By Virginia Postrel. Postrel's book tells the story of us and how the textiles that we made, craved, sold, and imagined drove many of the developments that have brought us to where we are today. She shows how the technology of textiles, from the earliest felting to modern synthetic fabrics, had a role in advancing commerce, economics, chemistry, microbiology, and computer science. Accessible and fascinating.

softcover, 304 pages