Sunday, September 07, 2014

Book Review: Massachusetts Quilts: Our Common Wealth

Massachusetts Quilts: Our Common Wealth

Edited by Lynne Zacek Bassett
University Press of New England, 2009

Massachusetts Quilts : Our Common Wealth, edited by Lynne Zacek Basset is "the definitive treasury of Massachusetts' historic quilts and a glorious tribute to the creative spirit of their makers and the times."

The amount of work that went into creating this scholarly tome is truly staggering. The project began in 1994 and would culminate 15 years later in the publication of this book. Six thousand quilts dated prior to 1950 were documented by volunteers. Divided into three parts, "history," "community," and "memory," the book examines the history of quilting in Massachusetts in its various geographical areas, looks at quilting as a community exercise, and includes quilts made to offer tribute to a particular person, event, or group.

The photographs in Massachusetts Quilts make this book a feast for the eyes. While it cannot compare to seeing the quilts in person, this is the next best thing. Any quilter, social historian, or woman's studies scholar will appreciate this book. It has much to offer from both an artistic and historic perspective.



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