Using objects that Americans have saved through the centuries and stories they have passed along, as well as histories teased from documents, Laure...
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reviews
Jul 12, 2008
Heather
rated it: 
This masterpiece combines an amazing series of true stories about American history with a masterclass in research, writing, and analysis. Each presented object has two stories: the history of the object itself and the history of how that object was used, and often distorted, to perpetuate a certain image or story. With each page, Thatcher's passion for textiles shines through.
Required reading for anyone who loves history or who wants to hone their skills.
Required reading for anyone who loves history or who wants to hone their skills.
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Oct 06, 2010
Sarah
rated it:
One of the most easily-readable non-fiction books I've read. The author creates a sense of history through the objects she features in each chapter. The last felt a little tacked-on and didn't exactly fit with those preceding it, but that's a minor quibble when considering the overall product.
Jan 05, 2009
Very dense. Some interesting parts so far. She has a desire to write about the objects but I sometimes feel her thesis -- that "homespun" is somewhat of a myth is forced.
I haven't finished reading this book and it is due back at the library. I think I'm going to return it and read something a bit more fun. Will probably return to this book at a later date.
I haven't finished reading this book and it is due back at the library. I think I'm going to return it and read something a bit more fun. Will probably return to this book at a later date.
Feb 03, 2010
Bradley
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What Ulrich does for a few objects is remarkable. This is cultural history at its best. A basket (after careful research in dusty archives and historical society vaults) tells a story of war and love and family. I find this approach to history engrossing, however small the scale may seem at first. Ulrich richly weaves her tapestry in deep context. Read this for class; it became a pleasure.
Nov 19, 2011
This one is a DNF for me. A little too dense for me at this time. It really felt like reading an archaeology textbook, and though the subject matter is so dear to my heart, I couldn't make myself read it. I do hope to give it another try.
Aug 05, 2008
Carolyn
rated it: 
This was really hard to get through and disappointing for all the hype it has received. As an Americana nerd I felt betrayed that this didn't speak to me at all. It felt more like a series of essays stuck together as a book, and within that there was a good deal of repetition. If one was particularly interested in textiles this might be more "fun."
Feb 03, 2012
Emily
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I would only recommend this for people who are extremely interested in textiles or early American objects. Otherwise it's pretty long and boring, although it does have quite a few interesting threads.
Mar 24, 2008
Teresa
rated it:
Great history book on the hidden history of women. How they pass objects such as furniture and linens down from mothe to daughter and even though they tell a story the story is often hidden. And that one must dig deeply to find the hidden history, and the women's names that are behind the items.
Oct 27, 2008
Grace
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I really loved this book. It takes a bunch of homespun objects/pieces and uses their individual histories to tell a story about the time and place in which they were made. This is exactly the type of history I find compelling, and nobody does it better than Laurel Thatcher Ulrich.
Oct 18, 2007
Rebekah
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I love her stories and the way she recreates women's lives, even though there isn't a lot in the proper record. I also get very tied to objects, so it was nice to see it all interwoven here. Sometimes she gets a bit liberal in her interpretations, but I appreciate the passion.
Aug 15, 2007
Leslie
rated it:
One of my favorite books. Dr. Ulrich combines a history of textiles with an exploration of multiple cultural histories, stretching from the creators of the objects to the nineteenth- and twentieth-century audiences that granted them significance in their own lives and worldview.
Dec 30, 2009
Kate
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Interesting but heady coverage of textiles in colonial America and the concept of homespun. Will likely return to it at some point for general interest; however it's a bit too academic for the purposes of my book research now.
Oct 24, 2007
Kari
rated it:
Interesting extrapolations and explanations of how things were done, but, otherwise not for me.
Jan 02, 2009
Deenbat
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I'm recusing myself from publicly reviewing anything on early American history. It's a long story.
Apr 14, 2008
Marie
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Fascinating, well-written history of early American crafts and early American life.
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