No Idle Hands: The Social History of American Knitting (Abridged) Audiobook

" Very interesting! Great reference book. "

" This knitting history focuses upon America, so it starts at a later date than others. "

" Listened to audio version and enjoyed it, but it would have been very dry to read. "

" I am biased because I am obsessed with knitting, so much so that I am writing my thesis about it. But this book was really great. MacDonald did a lot of research about women's journals, period advertising, and the visual culture associated with knitting. "

" Learned lots of interesting history about handknitting and the role it has played throughout American history, including universal suffrage. "

" SLow-going but utterly fascinating history of knitting in the USA. And the pictures are great, too. "

" I love this book. A little bit of American History told through the lens of knitting. Great read. "

" The information contained within the book was fascinating, but I found it tedious reading after a while. The last chapter was an interesting snapshot of the knitting scene when the book was published 23 years ago. May be time for an update. "

" Listened to the abridged audio December 2009 and again June 2010. The book is much better! "

" This is another indispensable book on the history of knitting. It is, as advertised, a social history, and as such focuses on what people were knitting, and why, rather than on patterns and techniques. It's a fascinating portrait of the knitting women and men in the United States. "

" A fascinating look at the history of knitting in the United States. Ok, probably not fascinating to non-knitters. "

" Dull as dishwater, conventionally-written. Some useful info. "

" Interesting read on the historical aspect of hand knitting. It covers the time from the American settlers to the 1980s. The author kept it interesting and the photographs are outstanding. "

" You probably have to be a knitter to appreciate this book. I found it occasionally slow. But, on the whole, I thought it was interesting and enjoyable. "

" I enjoyed this book very much and it inspired one of my own about knitting in World War I. "

" Examines the history of the nation from the perspective of women and knitting, tracing the changes in day-to-day life and in women's roles in society from colonial times to the present. "

" Listened to audio version and enjoyed it, but it would have been very dry to read. "

" Listened to the abridged audio December 2009 and again June 2010. The book is much better! "

" Still reading, but enjoying the subject matter thoroughly. If you aren't a knitter, you will probably be bored in some areas. I'm listening to the audio version, and it holds my attention. "

" Dull as dishwater, conventionally-written. Some useful info. "

" Learned lots of interesting history about handknitting and the role it has played throughout American history, including universal suffrage. "

" This is the book the library threatened to revoke my library privileges over. It is half read because the library cannot understand meandering through the pages. C'mon! Was there really such a line to read the social history of American knitting? "

" I love this book. A little bit of American History told through the lens of knitting. Great read. "

" This knitting history focuses upon America, so it starts at a later date than others. "

" One of the few sources available on the history of knitting. "