Worn
‘A knowledgeable and fascinating book…that bulges at the seams with finely spun descriptions of the people and places she encounters.’
The Economist
A New York Times Book Review pick of Best Books Now in Paperback
A New Yorker Best Books of the Year Selection
A Glamour Magazine Pick of Best New Books
A Harper’s Bazaar Pick of Best New Books
A Globe and Mail (Toronto) Pick of New Books to Brighten Winter
Brought to you by Penguin.
A finely spun history of clothes and where they come from
Linen, Cotton, Silk, Synthetics, Wool: through the stories of these five fabrics, Sofi Thanhauser illuminates the world we inhabit in a startling new way, travelling from China to Cumbria to reveal the craft, labour and industry that create the clothes we wear.
From the women who transformed stalks of flax into linen to clothe their families in 19th century New England to those who earn their dowries in the cotton spinning factories of South India today, this book traces the origins of garment making through time and around the world. Exploring the social, economic and environmental impact of our most personal possessions, Worn looks beyond care labels to show how clothes reveal the truth about what we really care about.
© Sofi Thanhauser 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022
Praise