I have just finished reading a very interesting book on Persian carpets called “The Root of Wild Madder: Chasing the History, Mystery, and Lore of the Persian Carpet” by Brian Murphy. I was drawn to the book for several reasons. Georgia is known for its carpets. I’ve been studying color. And wild madder is a natural dye. One of the things that I discovered while reading this book is that much of what Mr. Murphy, a journalist, said in his book about carpets can also be said about quilts. “Every carpet carries its own distinctive voice. Suddenly I wanted to hear them.” There is so much to this book including an opportunity to understand history and the Muslim faith. I especially liked the workd of Seyyed Hossein Nasr, an Iranian born author and Islamic scholar talking about “luminour knowledge.” His lecture at the Harvard Divinity School is quoted. He suggested that “the backbone of traditional societies–’the empowering and illumination of our counsciousness’–has been shattered by the modern appetites: gobbling up as much information as possible without resting to look for deeper connections.” I highly recommend this book. As for me, I am going to start studying the silk road in hopes of more understanding of the connections of the quilts made along it. Happy reading! Karen
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