The Silken Thread

"Insects are seldom mentioned in history texts, yet they significantly shaped human history. The Silken Thread: Five Insects and Their Impacts on History tells the stories of just five insects, tied together by a thread originating in the Silk Roads of Asia, and how they have impacted our world. Silkworms have been farmed to produce silk for millennia, creating a history of empires and cultural exchanges; Silk Roads connected East to West, generating trade centers and transferring ideas, philosophies, and religions. The western honey bee feeds countless people, and their crop pollination is worth billions of dollars. Fleas and lice carried bacteria that caused three major plague pandemics, moved along the Silk Roads from Central Asia. Bacteria carried by insects left their ancient clues as DNA embedded in victims' teeth. Lice caused outbreaks of typhus, especially in crowded conditions such as prisons and concentration camps. Typhus aggravated the effects of the Irish potato famine, and Irish refugees took typhus to North America. Yellow fever was transported to the Americas via the trans-Atlantic slave trade, taking and devaluing the lives of millions of Africans. Slaves were brought to the Americas to reduce labor costs in the cultivation of sugarcane, which was itself transported from south Asia along the Silk Roads. Yellow fever caused panic in the United States in the 1700s and 1800s as the virus and its mosquito vector migrated from the Caribbean. Constructing the Panama Canal required defeating mosquitoes that transmitted yellow fever. The silken thread runs through and ties together these five insects and their impacts on history"--

For readers who love a heartwarming romance and a rich historical setting comes a tale of a young woman with a heavy burden, the International Cotton Exposition, and the pursuit of true love. Eighteen-year-old Laurel Millard, youngest of seven children, is expected to stay home and "take care of Mama" by her older siblings, but Laurel has dreams of starting her own family. Operating a silk loom at the Atlanta Exposition will give her the chance to capture the heart of a man wealthy enough to take care of Laurel and any children she might bear, as well as her mother. Langdon Rochester's parents have given him an ultimatum: settle down with a wife or lose his family inheritance. At the Exposition, Langdon meets Laurel. Marrying her would satisfy his parents's command, she would look lovely on his arm for social events, and in her besotted state, he believes she would overlook him continuing pursuing rowdy adventures with his unmarried buddies. Langdon decides to woo Laurel. Willie Sharp is not well-off and must take on an extra job at the Atlanta Exposition as a security guard. When mischief-makers cause trouble in the Women's Building, Willie is put in charge of keeping the building secure. He enjoys visiting with Laurel, who seems like the little sister he never had, but his feelings for Laurel change to something much deeper. Can Willie convince Laurel that he can give her better life--even with so little to offer?

Thread painting embroidery is one of the most beautiful embroidery techniques. Often mistaken for painted art, it shows off the true skill of an embroiderer. This book demystifies the technique and shows how easy it is to start embroidering your own stitched masterpieces. For the true beginner and the experienced stitcher alike it will be a treasured guide, explaining the techniques and providing the inspiration to master this exquisite form of embroidery. Over 600 colour photographs support twenty step-by-step projects that range from a simply shaded topiary tree to a three-dimensional hydrangea bouquet. Guide to getting started introduces equipment you may need, explains how to transfer designs to fabric and demonstrates the long stitch and short stitch. Advice on blending colours and stitching shades together to achieve depth and vitality. Provides inspiration and encourages experimentation to create your own designs. Illustrates historical examples and explains how to reproduce and learn from these pieces, while also showcasing contemporary techniques and ideas for finished embroidery. Over 600 colour photographs support twenty step-by-step projects that range from a simply shaded topiary tree to a three-dimensional hydrangea bouquet.

This publication aims to provide a richly illustrated and authoritative historical overview of embroidery in China, Korea, and Vietnam.

When true love meets dark secrets, which side will win? Don’t miss this reader favorite from New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson Finding a soulmate was the easy part for Erica Sanders. Brian Lawson is everything she could have dreamed of and then some. Everyone agrees… everyone, that is, except for her own mother, who delights in uncovering Brian’s betrayal that implodes everything and destroys their engagement. Yet Erin has lingering doubts over her choice. What if there were more secrets, ones that changed everything? A chance meeting proves the passion between Brian and Erica hasn’t dimmed—but neither has the determination of others to keep them apart. But as startling layers of deception are brought to light, Erica and Brian find themselves caught between the bonds of the past and an uncertain future. Masterfully told with the sensuality and drama that Brenda Jackson does best, this is an unforgettable story of relationships at their most complex, and how hard it can be to choose between living separate lives or holding fast when love hangs by a silken thread. All titles originally published in 2011

Lee Scheingold's rich, painful intellectual and personal journey—following the death of her husband, famed political scientist Stuart Scheingold—is described from the points of view which have informed her life: psychoanalysis, clinical social work, Buddhism, and family medicine. Yet it is poetry that is the connecting thread, beginning with the Russian poems which she studied long ago in college. She describes her return journey to Russian literature in the wake of profound grief. This is an emotional and yet academic account from an author who has approached her life with almost continual self-reflection. As a result of this examined life, the factors and life experiences which enabled her to tolerate, and even welcome, the feelings of grief are explored. Two psychoanalyses and a ten-year practice of Buddhism are examined in detail with the issue of meaning foregrounded. Emotions have central stage here, but ideas are close behind. For Lee Scheingold, poetry links the two. The deeply evocative style of the book resembles poetry itself.

ilk Thread uses objects from the Rijksmuseum collection to explore the shared history of China and the Netherlands from 1600 to the present. This book pays lavish attention both to the intensive efforts of Dutch traders to reach China and establish a trading post, and to the Dutch peoples fascination with Chinese goods. The products of the encounter the silk, porcelain and lacquerware, the travelogues and atlases defined perceptions of China in the Netherlands and far beyond. In the same period, the Netherlands gained a small but significant place in Chinese consciousness. The often-turbulent relationship between China and the West forms an intriguing contrast to the enduring Dutch interest in China and the magnificent objects emanating from it. Tristan Mostert is a historian specializing in Dutch overseas history in the early modern period. A former junior curator in the History department of the Rijksmuseum, he is currently working on a doctoral thesis at Leiden University. Jan van Campen is the Rijksmuseums Curator of Asian Export Art, a position he has held since 2001. His areas of special interest are Chinese porcelain and the history of Asian art collecting in Europe. Silk Thread is part of the Country Series published by the Rijksmuseums History department. Each book in the series uses objects in the Rijksmuseum collection to explore the shared history of the Netherlands and one of the following countries: Indonesia, Japan, China, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Ghana, Suriname and Brazil.