#17058
Mentioned in 5 episodes

The Fabric of Civilization

How Textiles Made the World
Book • 2020
The Fabric of Civilization delves into the history and global effects of fabric-making, dyeing, the clothing trade, and other textile-related activities.

The book covers topics such as the origins of string and fabric, the value of purple in the Roman Empire, the importance of fabrics for armies and warships, the development of weaving, and the role of textile merchants in modern political economy.

It also discusses historical espionage related to textiles, such as Spain's monopoly on vibrant reds and French efforts to steal Indian indigo.

The book is divided into sections on fiber, thread, cloth, dye, traders, consumers, and innovators, providing a detailed and academic treatment of the subject.

Mentioned by

Mentioned in 5 episodes

Mentioned by Russ Roberts as one of the top 10 EconTalk episodes of 2020.
22 snips
Leon Kass on Human Flourishing, Living Well, and Aristotle
Mentioned by Jonah Goldberg as a wonderful and interesting book that changed his views.
19 snips
The Silicon Valley Schism
Recommended by Jordan Schneider to Will Lasry , believing he would enjoy it.
A BREATHER: Making Clothes in China
Mentioned by Russ Roberts in the introduction of the podcast.
Virginia Postrel on Textiles and the Fabric of Civilization
Mentioned by Sonal Chokshi as the author of the book discussed in the podcast episode.
Technologies & Threads Through the Fabric of Our Lives
Mentioned by Sonal Chokshi as the author of the new book being discussed in the podcast.
Textiles as Tech, Science, Math, Culture... or Civilization
Mentioned by David Priess as a book that explored the intersection of fabrics, dyes, wars, and national security.
Chatter: Closing the Chatterbox, with Shane Harris and David Priess

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app