in the New World, Threads of Life stretches from medieval France to contemporary Mexico, from a POW camp in Singapore to a family attic in Scotland. It is a chronicle of identity, protest, memory, power and politics told through the stories of the men and women, over centuries and across continents, who have used the language of sewing to make their voices heard, even in the most desperate of circumstances.

In an eloquent blend of history and memoir, Threads of Life is an evocative and moving book about the need we all have to tell our story.

Threads of Life is a beautifully considered book . . . Clare Hunter mixes the personal with the political with moving results.' TRACY CHEVALIER

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Clare Hunter's Threads of Life is celebrated for its captivating exploration of the role sewing has played throughout history, interweaving elements of history, culture, and politics. Critics admire its rich narrative that traverses various continents and eras, shedding light on often-overlooked historical aspects. The book is praised as an inspiring, beautifully crafted work that both engages and moves the reader, urging them to appreciate the intricate tapestry of human history through the art of needlework.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781473687936

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 March 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Sceptre

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 225g

Pages: 320

About the Author

Clare Hunter has been a banner-maker, community textile artist and textile curator for over twenty years and established the community enterprise NeedleWorks in Glasgow. Her first book, Threads of Life, won the Saltire First Book Award, was a Waterstones Scottish Book of the Month and a Radio 4 Book of the Week.

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    Making Matters celebrates the joy of the handmade in all of its wonderful variety. In a fast-paced world, it is a timely and beautiful exploration of making traditions. I loved it! Kate Strasdin, author of The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes As children, we made things: snowmen, paper boats, eccentrically costumed plays. That making fired our minds and imaginations...
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    I felt that Mary was there, pulling at my sleeve, willing me to appreciate the artistry, wanting me to understand the dazzle of the material world that shaped her. At her execution Mary, Queen of Scots wore red. Widely known as the colour of strength and passion, it was in fact worn by Mary as the Catholic symbol of martyrdom....
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