An excellent, highly listenable book

This is a supreme example of how a good writer can boil down a complex, esoteric topic and summarize it in a way that really grabs your attention. The book is highly accessible and surprisingly in-depth for something mentioned in the intro as "a few stories about fabrics": those stories include the centrality of silk to Ancient China's economy and its political machinations, the world-shaping power that cotton had on the European and American slave trade and global markets, and even how lace fabrics nearly bankrupted a nation. Hardly just a few stories, and it makes for a great interdisciplinary history book.

Also, unlike some less astute authors, St Clair is a capable historian: she pulls from primary sources, statistics of the day when available, and (importantly) provides context and mentions when a source may be unreliable or acting out of unexpected motivation. It's a lesson many historians should familiarize themselves with, as well as those seeking to write about history. She also points out the centrality of women to any story involving fabric (which is likely one reason why the importance of it to world history is often glossed over).

The only points I'll say I'm not a fan of is that the audio quality is just a bit scratchy, and in general I don't care for starting all your subheadings with quotes--snappy titles are usually enough for me.

None of that overly detracts from the book: it's a very accessible, well-structured and capable narrative history, looking at a topic so often underappreciated. Highly recommended for any fan of history, fashion major, or just someone looking for a brief guide to something they may have never truly appreciated.

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