Posted by Robert Darius on May 20, 1999 at 13:11:56:
In Reply to: Best Book on the History/Sociology of Rug Weaving posted by Jerry Silverman on May 14, 1999 at 12:53:45:
: I'd like to get started compiling a "Best" list which, maybe, we could add somewhere appropriate on the Site. The list should be compiled with the NOVICE collector in mind. (Once someone has pissed away a couple years of his/her life learning about rugs, they aren't going to take our collective judgment anyway.) Naturally, "best" is subjective so nominations should be supported with opinion.
: If for some reason you'd rather not cast your vote publicly, feel free to e-mail your choice to me. I'll add it to the tally. Most votes wins. Decision of the judge is final. I'm the judge.
: -Jerry-
Jerry,
For an excellent work on the History and Sociology of carpet weaving, I cast my vote for: Ties that Bind, A Social History of the Iranian Carpet, by Leonard M. Helfgott (published by Smithsonian Institution Press). An incredible amount of historical information is packed into these 300 pages. The selected bibliography alone is worth the price of this book. Helfgott offers us a very scholarly work, which, at the same time remains accessible to the novice as well.
Thanks for yet another great topic on Turkotek.
Robert Darius