The Age of Homespun: Objects and Stories in the Creation of an

The Age of Homespun: Objects and Stories in the Creation of an American Myth

They began their existence as everyday objects, but in the hands of award-winning historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, fourteen domestic items from preindustrial Americaâ‚¬â€œranging from a linen tablecloth to an unfinished sockâ‚¬â€œrelinquish their stories and offer profound insights into our history.

In an age when even meals are rarely made from scratch, homespun easily acquires the glow of nostalgia. The objects Ulrich investigates unravel those simplified illusions, revealing important clues to the culture and people who made them. Ulrich uses an Indian basket to explore the uneasy coexistence of native and colonial Americans. A piece of silk embroidery reveals racial and class distinctions, and two old spinning wheels illuminate the connections between colonial cloth-making and war. Pulling these divergent threads together, Ulrich demonstrates how early Americans made, used, sold, and saved textiles in order to assert their identities, shape relationships, and create history.
Country USA
Brand Vintage
Manufacturer Vintage
Binding Paperback
ItemPartNumber 9780679766445
Model 9780679766445
Color Multicolor
ReleaseDate 2002-11-12
UnitCount 1
UPCs 884889562565
EANs 9780679766445

The Age of Homespun: Objects and Stories in the Creation of an American Myth