The historical fibre of silk

Aarathi Prasad's book unspools the intricate threads of silk's story, tracing its journey from silkworms and spider silk to emperors' wardrobes

Silk: A History in Three Metamorphoses

Authors: Aarathi Prasad

Publisher:Harper Collins India

Pages: 368

Price: Rs 699

This is a strange history; a history that hangs by a thread, prowls on eight legs, observes all, yet remains neglected somewhere in some overlooked nook. Writer, broadcaster, and molecular geneticist Aarathi Prasad presents a globetrotting and species-leaping volume, full of creepy-crawlies and fantastic beasts of the usually lurking-kinds. There are giant spiders, metre-long Mediterranean clams, and countless moth species. There are also lotus stems and mulberry leaves. From the fine shifting sands in deserts, to green tranquil ponds in dense forests, Silk brings together a diverse weave