by Virginia Postrel
Publication date: November 10, 2020
Language: English
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 1541617606
ISBN-13: 978-1541617605
The narrative of human civilization unfolds hand in hand with the evolution of textiles, a legacy as ancient as society itself. Since the inception of the first spun thread, the demand for textiles has been a driving influence in the realms of technology, commerce, politics, and culture.
In “The Fabric of Civilization,” Virginia Postrel skillfully amalgamates groundbreaking insights drawn from the realms of archaeology, economics, and science to unveil an astonishing historical account.
The fabric trade serves as the intersection of diverse cultures in the ancient world, where Minoans exported wool dyed with precious purple hues to Egypt and Romans donned opulent Chinese silk. Textiles not only underwrote the Renaissance and the grandeur of the Mughal Empire but also gave rise to financial institutions, bookkeeping practices, iconic masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s David, and architectural marvels like the Taj Mahal.
The textile industry became the catalyst for disseminating the alphabet and arithmetic, propelling advances in chemistry, and fostering the development of binary code.
Meticulously researched and masterfully narrated, “The Fabric of Civilization” unfolds the chronicle of the most influential commodity in the world.
About the Author
Virginia Postrel, an acclaimed journalist and independent scholar, contributes as a columnist to Bloomberg Opinion and has previously written for distinguished publications like the Atlantic, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. She is the author of highly regarded works including “The Substance of Style” and “The Power of Glamour.” Her research receives support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and she currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
