Sofi ThanhauserWorn: A People's History of Clothing

An interesting book but could have and should have been much shorter. Much repetition of facts. I am a fabric addict and really wanted more focus on fabric and somewhat less on evil masters. I did learn a lot about how fabric is (and was) made and the role of clothing in society. But 400 pages is a slog.

The first copy of WORN that Amazon sent me had a number of under-inked pages so pale they were virtually impossible to read. Amazon promptly delivered a replacement copy--with exactly the same defect. The book is getting great reviews, but people who buy it may well want to be able to read every page. I do, so I'm sending the replacement back as well. I'm hoping this time they'll look for a non-defective copy to send in its place.

Solid, interesting book about the different fibers/clothing and how they affect our lives (and not just with clothing). At times it is polemical--the section about glyphosate needs more research (look into the JMPR findings). I can't quite relax into the rhythm of the text because of the occasional jarring statements.HOWEVER, I do recommend this book if you are someone who is fascinated with cloth, clothing and needs a good overview. I'm glad I purchased it.

This book drew me in immediately. We should all, as consumers of textiles in so many capacities, be cognizant of their historical and current impact (i.e. socially, economically, culturally, politically, environmentally) worldwide. This is not a story solely about fashion or garments or consumerism or economics, but rather a compelling explanation of all these elements, and more, intertwined. Thanhauser solidly crafts an historically and completely relevant text for today. Highly worth the read!

“Worn”. Is an exceptional book . I found the book to be well written, thoroughly researched and for me, filled with new information. As an aside, the paper used for printing is great, heavier and with a soft feel.I thoroughly recommend “Worn”

Very interesting read, would have been better without some of the political commentary but overall an excellent treatment of textile history.

The subtitle of this book, “A People’s History of Clothing,” is misleading. It is, instead, a history of the fibers that make up our clothing: linen, cotton, wool, synthetics, etc. This history is much more than a chronology, however, as it also takes into account serious political and environmental ramifications. The author relays her personal involvement alongside her meticulous research which makes the book so very readable.

Thanhauser picked a very attractive topic which has not been widely covered by others. I was eager to read and learn but found each chapter to be a combination of overly detailed and too "memoirish" for my tastes.

The author offers us a unique view into a subject that I must confess I never considered and was pretty ignorant about. This book views history through the lens of textiles. I had never considered this lens. So this book was an eye opener. Humans have worn clothes for millennia. But where how did this happen? Viewing history through the lens of textile seems trivial - but it is not. The author charges off in many directions - and perhaps at times into too much details. But that is only because the textile lens is so groundbreaking.

This book has been thoroughly researched and is engagingly written. It follows the development of the various types of textiles, their production and use and the effects on society and the environment.It made me think hard about my purchase of clothes and textiles, should we buy less to discourage over production? Or will that adversely affect the economy of parts of the world that are already relatively impoverished.

I like everything about it . I’m a textile historian. It’s quite disturbing . You will look at garment labels in a different light , especially viscose which most of us think of as being a fairly benign fibre.

I expressly ordered this for my wife.A fascinating History of Clothing.

Really well written, a good but in places, hard going read