Women Artisans of Morocco: Their Stories, Their Lives

Good book covering all aspects, brilliant photography, value for money

Well written and beautiful pictures

There is a little something in this book for everyone.Interested in women’s empowerment? This book’s for you. Textiles, especially knotted rugs? Check. Incredible photos of people, places and textiles? Yes. Want more insight and knowledge about Moroccan and Islamic culture? Look no further, this book is written by an anthropologist who has lived and traveled in Morocco for parts of the last 50 years.I started reading this book with an interest in weaving but zero knowledge of Morocco. The map in the beginning is useful because Susan Davis goes on to describe diverse tribes and communities spread throughout Morocco, who speak several languages. Interestingly, the beginning is generally about traditional weavers and the second half is about younger, more activist weavers and other artisans.The book consists of over 20 vignettes, each about a woman artisan or family-group of artisans. Most of them weave rugs, some make buttons or embroider. A few still start with raw wool and clean, spin and dye their yarn. I found it best to read one or two vignettes each night and absorb the design of the rugs and the details of their lives. If I read more than two I got overwhelmed with details.Each vignette forms a chapter that acquaints the reader with a woman, her family and her role earning income in the family. We learn how she learned to weave, her relationship to weaving, and about the weavings themselves. There are detailed descriptions of different styles of rugs as well as of the symbolism in the weavings. There is also discussion of weaving for income and the process of selling to middle sellers who often underpay the women for their work. Many women are now working with co-ops or associations that offer fairer income or else teach the women to sell directly to customers.Unlike some depictions of Islamic women which are difficult to read because the women are so oppressed, this is a joyous book. Gender relationships in Islamic countries are complex, but these are strong women contributing to their families and aware of their strength. Many are very religious and I was surprised how often women raised the theme of weaving as fulfilling a religious obligation to work.Joe Coca has done it again with his insightful photos. The photos of rugs are interesting for the specific patterns, but it is the photos of the weavers themselves that draw me in--aged, young, tired, jubilant--these are the photos we rarely see in the Western press of strong women with a proud tradition.Thrums books entertain, they educate, they make the world a little cozier.

Beautiful book very inspiring

I have never been to Morocco, although I hope to someday,, but reading this book by Susan Schaefer Davis is almost as good. The writing is clear and fun to read, The photographs gorgeous, and you almost feel like you are traveling with a friend looking at rugs, weavings, clothing, pillows and covered buttons. Each chapter focuses on a craftswoman with her life and creativity showcased. You learn about specifics of the women and their types of weaving or button making, from carding and spinning wool to designing their own rugs and fabrics. Dr. Davis writes clearly and with great warmth, something unique in a field of books about the Middle East with cold political analyses and statistics. An enjoyable and extremely valuable book with beautiful pictures by Joe Coca..