Perhaps the subtitle set my expectations inappropriately high. I was truly hoping for threads of the storyline to tie to vital moments in history, as the Yalta rug did. I did enjoy the details about trade (middle eastern rug ending up as part of Japanese armor), but was left wishing for more details on manufacturing fibers and processes. Alas, we will likely never know. A tour to look at the rugs in person would be awesome!

What an absolutely fascinating read! Author Dorothy Armstrong leads us through the histories of 12 carpets in a deeply well written and researched way. Carpets seemingly can be such mundane things but Armstrong brings to life the connections made by people creating and desiring them. I randomly requested this and I'm so glad I did. I will absolutely be buying a finished copy and looking more into Dorothy Armstrong's work!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a pleasant surprise. I thought i would enjoy a story or two but the whole book was very entertaining and informative. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

"Threads of Empire" is a fascinating look at 12 carpets which the author, Dorothy Armstrong, uses as a starting point for an exploration of culture, commerce and trade, creation of national ideology and myth, and colonization, among other themes. The research brings each carpet to life with details on how they were made and what we know (or can guess) about the people who made them. The book moves from the 5th century BCE into the 21st century, and Armstrong is excellent at noting the throughlines that tie the carpets together. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC.

4 out of 5 stars

Carpets seem like an unusual medium with which to explore the past, but Dorothy Armstrong expertly weaves time and place together in her thoughtful and well-written book Threads of Empire: A History of the World in Twelve Carpets.

Armstrong examines twelve carpets spanning from the third or fourth century BCE to the modern day, and across the world including locations in Siberia, Syria, Egypt, Anatolia, Iran, Japan, India, Romania, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom. This scope provides insight into the larger political aspects of these societies and a look into the (mostly) women who weaved the carpets. Although the weavers are discussed in this book, Armstrong does mention how little is known about the weavers themselves. Due to social and political reasons and the lack of sources on the matter, the daily lives of the weavers largely remain a mystery. Each carpet gives a small glimpse into the society that crafted it, the society that bought it, and the society that displayed the carpets.

The strongest part of this book does not lie in the examination of the carpets themselves, but rather in the connections Armstrong makes between when and where the carpets came from and how that impacted where they ended up. The people who bought and sold the carpets and where they chose to display them present a fascinating look into history.

Even though Armstrong presents an interesting and concise history, the language used to describe the carpets and the methods of creating them proves difficult to follow at times. For someone not familiar with the process of making or studying carpets, these parts of the book will be lost on them and it is easier to gloss over these sections than to decipher the process.

Overall, this book gives a fascinating exploration of objects that connected people around the world throughout history. Carpets are highly common all over the world and most people never think twice about them. Armstrong brings new insight into this household item and provides a window for others to explore this as both art and history.

This book is an eye-opener, offering a fresh perspective on historical moments often overlooked. The way these carpets traveled through time, shifting meaning and importance, is both educational and thought-provoking. For anyone who is fascinated by the intersection of art, culture, and history, Threads of Empire is a must-read.