Threads of Empire

A History of the World in Twelve Carpets

by Dorothy Armstrong

I find it fascinating that one can learn about history in so many different ways. In this interesting title, history is looked at through the lens of twelve carpets from around the world. Readers learn about objects from the third or fourth century BCE, right up to the twentieth century here.

The carpets come from places including Anatolia, Iran, India, Pakistan, and Siberia. There are chieftains, Samurai, Tycoons and others to be found in these pages.

The author opens by writing about how her interest in carpets came about. She then, in a preface, lays out her thesis about rugs and power, noting that these objects were often made by the humble for the wealthy.

This book is written in an engaging style by a writer who knows her subject well. I like that her presence is in these pages when she writes in the first person at times. I admire how she brings history to life.

There is much to learn in these pages for the reader who is interested in this subject or for a reader who is looking on an interesting take on history.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 17 June 2025

History-Arts & Photography

368 pages