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Threads of Life

A History of the World Through the Eye of a Needle

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Threads of Life

By: Clare Hunter
Narrated by: Siobhan Redmond Redmond
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The Hare with Amber Eyes meets A History of the World in 100 Objects, Threads of Life is a history of sewing and embroidery, told through the stories of the men and women, over centuries and across continents, who have used the language of sewing to make their voices heard, even in the most desperate of circumstances.

A history of sewing and embroidery, told through the stories of the men and women, over centuries and across continents, who have used the language of sewing to make their voices heard, even in the most desperate of circumstances.

From the political storytelling of the Bayeux tapestry's anonymous embroiderers and Mary, Queen of Scots' treasonous stitching, to the sewing of First World War soldiers suffering from PTSD and the banner-makers at Greenham Common, Threads of Life stretches from medieval France to 1980s America, from a Second World War POW camp in Singapore to a family attic in Scotland. It is as much about identity, protest, memory and politics as craft and artistry.

In an eloquent blend of history and memoir with a unique understanding of craft, Clare Hunter's Threads of Life is an evocative and moving book about the need we all have to tell our story.

(P)2019 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Art Crafts & Hobbies
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Critic Reviews

It's an astonishing feat, this patchwork quilt of history, culture and politics, which takes us from Saxon England to colonised African tribes, Palestinian villages, rural China and the cramped homes of American slaves . . . Her highly impressive debut is a richly textured and moving record of a history that has largely being lost.
Triumphant . . . an inspiration to anyone who has ever thought of picking up a needle and thread.
Astonishing . . . Hunter studied creative writing and cleverly uses personal narrative to create a persona one will instantly like . . . so well written.
Fascinating
A blend of history and memoir, the book roves across centuries and continents to reveal how sewing has played a crucial part in our lives - from courts and battlefields to prisons and drawing rooms... Many of the stories in Threads of Life are heart-breaking...This beautiful, moving book makes you want to rush out and grab a needle.
Enchanting
Enthralling... By unpicking the seams of the clothes on our backs, Clare Hunter has brought to light elements of history that have languished in our collective attic for far too long. Threads
of Life is a terrific book.
Enthralling...beautiful... An inspiring and moving sideways look at history.
Threads of Life is a beautifully considered book that reminds us of how much sewing plays a crucial part in expressing the many facets of our lives. Clare Hunter has managed to mix the personal with the political with moving results. Reading it made me pick up my needle with a new perspective.
Hunter's non-fiction debut reframes needlework as a powerful and political medium . . . Threads of Life is a compelling and beautifully written account of how marginalised peoples throughout history have used the language of sewing, embroidery and textiles to tell their neglected stories.
A rich and moving history of sewing and embroidery
A compelling account of how needlework has given a voice to the voiceless
All stars
Most relevant
Such an interesting, complex and fascinating tale of the power of (largely) woman and the ‘art’ of needlework. Some very sad aspects of history relayed here but largely unknown. Thank you for recording these. I loved it! I’m in Australia, early 50s and currently recording people and places in a motif ‘journal’ embroidery. Such a joy and so many people think I am ‘clever’. What underpins it is learning the stitches from my Nan 45 years before and the privilege of affording Japanese linen, thread and making time. Recording memories and creating a treasured ‘artwork’.

Fascinating Facts

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Really enjoyed listening to this book, it was well researched and original, told with a passion and insight.

You could feel the writer's heart, passion and honesty for her subject. Giving the book more depth and connection.

The narrator owned the story well. I had to keep reminding myself, she was not in fact the voice of the writer.

Informative and immersive

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I loved this book. The stories are of people from all over the world and from the distant past to today.
The writing is vivid, the research remarkable but seemingly effortless. And the narration adds great charm. A book to treasure.

Brilliant

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Too Anglo/Caledonia centric,
I did not get through Three Chapters that I stopped and sampled subsequent chapters which showed little prospect of affording enjoyment
I had more exotic expectations instead of little reference to things outside things associated with British Empire
It reeked of British Imperialism so I did not find it culturally relevant
One of the least enjoyable things I’ve attempted to listen to in my seven year subscription

Fell well short of my expectations, disappointed

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Not too many facts in the first third of this book, was turned off by the constant hunching of downtrodden women over their work. I'm sure some of them enjoyed their needlework. The narrator was fantastic though.

Not much fact, much hunching

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