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The Age of Homespun

Objects and Stories in the Creation of An American Myth
Feb 24, 2017bdsonglvr68 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Having recently taken up spinning and weaving myself, it was fascinating to read about the women of the colonial and post-colonial era, who spent so much of their time and energy on creating cloth--which we take entirely for granted now--and how these skills were a matter of physical survival for many people; how cloth-making contributed to the economic, cultural, and political climate of the time, and how financially valuable these skills were as well. (I think my favorite story in the entire book is about a handspun, handwoven linen tablecloth which was valued at considerably more than the table it rested on.) I also greatly enjoyed learning about how the society in that time and place was far more varied and complex than I had ever imagined.